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The New Standard: Importance of Community Service Today

March 14, 2022

Jocelyn Barton
STAFF WRITER

Standardized tests and scores are now becoming optional in college applications. With this, colleges are becoming more dependable on a student’s personal values and accomplishments. What better way to offer this insight than presenting your interests and offerings to helping your community through community service?

Anne-Marie Fortier, a guidance counselor at Andover High School, explained that community service is extremely valuable to colleges. She stressed the importance of finding a service where you get something in return as well. “You want to be connected to the community service that you’re involved in,” said Fortier. “You want to get value from it.” Finding something that you enjoy doing is just as important as donating your time and effort.

Mary Testa, also a guidance counselor, said that she volunteered at a hospital when she was in high school. Not knowing if medicine may be a possible future career, community service helped her to explore this interest. “It was really nice helping people and seeing what people did for a living,” said Testa.

Volunteering offers real-world experience and builds career prospects, which is especially important to students finding themselves. Testa explained, “[Community service] can be something that builds your character and builds your reputation, which is really important when you’re going through life and asking, ‘Who do you want to be?’”

COURTESY PHOTO / Mara Durán-Clark
AHS’s Key Club and the Kiwanis Group participate in the annual George Street Bridge cleanup

Community service also aids in bringing you closer to the needs of your community. Organizations in need of help take to heart the energy you put into making an impact on those in need. “It makes you appreciate what you have and you get to see the difference you can make in a short amount of time with sometimes minimal effort,” said Testa. It can empower you to make a difference even if it is only affecting one person.

Now, more than ever, organizations are in need of help due to COVID. Whether it be signing up to volunteer at an organized facility or doing kind deeds throughout the day, every act counts. “Any gesture of kindness, giving back, or putting other people’s needs first can really give you that same feeling of helping others,” said Testa.

Interestingly enough, AHS does not require community service to be completed. Letting students find their own ways of giving back to their community shows an individual’s initiative.

AHS also directly offers some community service opportunities that are led by students and provide local help to Andover’s community. Clubs such as Key Club, Interact Club, Neuroscience Club, and countless more offer opportunities to support the Andover community through a student lead organization.

On a much broader scale, the town of Andover prides itself on its Community Services Department, which is composed of the Andover DIVERSE, Elder, Recreation, Veteran, and Youth Services. These divisions are focused on building a better Andover with the benefit of community initiative.

To begin your search for community service opportunities, take a look at some provided sources that would welcome your help below! (Be aware: Some organizations may not be taking volunteers at this time due to COVID.)

Community Service Opportunities Download

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COVID-19’s Impact on Extracurriculars

February 28, 2022

Naomi Bloom
STAFF WRITER

The COVID-19 pandemic impacted many extracurricular activities throughout the year. However, due to the surge in cases after winter break, several extracurriculars have had to take extra precautions.

Since many families and friends gathered over winter break, COVID-19 cases spiked again, almost twice as many as the surge last winter. This is most likely due to the highly contagious Omicron variant. The rise in cases combined with the prior accommodations made for the pandemic forced many extracurriculars to do more to keep students safe.

The Athletic Director of the Andover Public Schools district, Bill Martin, spoke on the impact that the surge in cases had on the district’s sports teams and their fans. “We have had most of our teams affected by the number of athletes and coaches that have been out due to COVID,” he said. To ensure that their teams wouldn’t have to miss any competitions, a few games were postponed.

Additionally, the number of fans allowed at games has decreased. However, Martin said that he was hoping that by the end of the winter season, there will be fewer COVID cases and that the regular amount of fans will be able to return to the games.

In some instances, extracurricular activities have had to withdraw from their programs. For example, the AHS Model United Nations club is no longer attending this year’s Harvard Model United Nations (HMUN) conference. The conference was set to take place in person near the end of January, so the school’s delegates withdrew. Out of the thirty to fifty students at AHS that attend the HMUN meetings, fifteen delegates would have gone to the conference. Other delegates would have been coming from all around the world. Michael McCarthy, the teacher advisor for the program at AHS, said that he was worried about the possible spread of COVID there. “I had a lot of concerns about the delegates’ safety, so we withdrew our participation,” he said. “I was concerned that students would contract [COVID] and would be absent from school and would miss out… it’s a very large organization, and so with some kids out, they would miss out on a fun extracurricular opportunity.”

