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The best stories being published on the SNO Sites network

Best of SNO

The best stories being published on the SNO Sites network

Best of SNO

The best stories being published on the SNO Sites network

Best of SNO

Stories from Chantilly High School
Spotlight: Adan’s Bakery serves up sweet treats
Features

Hansika Gautama | May 19, 2025

Junior Adan Chaudhry pipes pastel buttercream on a fresh batch of cupcakes after spending hours in the kitchen, then packages them for her next customer. With students already juggling a variety of activities,…

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Pyramid art show expresses creativity of students
Photo

Alexine Cornelio | May 2, 2025

The hallways and lecture hall were filled with photographs, paintings, drawings, animations and portfolios created by art students from kindergarten through senior year from different schools including…

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Coverage

Delaney Brooks | April 30, 2025

Special education history teacher Von Corpuz and his Special Olympics basketball team of 17 students enter the gym when the homeroom bell rings at 10:34 a.m. Dribbling basketballs and catching up with…

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FCPS schools lose First Amendment Press Freedom Award streak as result of county guidance document
News

Delaney Brooks | March 6, 2025

The school board voted against a motion to review the rights of student journalists at a Dec. 5, 2024 board meeting. Now, FCPS is starting to feel the effects.

When member-at-large Ryan McElveen moved…

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School board votes against motion to review rights of student journalists
News

Delaney Brooks | February 13, 2025

It wasn’t what the School Board did at a Dec. 5 meeting that caught the attention of student journalists across the county, it was what they didn’t do. When member-at-large Ryan McElveen raised a motion…

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Faking blind
Opinions

Delaney Brooks | November 25, 2024

I, like most people, am more comfortable when things are black-and-white—possibly because those are the only two colors I can reliably identify—but more accurately because gray areas are uncomfortable….

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Diwali lights the way as students share cultural traditions
Features

Athula Cheboli | November 5, 2024

As oil lamps flicker and colorful rangoli patterns are drawn, students prepare to celebrate Diwali, a festival filled with lights, sweets and joy . Beneath the fireworks and family gatherings are traditions…

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Fall league fosters success in regular season
Sports

Nadia Corea | October 28, 2024

Defensive slides, running lines and crafting new plays all go into a basketball preseason. This being said, the regular high school basketball season commences in November. However, CHS boys basketball…

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Arts & Entertainment

Grant Stables | May 1, 2024

Become a Helldiver, an elite soldier trained to protect Super Earth and hold together the “controlled democracy” that occupies the future. Grab three expendable friends to help join the fight against…

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Where have all the humanities majors gone? STEM dominates college campuses
Opinions

Gaby Gutierrez | April 23, 2024

The 14th century gave rise to the idea of the Renaissance man: an individual who is gifted in a broad range of areas from the arts to the sciences. Leonardo Da Vinci, for example, is famous for his art—painting…

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FCPS awarded $16 million for electric school buses
News

Ariya Lee | April 23, 2024

As part of the EPA’s first Clean School Bus Program, Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) was awarded $16,590,000 on Jan. 8 to purchase 42 electric school buses to improve air quality and advance environmental…

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Sports

Pranav Baskaran | April 12, 2024

Over 520,000 student athletes played for colleges and universities in 2021-22, according to The National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) as of 2021-2022. According to Scholarship Stats.com, a little…

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Bias in healthcare threatens female’s health, societal progress
Opinions

Sakina Tahir | March 26, 2024

From the discovery of penicillin in 1928 to advancements in mRNA technology that may enable the development of vaccines for diseases that are difficult to prevent, innovations in medicine have paved the…

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News

Asmin Cakir | March 15, 2024

During the 22-23 school year, chronic absenteeism increased to 20.1% by a study released by the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE). With $418 million to invest in high quality academic support, the…

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Student Spotlight: Lao creates award-winning composition
Arts & Entertainment

Gaby Gutierrez | March 14, 2024

When composing new music, senior Mikayla Lao starts with a simple melody that plays over and over in her head.

“I first started [composing] around 2020 and 2021 because of the pandemic,” Lao said….

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Features

Ariya Lee | February 2, 2024

In the last couple decades, nearsightedness levels have soared. Young people may be developing this condition because of excessive screen time, based on a study by the Lancet Digital Health.

