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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

Students share their experiences with homophobia in the High School community. According to an online survey conducted by The Standard March 4-29 with 110 student responses, 70% of students have heard anti-LGBTQ+ language at school.

‘Walking through a minefield:’ LGBTQ+ students grapple with homophobia, belonging

By Oskar Doepke and Ruby Rogers June 2, 2025

This story contains an alternate format that can only be viewed on the original site. View this story onThe Standard It was originally published on May 29, 2025.

The Global Food Project operates at the Johnson County Poor Farm.

Seeds for change

By Haneen Eltyeb, West High School June 2, 2025

Global Food Project is a nonprofit organization housing community gardens, mostly for immigrants and refugees in the Iowa City area. Global Food Project operates at the Johnson County Historic Poor Farm,...

Senior Alana Spencer was officially accepted to the US Naval Academy on Jan. 30. She had been working on her application since the previous June. 

Charting a new path

By Tanvi Dubey, Bellaire High School June 2, 2025

Five years minimum. That’s how long senior Alana Spencer has to serve in the navy now that she has committed to the United States Naval Academy. But she wants to spend longer there. “I think...

Senior Peyton Kelley DJs in his studio located in his garage. The equipment he mixes on is a Pioneer XDJ-RX2 and as of recently, Peyton has started experimenting with vinyl and CDs.

Life of the party

By Avery Boyle and Daniela Valdez Rios June 2, 2025

This story contains an alternate format that can only be viewed on the original site. View this story on The Hawk Eye. It was originally published on May 23, 2025.

From texting to speeding, WSS explores dangerous driving culture among teens.

Driven, dangerous and distracted

By Anna Greenlee, Evelyn Kraber, and Lea Abou Alaiwa June 2, 2025

I’m going to be late. The car accelerates faster and faster — 10, 15, 20 over. Engine roaring, thoughts racing and music blaring, the driver’s mind is focused on one thing: getting there on time....

Tom Matano looks on at his Miata design at the Ohayo Roadsters Miata car meet.

Steering into the future of design

By Alessandra Tremulis, Carlmont High School June 2, 2025

This story contains an alternate format that can only be viewed on the original site. View this story on Scot Scoop News It was originally published on May 29, 2025.

PAINTING FOR PERFECTION: Elena Zapiain paints her nails, fixing the small details for the finished product. Zapiain has been interested in nail art and design since she was in 5th grade.

Zapiain sparks creativity with nail art

By Charlotte Schwarte, James Bowie High School June 2, 2025

The sharp smell of nail polish fills the air, as sophomore Elena Zapiain’s eyes glance over her materials. She steadies her hand before she glides a brush over one nail, the task almost meditative in...

While tree-lined streets and clean air show the benefits of green infrastructure in wealthier cities like Belmont and Redwood City, neighborhoods near freeways face smog, fewer trees, and greater health risks. This reveals how race and income influence access to a healthy environment. In contrast, East Palo Alto remains especially vulnerable to climate change. “These include contamination from former industrial activities, particularly in the Bay Area, limited access to healthy food and open space, and vulnerability to flooding, heat, and sea level rise,” said Michelle Huang, assistant planner for the city.

Fighting for a better future: the DEI gap in climate policy

By Rachel Hong, Carlmont High School June 2, 2025

From smoggy skies to flood-prone neighborhoods, not every community in San Mateo County faces climate change in the same way. As cities roll out new sustainability initiatives and emergency preparedness...

Burning for Beauty

By Zoe Ferring, Estelle Dufour, Maria Uribe Estrada, and Dylan Berger June 2, 2025

From community pools to park lawns, teenagers sprawl on beach chairs and blankets, hoping to catch some rays of sunshine. For many, tanning is a summer staple, where crisp tan lines and bronze skin are...

A Graphic image displays a tattered American flag with "DEI" written on the front. Since his inauguration, President Donald Trump has begun rolling back diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives through executive orders.

Defunded dreams: Students notice effects of federal DEI rollbacks

By Lola Thomas, Archer School for Girls June 2, 2025

Federal budget cuts may seem far removed from the daily lives of Los Angeles high school students. However, as the political landscape continues to shift under the second Trump administration, many students...

Kimmy Le, Effie Wang and Ellie York (left to right) design vibrant nail sets

Filing in the details of student nail art businesses

By Alex Cotterel and Anna Cen June 2, 2025

Carefully molding delicate gel into a 3D shape, nail artists use intricate paints and craft charms to create personalized, ornate nail designs. Sophomore Kimmy Le, senior Effie Wang and junior Ellie York...