COURTESY PHOTO / Andover Robotics
What a normal in-person robotics meet in the AHS cafeteria looks like

The school’s robotics teams have also had to accommodate for the pandemic. Round one of the robotics tournament was going to be held in the AHS cafeteria in January, but because of the surge in cases, it was postponed. The competition in Canton was also postponed. “We’ll have ‘Practice Judging Days’ instead, which would be done remotely,” said Canyu Li, a freshman on team Thunder. Minda Reidy, the teacher advisor for the robotics program, said that was done “as a general cautionary.” She also noted that the schools of some other teams in the state were not allowed to travel, so several teams would have missed the meet. “We also put into consideration that we were asking a lot of people to be in tighter [quarters] than we should really with a big Omicron concern,” she added. Thankfully, though, the teams will still be able to take part in their Practice Judging Days and were able to host the tournament round in February.

In addition, the AHS math team was also impacted by the pandemic. While the school’s team was able to attend the meet that took place after winter break, some other teams were not able to. Dorothy Power, the teacher advisor for the team, was glad that the team could still make it to the competitions. “We were really fortunate that Mr. Darlington helped us find a way to travel beginning in January, and that all of our mathletes were healthy and could attend,” she said. These teachers and students are hoping that the pandemic will come to an end and their activities will be able to return to normal. “I’m hoping that this is the beginning of the end and that we can eventually—and probably soon—say goodbye to COVID in some way,” said McCarthy.

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Drama Guild Returns to Competing

February 14, 2022

Eva Liss

STAFF WRITER

After a year and a half break due to the pandemic, Andover High School is returning in person to the Massachusetts High School Drama Festival this spring.

The Drama Festival, also known as Fest, is a competition stretching over multiple rounds. The 2020 season was cut short by the pandemic, and the 2021 season was held virtually. However, this year, Andover is back to participating fully in-person. There will be accommodations made for the pandemic, including fewer host sites than usual and mandatory masks and vaccinations. Every participating school competes with a 40 minute long, one-act play and is judged on acting, tech, and general presentation skills.

COURTESY PHOTO / Massachusetts Educational Theater Guild
The Drama Festival’s 2022 logo

“The way [Fest] got cut off my sophomore year… for my grade and the grade below me, [going back to competition this year is] like a comeback,” said senior Gray DiNino. “I think [it’s] going to be great this year, because even though it’s not the same as normal, it’s better than nothing.”

Due to COVID, instead of the usual three rounds of Preliminaries, Semi-Finals, and Finals, there will be two rounds this year: Preliminaries and Regionals. The preliminary rounds are scheduled for March 19 and 20, and regionals will be held April 2 and 3. All audience members, staff, and performing members of high school companies will be required to provide proof of vaccination and wear masks for the entirety of the competition. Additionally, while AHS would host at least one round in a normal year, AHS Show Choir is holding a competition taking place on those days, so Fest taking place at AHS is not possible.

Although this year’s modifications may seem major, there are benefits to a toned-down competition. “[This year] is a good way to introduce Fest at a less intense level for anyone who’s never done it before,” said DiNino. Susan Choquette, director of Theatre Arts, had the same opinion. She said, “Until you experience Fest, you don’t really know what to expect or what you might be missing… but I can tell you—and if you ask one of the upperclassmen they can tell you—that it’s just one of the very best experiences.”

This year, AHS’s play is Portraiture by Katherine Budinger. Budinger is a freshman at Johns Hopkins and graduated from AHS last year.

The AHS Tech Crew is very excited to be a part of the production. DiNino and sophomore Anat Briskin are set designers, sophomore Hannah Lehmann is the costume designer, and senior Alex Worthley is the stage manager. On the acting side, auditions were held on January 19 and January 20, with callbacks on January 21. The first rehearsal was held January 27.

Briskin expressed that she’s been looking forward to Fest since her freshman year, when she first learned of the intensity of AHS theater. Freshman Jonathan Oatman had the same opinion, expressing a feeling of anticipation towards the production.

“I almost didn’t do [Fest] because I’d heard it was super stressful,” said Oatman, “because we have a short time to put together something we’re competing with, but I talked to [an upperclassman] and here I am… I’ve always loved the feeling of being that close with a group of people because of a performance.”

Articles Opinion

OPINION: Should Schools Be In-Person with COVID Surge?