“It’s…

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Musical Theatre sets the stage for new, old students alike
Arts & Entertainment

Tyler Ellison | January 31, 2024

Flashing billboards illuminating different musicals have filled the night sky of New York City since the 1920s. Broadway musicals have been a staple of performing arts, telling advanced stories through…

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Swept under: True purpose of education lost in grades, tests
Opinions

Lizzie Sun | January 5, 2024

When a student fails an assignment or a test, they are more likely to fear the consequences that will follow– rather than disappointment that they didn’t understand the concept.

Since 1838, when…

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Student Spotlight: Gwyneth Moon paints life through dance
Arts & Entertainment

Camila Rodriguez-Marrero | November 28, 2023

As freshman Gwyneth Moon arrives at The Russell School of Ballet, she slides her pointe shoes on and prepares for first position at the barre. Beginning her dance journey at the age of three, Moon has…

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Community appreciates dedication of librarians
Features

Josh Lim | May 24, 2023

Libraries are peaceful and well-respected spaces all over the world. Librarians devote their time to ensure that libraries continue to be a safe haven for students to learn, study, and socialize according…

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Spike in student drug use demands awareness, reevaluation of existing policies
News

Cassie Clark-Barnes | May 17, 2023

Over 590,000 teenagers aged 12- to 17-years-old nationally have used an illicit drug in the last month, according to the National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics. The same study found that 6.96% of teens…

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From finances to friendships, administrative assistants advance school behind scenes
Features

Advik Sood | May 11, 2023

To pretzel enthusiasts, April 26 marks the 20th anniversary of National Pretzel Day, a time to revel in the existence of the salty, triple-looped snack that children loathe finding in their candy stashes…

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First-, second-generation Vietnamese-Americans pass down culture, traditions
Features

Rachel Neathery | May 5, 2023

Over 1.8 million Vietnamese-Americans live in the United States today, with 67% having immigrated from Vietnam since 1975, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. As emigration from Vietnam to the U.S has…

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South Asian dances display variety of subcultures
Arts & Entertainment

Hansika Gautama | April 28, 2023

As the lights shine on the stage, freshman Laksha Muruganandam dances with dramatic expressions and precise movements as a way to convey a meaningful story for the audience. From folk to classical, South…

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Badminton serves as backyard, professional sport
Sports

Hansika Gautama | April 11, 2023

With around 220 million people playing it each year, badminton is the second most popular sport in the world, according to PledgeSports. However, in the U.S., badminton doesn’t have a large following…

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A rough match
Sports

Advik Sood | March 28, 2023

With their shoes laced up and t-shirts slipped on, students of all skill levels raced to the field as tryouts for spring sports teams began on Feb. 20. Although tryouts aren’t new for many, they can…

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Faculty employ skills from past careers
Features

Delaney Brooks | March 24, 2023

Many students cannot fathom choosing to work in schools for the rest of their professional lives, but sometimes education is the natural destination. Whether it be as a result of scheduling concerns or…

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Society ventures virtually into metaverse
Arts & Entertainment

Brianna Edwards | March 9, 2023

Not to be confused with Marvel’s cinematic multiverse, the metaverse is the future of modern technology, a 3D virtual world where people can work, shop and interact with each other without leaving the…

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Bopdrop users tune into new music, builds harmonious relationships
Arts & Entertainment

Rachel Lee | February 20, 2023

Headphones on and phone in hand, students have their favorite tracks on repeat as they complete assignments or settle down to relax. Curating playlists and discovering new tunes is an entertaining pastime…

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Staff Editorial: Climate crisis requires our involvement
Opinions

Haley Oeur | December 9, 2022

As Florida grapples with the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, Europe recovers from one of its hottest summers on record and wildfires burn constantly across California, the future holds the potential of greater…

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Woman, Life, Freedom
Opinions

Paria Karimi | November 18, 2022

“Zan, Zendegi, Azadi.”

Those three words conveying “woman, life, freedom” echoed repeatedly as I scrolled through my Instagram feed, watching videos of young men and women marching past police…

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Immigration status brings additional challenges to college applicants
Features

Sixuan Wu | November 7, 2022

Upon clicking open the application portal for each school in Common App, one of the first questions asked is “What is your citizenship status?” For some students, the answer to this is more than just…

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Recruited football players tackle trainings, textbooks
Sports

Paria Karimi | November 3, 2022

As some seniors fret about acceptances and scholarships, senior varsity football players Garrett Robertson, Liam Turner and Jadyn Oh complete their applications with the comfort of a potential spot at…

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VDOE’s new model policies trigger protest from LGBTQIA+ groups, supporters
News