“Lacrosse taught me a lot about how to communicate with other people and form healthy relationships where we can all talk about what we need from each other. I eventually became the captain of my lacrosse team on the defensive end, and I had to learn how to lead people without feeling like I was ordering them and so that they would communicate with me well," senior Chayce Milheim said.

Humans of Harker: Leading on and off the field

By Samaara Patil, The Harker School June 2, 2025

The girls lacrosse team brings in a huddle. With only a little bit of time left on the clock, Harker is trailing a few points behind. Before they have the chance to go back on the field, the stadium lights...

Many teachers express mounting anxieties over the changes being introduced in the Cedar Rapids Community School District.

Teachers on Edge

By Ariel Kolder, George Washington High School – IA June 2, 2025

Nearly half of the teachers at Washington and Kennedy High Schools have considered leaving the district, according to a December 2024 survey obtained through a public records request by Iowa News Now....

Food science teacher Lana Soukup stands with other parents of baseball players before the game against Flower Mound begins April 22. The team won the game 5-4.

Smelling the roses

By Shiren Noorani and Krista Fleming May 27, 2025

This story contains an alternate format that can only be viewed on the original site. View this story on The Hawk Eye. It was originally published on May 21, 2025.

Disabilities can come in many shapes and forms, even if they are not obvious to the naked eye.

Silent Struggles: What It’s Like Living With an Invisible Disability

By Kaitlyn Roozen, La Salle Catholic Preparatory High School May 27, 2025

Imagine living in a world where it is a struggle to do basic everyday tasks, made worse through continuous dismissal from others and somewhat frequent feelings of isolation that come with their experiences.  That...

Senior Sophia Kiker crafts a spring- themed charcuterie board for a pre-prom party order on April 23, 2024, for her business.

Berkeley-bound senior operates charcuterie business amid balancing grades, extracurriculars

By Mina Imai, Sunny Hills High School May 27, 2025

Ingredient 1: Lab research Ingredient 2: Science Olympiad Ingredient 3: National Honor Society [NHS] Ingredient 4: Charcuterie Theory Above are all the components needed to make up senior Sophia...

Tala (left) and Mustafa (right) gaze upon Creve Couer Lake. Both children are amputees from Gaza seeking medical care in St. Louis.

Finding Refuge

By Donya Ihmoud, Francis Howell Central High School May 27, 2025

Tala is a physically disabled child who grew up in the city of Tel el-Hawa located in the southern region of Gaza. The date of Oct. 7, 2023, marked a turning point in Tala’s life. Already left at a physical...

An American Kestrel perches on the gloved hand of a Melendez family member. Some bird species may often be in falconry organizations in rehabilitation due to injuries or storms destroying their nests, while others may be with the organizations to be part of educational experiences. These organizations aim to rehabilitate various bird species and return them to their natural habitat.

Flying towards a safer sky

By Lara Ibasco, Marlena Reinshagen, and Keira Sarmiento May 27, 2025

North America has lost 3 billion birds, a 29% decrease in overall bird populations since 1970. Over the past 55 years, bird species abundance and population numbers have declined rapidly. Due to climate...

Hagerty cuts six teachers due to the decrease in enrollment. Other teachers have had to take on roles and departments to fill in the gaps.

Making cuts

By Holly Smyers, Hagerty High School May 27, 2025

With junior and senior classes that held over 600 students, Hagerty had enjoyed increased in enrollment over the past few years, even as other district schools saw their numbers steadily decline. However,...

Niles West hallways are filled with students during passing period.

Students From Immigrant Families Face Fears of Deportation Under Trump Administration

By Cora Gayford and Sarina Nur May 27, 2025

Hundreds of students rush through the crowded hallways at Niles West, hurrying to their next classes. In the midst of the daily chaos, one student isn’t worrying about his algebra homework or what he's...

Students part of the Free and Reduced Meal Program can get a full meal of lunch for free every day. Along with meal benefits, students can receive additional financial support through gift vouchers, fee waivers, and necessities such as clothing.

Lunch Dissatisfaction Drives Down Free and Reduced Meal Participation

By Melissa Waas, Sanvi Challa, and Sitwat Mian May 27, 2025

Rock Ridge students with financial need can feel overlooked living in Loudoun County, the highest-income county in the U.S. Families may feel an expectation to provide home-cooked lunches and afford field...