February 14, 2022

Philippa Konow

STAFF WRITER

COVID-19, the modern-day plague, has ravaged this world for almost three years now. Schools across the country have repeatedly opened and closed throughout these years in an attempt to battle the virus. New mask mandates and lockdown policies are still being created every day to protect students and staff. This time of high anxiety and mental decline has caused many to question what the right steps are to get the pandemic under control, especially with the new variants evading almost everything we have.

With the most recent surge of COVID-19 popping up after this year’s winter break and sending hundreds of students and staff in the Andover Public Schools district into quarantine, many are wondering if being in school in person is safe. I recall friends, classmates, and myself asking a very common question: “Why are we still in school?” This was a question I continued to hear in every class and H-Block for weeks after the break. Why are schools still open?

The pandemic has been a big struggle for the science community. There have been so many questions and so few answers due to the ever-changing state of the virus. Alan Kalf, a science teacher at Andover High School, said that “as our knowledge of epidemiology and biology develops, it can be frustrating for people to see health and safety expectations change”—referring to the changing quarantine guidelines. “No solution is a perfect solution; all involve compromises, and the government and society have decided that the risks of spreading COVID-19 are worth the benefits of being in school,” Kalf stated.

While I am worried about the current pandemic surge, the idea of going back to remote schooling is one I strongly dislike. The emotional and mental toll it can take on both students and teachers is severe. “There are studies out there that have said depression rates are higher due to [COVID-19] and the isolation while at home,” stated AHS health teacher Holly Breen.

“I have already been isolated away from other people enough through the pandemic, and I don’t know if I could necessarily go through another hiatus without it taking a major toll on my school work and my mental health,” said one student. They aren’t the only ones who struggled during remote classes. “Keeping students isolated seems to have impeded some students’ emotional and social maturity,” said Kalf.

There are some solutions that could be implemented. One shared by many students is to better reinforce the rules in place. “It would [probably] be nice to start requiring the vaccine unless you can’t get it for medical reasons,” suggested Gabriel Lima, a senior at AHS. “The virus seems to spread the most during this time of year.”

“I’ve heard that two lunchrooms were a pain last year, but I think that having the entire school packed into one cafeteria while eating is probably causing a lot of issues as well, given that there’s not enough space to safely social distance with the mask off,” suggested Diya Ganesh, a junior.

I definitely agree with having multiple lunchrooms because having one-quarter of the school in the cafeteria is extremely crowded, with not enough space to socially distance.

“Across the country, I wish that schools had better funding, classes were smaller, hallways less crowded, and buildings in better condition to be as safe as possible,” said Kalf. Having a school that isn’t big enough for all of the students definitely increases the number of cases.

The most important thing to remember is that staying safe is a group effort. Everyone needs to take their part in battling this virus by getting vaccinated, wearing masks properly, and obeying the safety protocols and quarantine guidelines.

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Vending Machine Thefts Decrease

February 14, 2022

Jacqueline Zhu

COPY EDITOR

The introduction of personal identification numbers (PINs) for the vending machines has triggered a rash of PIN thefts, prompting administrators to issue warnings against vending machine theft.

The issue of students stealing others’ PINs began in early fall, after the vending machines were put online. Offending students would take pictures or videos of other students putting their PINs in, and then use the PINs for themselves and their friends. Students who have had their PINs compromised would have to obtain a new PIN, a 30- to 40-minute process that involves the administration and cafeteria workers transferring the student’s funds to a new account.

Gail Koutroubas, Director of Food Services at Andover High School, explained that despite having PINs consisting of a five-digit number and a four-digit number to maximize security, some students are still able to copy down others’ PINs. “We didn’t think that kids would be videotaping other students putting their numbers in and then sharing it,” she said.

Andover High School has had the vending machines with codes for four years, said Koutroubas, but vending machine theft has never been an issue until this year. “We very rarely had an issue: kids were very respectful of each other,” she stated. “But, for whatever reason, this group of kids didn’t realize the severity of what they were doing. They’re stealing money, and a lot of money in some cases.”

The general consensus among students is that stealing others’ PINs is unacceptable. “You should not be using other people’s PINs to buy stuff,” said junior Nathan Chu. “That’s like using someone else’s credit card to make your own payments. If you really want something from the machine but either don’t have enough money or don’t have a PIN, then all you need to do is ask your friend to buy something for you.”