Rachel Neathery | October 19, 2022

A colorful sea of signs, folders and pride flags wave through the air as students gather in front of the school on Sept. 27 in protest of Gov. Glenn Youngkin and his administration’s 2022 Model Policies…

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Changes to school calendar support diverse student body
News

Shreeja Tangutur | September 27, 2022

Controversy stirred after several Northern Virginia counties such as Prince William, Loudon and Arlington closed school on Nov. 4, 2021, for Diwali, an important cultural celebration celebrated by many…

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Northern Virginia debates growth of data centers
News

Gaby Gutierrez | May 13, 2022

Known as the World’s Data Center Capital, Northern Virginia (NoVA) contains 70% of the world’s internet traffic. Not only is Virginia home to both the beginning of the internet and early online…

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True crime takes criminal toll on psychological health
Opinions

Mahika Sharma | April 13, 2022

Eerie music plays behind grainy surveillance footage of a figure fleeing through a parking lot until, suddenly, the clip cuts out—only to be replaced with a photo of the same scene splattered in blood….

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Personal column: stigma harms those with food allergies
Opinions

Katelyn Chu | April 5, 2022

Beep beep. The microwave buzzed, signaling that my food was ready. I sat down with my bowl of maple oatmeal, exhausted from practice and online school. I took one bite and then another. Almost immediately,…

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Vilas Iyer dances his dreams on stage
Arts & Entertainment

Nayana Celine Xavier | April 4, 2022

The dark stage becomes inundated with light. The audience looks upon the stage, quietly awaiting the performance. When the music begins to play, onto the stage runs senior Vilas Iyer. He portrays an elf…

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Recycling revisited: inefficiencies expose system’s challenges
Features

Christine Cheung, Gaby Gutierrez, Maddie Bernet | March 23, 2022

During the 2022 Super Bowl, the American Beverage Association promoted its “Every Bottle Back” initiative to reduce waste by encouraging consumers to drink from plastic water bottles since their plastic…

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Call me what I am: When the uneducated become unkind
Opinions

Delaney Brooks | March 14, 2022

As I fidget with the elastic on my white cane, I’m often tentatively questioned about my “vision problem,” “situation” or “challenges.” I know what people are trying to hint at—they’re…

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FCPS goes to court with Gov. Youngkin on mask-optional order
News

Irene Si | February 23, 2022

Totaling almost 67 million cases and nearly 851,000 deaths, COVID-19 cases have surged in the U.S., with the Omicron variant making up nearly 98% of nationwide cases within the past 30 days, the Centers…

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Living with ADHD: medical, social struggles need to be recognized
Opinions

Blake Jocuns | February 15, 2022

“That just sounds like you don’t want to do the work.”

This is a statement I often hear whenever I express my struggles with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). I’ve heard similar…

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Diverse but divided: Racial cliques split students
Features

Aarthika Krishnan | January 12, 2022

The faces that make up CHS come from every corner of the world. With 64.6% of the student population consisting of racial minorities, the student body represents numerous cultures and backgrounds. This…

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Different political views must be respected
Opinions

Shivani Sethu | January 12, 2022

Though our community prides itself on embracing the right to free speech, students have become increasingly insensitive towards those with different political views—specifically conservative ones.

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Girls wrestling looks to tackle disparity in participants
Sports

Terra Nagai | January 7, 2022

Wrestling, for most of its history, has been seen as a male-dominated sport. The same applies to high school wrestling. According to a 2016 survey taken by the National Federation of State High School…

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Please speak more slowly, I’m not a native speaker
Opinions

Sixuan Wu | January 5, 2022

Imagine yourself in a foreign land, timidly asking questions in a language that is not your native tongue, while the people around you never seem to consider the hardship you might be going through. 

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‘Chantilly Lace’: school theme song faces backlash over lyrics
News

Mahika Sharma | November 30, 2021

For decades, the 1958 record “Chantilly Lace” by American musician Jiles Perry Richardson Jr., better known as The Big Bopper, has been the CHS theme song. However, many are calling for change in light…

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Staff Ed: LGBTQ+ books should stay in school libraries
Opinions

Shivani Sethu | November 18, 2021

Explicit scenes have no place in a school library, especially if they are between two people of the same gender. This belief led two Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) parents to speak up against graphic…

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Gender gaps: sports culture demotes girls athletics
Sports

Katelyn Chu | October 21, 2021

It’s the night of the boys basketball game against a rival school and the noise is deafening. With fans from both schools cheering and supporting their team, the players feel encouraged and proud.

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