Within the complex political landscape that America is today, there are few facets of life that politics does not touch. For many people, the birth of their perception of politics is at home.

But often…

After an utterly chaotic rollout, Kanye West’s highly anticipated Donda, an album dedicated to the tragic death of his mother, has finally been released.

Although recording sessions for Donda began…

This story was originally published on Spartan Shield on May 26, 2021.

Immigrant students are faced with many challenges within and outside of school. At PV there are many immigrants who are living in America on many different types of immigrant visas. These students all…

The Ganges River in India lies silently as the ashes from COVID-19 victims float within it. Overwhelming smoke fills the air as hundreds of newly deceased corpses begin to burn. The entirety of India stares…

Within two months of each other, legislators passed bills in the states of Iowa and Illinois. One advances students’ knowledge of America’s recent history, but the other blocks curriculum from students…

The 2020 election caused significant turmoil and tension in America, with each party defending their beliefs on the validity of the election. Many Republicans believe election fraud led to President Joe…

Pleasant Valley runs based off of their expectations for students. Through athletics, academics, the arts and more, “total effort” is its motto. 

Junior Erika Holmberg has exemplified this quality,…

Forgetfulness, inability to focus and lack of organization are qualities that surround the minds of females with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). But often these characteristics go unnoticed…

“Wear bright clothes,” “share your location with friends and family” and “call someone on your way home” are all instructions commonly shared with young women to protect themselves from men…

William Shakespeare, Mark Twain, F. Scott Fitzgerald and John Steinbeck are among countless influential authors who have all written defining texts of the Western Canon, making them some of the most taught…

Joad Wickham, 18-year-old senior at Edison, has experienced hardship unlike anything most teenagers have to think about. In an unexpected house fire, Wickham lost his parents, niece, two dogs, his house,…

Despite society claiming it strives for inclusivity and acceptance of all, COVID-19 has revealed the prejudice and discrimination it has against Asian Americans which has been hidden from plain sight for…

In its latest installment of its series of standalone documentaries, The New York Times Presents sought to bring attention to the lack of autonomy that Britney Spears has had since her mental breakdown…

This story was originally published on Spartan Shield on January 15, 2021.

This story was originally published on Spartan Shield on January 14, 2021.

With the end of 2020, a year filled with strife on many fronts, Americans were hopeful that 2021 would be the light at the end of this long, dark tunnel. However, a mere week into the new year, tens of…

At merely six days old, 2021 had no trouble making room for itself in the history books. The day’s political events quickly turned south making for one of the darkest days in recent American history.

On…

This story was originally published on Spartan Shield on January 11, 2021.

Last week, Jewish families and individuals around the world gathered to celebrate Hanukkah. Despite this time being a sacred observance, anti-semitic hate crimes surged internationally. 

Throughout…

Pleasant Valley Junior High School recently had two new students enter its hallways. These students are not like the other students that walk the halls: they are actually two robots at-home students can…

Members of the United States’ army and a bipartisan group of legislators are pushing legislation to rename military bases honoring Confederate leaders.

Currently, both the House and Senate versions…

Gender equality has been a struggle for a long time. Women’s suffrage was not granted until more than a century after America’s founding, and today, women make only 81 cents for every one dollar a…

“Love people, use things. The opposite never works,” stated Joshua Fields Millburn, owner and author of several books, dedicated to helping individuals find meaning in life through decluttering.

Recently,…

Graceful, an adjective often associated with women, might be the perfect word to describe dancers when they are in their element.

But one Pleasant Valley senior is breaking both boundaries and stereotypes…

With 2020 marking the 100 year anniversary of women gaining the right to vote, long should be the days where women’s rights are still a source of partisan polarization.

The monumental 19th Amendment…

Election day is upon us. The future of our country will be determined soon, but it does not matter what the outcome is: chaos is assured, and it is terrifying.

Tuesday it is not guaranteed the election…

Is it acceptable for a politician to dodge a question regarding the structural change to an American institution? Former Vice President Joe Biden’s unsure and inconsistent stance on packing the Supreme…

Washington D.C. is a mess. Our bipartisan government always seems to be at war, and unfortunately, the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg and the search for her replacement has done nothing to help deliver peace.
…

The raunchy party game Never Have I Ever is best known for its role in revealing the most unsuspecting people’s most risque hidden sides.

Befitting the divulging nature of the party game, Netflix’s…

As public schools across the country temporarily close due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Pleasant Valley is not attempting a transition to online education as administration configures a new plan for the remainder…

The year is 2020, but somehow, anti-lynching legislation was passed in the House of Representatives just two weeks ago. If passed by the Senate and signed by President Donald Trump, it will have taken…

A two-time olympian and three-time olympic gold medalist can provide a lot of insight, wisdom and advice to athletes training to be something greater. It’s not everyday that anyone gets to meet an athlete…

National news regarding Inpixon, an indoor data tracking company, is raising a concern of privacy among students and parents. In at least 10 schools, Inpixon has installed radio frequency scanners that…

Fear of the coronavirus’ potential economic impact was the main cause of a global stock market correction last week, in which the Dow Jones lost 12% of its value in the largest single-week drop since…

Pleasant Valley High School’s aide Erica Mitchell recently had the opportunity to lead her sled hockey team to Canada to compete, while also addressing gender inequality in sports. 

Mitchell first…

In a new age of technology, there are ways to do just about everything online or with a device. It’s now possible to open a phone with Face ID, talk to anyone from around the globe and even ask a question…

Once upon a time, a knight in shining armor wanted to bring joy and happiness to everyone and give them their night to shine. That knight in shining armor is Tim Tebow and his foundation. 

Every year…

At first thought, a typical high school part-time job sounds like the epitome of a dreary minimum wage job that is rarely thought provoking. Recently at PVHS, students are finding a creative outlet that…

Pleasant Valley Junior High’s swim team has 74 participants. There have been many participants that have swum for PVJH, but it is not very often that people see anyone with disabilities on the team….

In this podcast, seniors Kate Stewart and Cienna Pangan discuss the positive impact music can have on a student’s life.

The idea of music providing a unique therapy for students is becoming increasingly…

This story was originally published on Spartan Shield on January 12, 2020.

A forum discussing immigration was held by local Republicans on Monday Dec. 2 in Bettendorf, IA. The forum was intended to discuss policy change and honor “angel parents”, or parents whose children…

This story was originally published on Spartan Shield on January 6, 2020.

Despite the leap the 2010s brought for women’s rights, all it takes is one slap to make a woman feel like she is still a second-class citizen.

Alex Bozarjian was reporting at the Enmarket Savannah…

PV’s Spartan Assembly broke the news on Nov. 5 that the school had earned first place in this year’s Hunger Drive. Though this was no small achievement, many of these donations would have been absent…

Getting inked is a form of permanent personal expression like no other and with it comes its fair share of controversy. But as the number of American adults with tattoos inches closer and closer to 50…

Based off of the true story and novel “I Heard You Paint Houses,” Martin Scorsese’s “The Irishman” is a compelling narrative centered around family, sacrifice, and revenge, as Philly truck driver…

The United States democracy was founded to ensure the government would be representative of its constitutes. Democrats being able to buy their way into the election defeats the purpose of democracy and…

In recent years, there has been a shortage of real Christmas trees, leaving problems for consumers and retailers.

With the holiday season around the corner, many set out to buy their Christmas trees….