STAFF PHOTO / Jacqueline Zhu
Juliet Herrick, a junior, enters her PIN into one of the vending machines

Some students are not sure if sharing PINs amongst friends is as significant an issue. “I think that while sharing your PIN so your friend can get a snack is considerate, lots of people are abusing this power and causing problems in the long run,” said Madelyn Blanchette, a junior.

“In my mind, sharing PINs is okay as long as it’s mutual,” stated freshman Gavin Cleary, “but if it is not or if it’s stealing PINs, then it is not okay.”

Koutroubas explained that students sharing their PINs with friends is also inappropriate. “When we assign you the PIN, there’s a letter that says ‘Do not share your PIN’. That’s like your mom or dad sharing their PIN to their bank account.”

Several students suggest that offending students’ PINs be deactivated as a countermeasure against PIN theft. “I think if sharing a PIN is becoming an issue, a suspension of the PIN could work,” said Blanchette.

Sophomore Megan Zhang agrees. “I think appropriate consequences for those who share their PIN numbers is to have their PIN deactivated for a certain amount of time, such as two or three weeks,” she said.

Zhang believes a possible solution would be to use biometric technology instead of codes. “Having everyone’s finger (of their choice) to be used for scanners marked/identified and then using those for the ‘codes’ would make sure that it is the correct person using the account,” she explained.

Koutroubas’ idea is similar, only students’ ID cards would be scanned instead of their fingers. “We really would love for students to carry their IDs and be able to scan everything,” she said. “It would eliminate lines, and it would eliminate theft. I think that it would be a little more secure, unless you lose your ID or something. Until there’s enforcement from the administration on carrying IDs, we’re just left with the PINs.”

Since holiday break, there has been a decrease in vending machine theft. “There was a decrease right after the students that compromised the numbers were punished,” stated Koutroubas. “As soon as we found out who they were through the cameras, it stopped.”

Koutroubas’ ultimate advice to students is to not share their PINs. “Be conscious of who’s around you when you’re putting your PIN in. Make sure there’s no kids videotaping you,” she said.

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Graphs of COVID-19 Updates

February 14, 2022

Naomi Bloom

STAFF WRITER

Last updated Feb. 7, 2022

The graphs show the number of new cases reported by day, week, month, and overall in Andover High School and the Andover Public School district since the return to school after winter break on January 3, 2022.

After winter break, there was a surge in COVID-19 cases, but the numbers are gradually decreasing. According to the Andover Public Schools COVID-19 Dashboard, shown on the Weekly Cases graph, the number of cases in the school has tended to spike after the weekends, then go down over the week. This pattern has been repeating each week since the break, but the spikes have been becoming smaller.

The Dashboard resets on Saturdays, but as of February 7th, as shown in the Total Cases graph, over 317 students at Andover High School and nearly 100 students and staff in the district had tested positive for COVID since after winter break. This is about 17.6% and 14.7%, respectively, of students and staff. While the number of cases is at a steady decline, it is still important to follow the COVID-19 guidelines and be careful to not catch it.

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Trouble Right Under Your Nose

November 19, 2021

By Naomi Bloom

STAFF WRITER

Since in-person school resumed during the COVID-19 pandemic, wearing masks has been mandated. This was put in place in order to keep each student and staff member as safe as possible from the virus. The mandate within the Andover Public Schools system was going to last until at least November, but after a school committee meeting on October 21, the schools sent out an email regarding the extension of the mandate. Especially because the holidays are just around the corner and many students and staff have family members who had not been old enough to get vaccinated, it’s great that the mandate was extended until at least January 15.

The email also explained that the extended mandate would allow more time for parents to have their younger children vaccinated, if they choose to, as the vaccine was to be approved shortly after the email was sent—It was approved on November third.

Despite the administration’s efforts, many students still do not adhere to the rules about wearing masks, and teachers and other students are struggling to deal with them.

Several students interviewed observed how many students were not wearing their masks correctly in school. Andrew Magner, a junior at AHS, said that in his classes, only about 60-90% of students wear their masks correctly. Senior Audrey HetheringtonYoung said that in her classes, however, only half of the students wear them correctly. Junior Rachel Chen said that there are at least three people in each of her classes that wear their masks under the nose or mouth, and Junior Ohad Mamet said that only about 80% of students have them on right.

