By Sophia Ludtke ‘20, Commentary Editor  

While the news this past year was dominated by what, at times, felt like the daily presence of upsetting headlines, there is still plenty of good that happened in 2018. From the big to the small, here are ten uplifting news stories from 2018:

1. Voter Turnout in 2018 elections

A record number of voters — more than 47% of the voting eligible population, according to the National Public Radio — showed up at the polls for the midterm elections this November. The turnout hit a 50 year high, with over 110 million Americans casting a ballot.

However, this is not to say that concerns about voter suppression efforts (https://blogs.newarka.edu/minuteman/2018/12/11 /democracy-suppressed/) were unwarranted. It is possible that the nationwide spike in general voter turnout simply overpowered a voter turnout decline in certain targeted populations. Nevertheless, the 2018 midterm elections marked a triumph for diversity. Among the history-making elections were the elections of the first two Native American congresswomen and first two Muslim Congresswomen, and the election of the first openly gay governor.

2. Wild Animals Have Been Freed!

…on the packaging of animal crackers, that is. In August, Barnum’s Animals Crackers announced that the lions, zebras, and giraffes on their packaging would no longer be housed behind bars.

While this decision may be more of a symbolic triumph for animal rights activists, the decision is indicative of a more far-reaching cultural shift. Last year, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus announced that they would be shutting down in great part due to declining ticket sales amid concerns about the circus’s treatment of animals.

It seems as if animal rights activists are beginning to prevail — and what better place to start than with the packaging of one of American kids’ favorite snacks?

3. Thai Soccer Team Cave Rescue 

For 12 Thai boys and their soccer coach, an afternoon spent exploring a local cave rapidly escalated into a national crisis when the cave started to flood, trapping the boys inside.

For 18 days, the soccer team survived off freshwater dripping down the cave walls, anxiously awaiting rescue as the world looked on.

Miraculously, all 12 boys and their coach were saved after a lengthy and hazardous operation requiring floating stretchers, a rope line, and the bravery of dozens of specially trained divers (one of whom unfortunately passed away due to complications during the rescue operation).

However, perhaps the most incredible part of the whole story was the international outpouring of support for the soccer team and rescue operation. Hundreds of volunteers sprung into action helping pump water from the cave, searching for any cracks that could be potential rescue entryways and just offering words of encouragement.

4. Red Phone Booths Are Making a Comeback

Beginning in the 1980s, the iconic red phone booths that used to line British roads were slowly relocated to trash heaps due to the advent and rising popularity of mobile phones. However, it may just be that these demoted telephone booths are making a comeback. From defibrillator boxes, to tiny community libraries, to pop-up coffee kiosks, to cellphone repair workshops, inventive Britons are finding new uses for these discarded and rusting booths.  

As Tony Inglis, a phone box repair expert, explains, “I think they are an honest construction. I like what they are to people, and I enjoy bringing things back.” There’s reason to hope that, in the next few years, the iconic red phone booths might line British streets again!

5. In Sight Landed on Mars 

On November 26, In Sight, a NASA spacecraft, touched down on Mars — the first spacecraft to do so since 2012. The landing marked a nail-biting but ultimately triumphant success for NASA engineers.

Upon landing, the spacecraft began to take pictures of the planet’s surface, completing the first of a multi-step mission aimed at transmitting more information about the Red Planet to Earth. Powered by solar panels, the rover will continue to photograph Mars’s surface and will record “marsquakes” (tiny earthquakes taking place on Mars), transmitting valuable information that could help us understand the earliest phase of our own planet’s history.  

6. Crazy Rich Asians and Black Panther Dominate the Box Office

Amid increasingly frequent conversations about the importance of diversity and inclusivity in pop culture, two of this year’s most successful movies put the stories of two minority groups center stage.

In its opening weekend, Crazy Rich Asians made $26 million, leaving many celebrating the fact that such a successful blockbuster featured an all-Asian cast. In this spirit of inclusivity in Hollywood, Black Panther also made headlines this past year with a nomination for Oscar Best Picture (and it is the first superhero film to ever be nominated for Best Picture).

7. More Americans Are Believing in Climate Change

While the increasingly worrisome headlines about climate change that dominated the news in 2018 should be considered anything but “good” news, thankfully polls have reported that more Americans now believe climate change is of serious concern. About 29% of surveyed Americans said they were “very worried” about global warming — the highest percentage since the first survey was conducted in 2008.

Given that the opinions of constituents are of vital importance if leaders committed to addressing and mitigating the effects of climate change are to be elected, these survey results point to the prospect of environmentally friendly government-led action moving forward.  

8. An Early Christmas Brought to a Boy Dying From Cancer

September brought an early Christmas miracle to a small town outside Cincinnati. The parents of Brody Allen, a 2 year-old suffering from a rare and aggressive form of brain cancer, found out in August that their son had just two months left to live. Once they realized he would most likely not be alive to experience another Christmas, his family decided to decorate their house a little early, putting up a Christmas tree and lights. Pretty soon the entire town had followed suit, illuminating the entire town and bringing an early Christmas miracle to Brody.

Brody’s siblings pulled him around in a red wagon so that the overjoyed Brody could see all the decorations. The family has also received hundreds of Christmas cards, and the town planned a Christmas parade for Brody. As Brody’s mom explains, “it is really hard, but I love seeing the joy in his eyes. We did it to make him happy.”

9. #MeToo 

Ever since Harvey Weinstein was first accused of sexual misconduct, over 425 prominent men have come under fire due to accusations of inappropriate behavior.

The day after actress Alyssa Milano posted on Twitter, telling women to share their stories, over 609,000 posts inundated Twitter, all with the hashtag #MeToo.

From Congressmen to storybook publishers to men working on Wall Street, men in almost every industry have been accused of the mistreatment of women. While justice is still far from being served, the #MeToo movement marked 2018 as the year in which the conversation about the mistreatment of women has taken center stage on a national scale.

10. The World’s Oldest Barber is Still Working

Anthony Mancinelli holds the World Record as the oldest barber in the world. In the small town of Windsor in upstate New York, Mr. Mancinelli still works 40 hours a week despite being inundated with media attention. With 96 years of experience (he started cutting hair at age 11), Anthony says he “keeps going to keep the younger generation looking sharp.”

When asked about how it feels to be a World Record holder, Manchinelli said “I don’t know, I am just happy I am still a barber.”