I took note of students in each of my classes, and by my count, an average of 19.6% of them were wearing their masks incorrectly. This is nearly one fifth of students, which is unsafe, to say the least, and rather disappointing. If not all students wear their masks correctly, then it ruins the whole point of wearing masks in the first place, and will prolong the spread of COVID. To stop wearing masks, you have to wear them first. Additionally, I found that an average of 1.3 students kept their masks below their mouths in each class, which is even more unsafe.

Teachers have been struggling to have students keep their masks on. Even when reminded to put their masks back up, many students simply tug them back down once their teacher looks away.

“There isn’t a teacher in this building who has time to constantly remind the same students to wear their masks properly,” said Mary Robb, a Social Studies teacher at AHS, “and, quite honestly, they shouldn’t have to.”

Chen noted that most of her teachers have to keep asking the same students over and over again to keep their masks up, to no avail. Those students still return to class each time, masks hanging under their noses. Magner said that because of these students that continue to wear their masks improperly, some teachers seemed to have given up on enforcing mask-wearing as the year went on. “I still would say that the majority of my teachers do enforce it when they see a student not properly wearing a mask, even if they may not be paying as much attention to students’ masks as they did before,” he added.

“I don’t really understand what the big deal is about masks,” said Elias Pantazi, a junior. “It has been proven that they help control the spread of COVID and they aren’t uncomfortable or hard to breathe in… I’m not really in the mood to be sent home because people feel too much pride to be a team player.”

Additionally, Junior Avanthika Suryadevara also said that there are several people in her classes, especially in the hallways, who wear their masks incorrectly. “It mostly shocks me when I see people wearing them completely down, because that’s not effective in any way,” she said. It’s extremely disappointing that so many people don’t mind putting others at risk for such a small personal benefit.

Wearing your mask is for the good of the community, and it doesn’t hurt to keep it up–there are mask breaks for a reason. Keep your mask up, not just for the safety of everyone else, but also yourself.

“I know it is an inconvenience,” said Michelle Chachus, an AHS teacher, “but if wearing masks keeps us safe until more people are vaccinated and the variants are under control, then I think it is a small price to pay for health, safety, and peace of mind.”

AHS Offers AP Psychology

November 19, 2021

150 Students Take New Course

By Shravya Sathi

CO-EDITOR IN CHIEF

Around one hundred fifty students sign up for a new course, Advanced Placement Psychology, at Andover High School.

While AP Psychology was offered through Virtual High School previously, this is the first time it is being physically offered at AHS. The teachers for this course include Micheal McCarthy, Michelle Chachus, and Kathryn Vives, all of whom teach the half-year elective Psychology and Mental Health, offered in honors and CP-levels.

The idea of a psychology class mixed with the challenge of an AP course make it very appealing to students. “I don’t know if everybody wants to go into psychology,” said Vives, “but I think that there’s at least a nugget of interest that everybody holds, learning about the human brain psyche and why we behave the way that we do.”

The half year elective itself, was a popular choice, which could have lead to the large number of signups for the AP version. “I took the psychology elective sophomore year, and I had a great time with it, so I decided to take the AP version of the class,” reflected senior Aahana Tiku.

Many students are also interested in the subject itself. “I have a big fascination with how the brain and mind work,” said senior Mimi Cung, “I decided to take the AP course because I think it has more opportunities and will allow me to go more in depth.”

In this course, students are encouraged to take a hands-on approach to learning and participate in a lot of activities. There have been simulations, as well as different types of projects surrounding zombies, restaurants, the brain, and theme parks so far. “I like it a lot,” said senior Saima Rahman, “the work and activities we do in this class kind of connect to my other classes so I’m happy with the way it is structured.”

Through this approach, students are understanding and forming unique connections between the class, themselves, and beyond. “We are able to look at different perspectives and compare and contrast with our own experiences,” said Cung. “It is evident how we are able to apply these concepts to the outside world.”

While the course has been going well overall, the teachers have already seen some challenges with lesson plans and pacing.

“It’s so early,” said Vives, “I already see things from every unit, every lesson I’ve taught, that I’d like to change a bit for next year.”

Additionally, since the AP exam will be held during the first week of May, there is great pressure on the teachers to finish the course by that date. “It’s just very hard to judge how fast we have to move through the content,” reflected Vives.

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The Library Makeover was Long Overdue

November 19, 2021

By Caitlin Connell

STAFF WRITER

The Andover High School library was renovated this past summer to improve the learning environment for students.

The library was last renovated in 1997 before the current updates this year; and after about 20 years without improvements, the library is finally getting the updates it deserves. John Berube, a librarian at AHS, stated that the carpet in the library was “starting to split,” one of the many reasons the library needed renovations. This split was a safety hazard to students, who could potentially trip on the carpet. The renovations were initially just supposed to replace the carpet, but as the process started the school decided to paint the walls, update lighting, as well as fix sound issues.

STAFF PHOTO / Caitlin Connell
John Berube (left) and Mary Coombs (right) in front of the new library design

Berube said they had been “talking about [the renovation] for years,” and over the summer the project finally started up. So far, the brick and concrete has been painted over white, blue, and yellow—the colors of the Andover Warriors—and our school’s logo has been added on one of the walls.

Mary Coombs, who is also a librarian at AHS said, “The new paint made it feel brighter and more engaging.”

The school has also hired an acoustical engineer to help plan out how to make the library less echoey, and more suitable for classroom use. Berube said the library “echoes something wicked,” so for sound regulating, acoustical panels will be installed along the walls which will absorb some of the noise. Along with the noise panels, a new wall is going to be put in the library surrounding the open classroom on the left by the entrance. This wall will help control sound to minimize the noise produced during classes.

The renovation will continue through the year and consist of updating the light fixtures in the entrance of the library and changing the lights to LEDs for a brighter working space. New light fixtures will be added to the front of the library brightening up the space even more. The bookshelves in the library were also spaced out further to create room for two new classroom spaces in the library, providing even more space for learning.

The bathrooms in the library may also be getting renovated in the future. The plan is to modernize them by making the bathrooms touch-free. The bathrooms in the library will also be gender-neutral, making them available for all students to use.

Coombs said, “I love the changes.” Her part in organizing the renovations was vital and she is more than happy with how the library ended up looking. Years ago, the library that we know today was once just a small room with a hallway in between and an auditorium on the other side that faced the foyer. Now the library is a combination of the hallway, library, and auditorium. The space has grown dramatically in size since 1997 and continues to be used as a student-centered space. The new renovations have only made the library more inviting for students and teachers, creating a better learning environment.

GUEST PHOTO / John Berube
What the current library space looked like in 1997

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Is Feaster Five Back to Normal?

November 19, 2021

By Philippa Konow

STAFF WRITER

It’s official, the Feaster Five is back for their 34th annual event with in-person and virtual options available for all participants.

After a whirlwind past couple of years with COVID-19 uprooting much of society, there are a few things coming back to some sort of normal. The 2020 Feaster Five was held virtually and participants were asked to submit their times to the Feaster Five website. This year, while a virtual option is still available, there is also an in-person choice.

“We are working very closely with town officials to make sure we have the safest race possible,” stated Stephanie Guyotte, a Feaster Five Committee Organizer. “We are scaling back our pre-race expo and planning more of a registration and number pick-up at the YMCA [and] we will follow any state or local guidelines at the race start.”

Be prepared to wear a mask for at least the beginning of the run. While COVID-19 cases are significantly lower, with much of Andover being vaccinated, participants are still required to wear masks in schools, workplaces, and large groups.

GUEST PHOTO / Stephanie Guyotte
Race organizers holding Feaster Five signs

According to Guyotte and the Feaster Five website, for the virtual option, with runners being required to sign up through the website and chooe which race packer they would like dring the pick up times. They will then record their own times and submit them through the Race Roster’s mobile app. “[runners] can sign up through our website, pick up a race packet during the pickup time, run on [their] own, and submit [their] time through our partner Race Roster’s mobile app.”

With the high vaccination rate in Andover, the possibility for a closer and more warming Thanksgiving is very possible, bringing much joy to the community. John Jannetti, a science teacher at Andover High School,is, as usual, extremely excited about the race. “I’m looking forward to having a large crowd!” exclaimed Jannetti. “I love seeing all of those people. I love seeing all of my fellow townies running. Former students that come home from far away, whether they are still in school or graduated from college, all come back for Thanksgiving.”

“I think having the option to participate virtually and in person is actually really exciting, because it will encourage more participation than last year,” said AHS junior Alex McNally. “It’s really really important that we get back out there and [participate] in these really really awesome causes.” Though McNally isnt able to participate in Feaster Five this year, they have run for years before.

As Feaster Five is slowly going back to normal, Table Talk apple pies will be given at the finish line.

The Feaster Five will be having its regular 5k and 5-mile options, along with the Kids Fun Run.