Nancy Weaver, described by Principal Tara Baker as the "face of Clements", will retire this year.

A Career of Care

By Karen Wei, Clements High School May 27, 2025

If the impact a person makes is measured by the lives they touch, then Nancy Weaver has changed her corner of the world. From working as an attendance clerk to assistant principal’s secretary to principal’s...

Senior Peter Ashline poses with friends Asher McNeil and George Kotke - and reporter Eli Sampson - after a long day working on the treehouse. (Photo courtesy of Peter Ashline)

Humans of WEGO: Building memories, one plank at a time

By Eli Sampson, West Chicago Community High School May 21, 2025

High school is often a whirlwind of memories—shared laughter, late-night study sessions, and fleeting moments of connection. As graduation arrives, the bittersweet reality of moving on begins to set...

The Canal Alliance is San Rafael is a non-profit that offers support to immigrants.

ICE in Marin: Advocacy and action amid Trump’s immigration policies

By Parker Fee and Jasper Stromberg May 21, 2025

As the Trump Administration intensifies efforts to address illegal immigration, Marin County residents have responded with a mixture of fear and opposition. Due to the county’s large undocumented immigrant...

Ms. Gradek celebrates the election of Pope Leo XIV alongside fifth grade band students.

Bridging Classroom and Cathedral: Ms. Gradek’s Ties to the Pope

By Lucia Meno, Latin School of Chicago May 21, 2025

When most people think of the Pope, they envision him in gilded buildings at the Vatican or making appearances on a velvet-covered balcony, not attending a student concert conducted by Latin School band...

An individual struggling with addiction sits in despair over whether or not to continue with this lifestyle. Cocaine, a highly addictive party drug lies in lines in front of them.

Paths of addiction

By Chloe Taylor, Carlmont High School May 21, 2025

This story contains an alternate format that can only be viewed on the original site. View this story on Scot Scoop News. It was originally published on May 19, 2025.

Naomi Herman with her family at the Northwestern Cancer Survivors’ Celebration Walk in June of 2013.

Hope, One Tote at a Time

By Cece Burt, Latin School of Chicago May 21, 2025

Sophomores Naomi Herman and Myles Antelis started Carrying Hope 4 Chemo this April, which is a project aimed at bringing joy to cancer patients going through chemotherapy. To achieve this goal, Naomi...

Across the globe, reliance on cars
continues to create transportation
challenges for pedestrians. 
Originally published in The Stampede: Issue 6.

Narrow path to safety: Car dependency threatens individuals

By William Donofrio, Metea Valley High School May 21, 2025

This story contains an alternate format that can only be viewed on the original site. View this story on Metea Media. It was originally published on May 19, 2025.

Wisdom for Wisdom is a student run non-profit organization that offers technological support to elders. Started by Wayland High School juniors Ryan Chase and Kalena Imura, the organization relies on local high school volunteers to make an impact in senior citizen communities. “Service is enjoyable to me when I know that I'm making a difference, and I truly believe Wisdom for Wisdom does,” Imura said.

Local students click into connection by bridging the generational gap

By Maddie Zajac, Wayland High School May 21, 2025

Many of us have seen or had a grandparent struggling to figure out how to take a picture or accidentally texting the whole family group chat about their arthritis. We typically make fun of them for not...

Coppell ISD Superintendent Dr. Brad Hunt announced his retirement on April 3 effective the end of the 2024-25 school year. Hunt has worked in CISD for 35 years and served as superintendent since 2017. Photo illustration by Vibha Viswanath and Sofia Exposito

Dr. Hunt hangs up his hat

By Sukirtha Muthiah and Rhea Choudhary May 21, 2025

When Coppell ISD Superintendent Dr. Brad Hunt first stepped into Coppell High School room B112 as a special education teacher in 1990, he could not have imagined the impact he would one day have on the...

El jefe de conserjes David Chávez y la conserje Adriana Bonilla andan por el campus en un carrito de golf, platicando sobre su día mientras van a su próxima tarea.

More than maintenance: meet the crew behind campus upkeep

By Matilda Haney Foulds and MC Teixeira May 21, 2025

Lee este artículo en español: https://lahstalon.org/la-columna-vertebral-de-la-escuela-conoce-al-equipo-de-mantenimiento-de-lahs/ The foundation of Los Altos High School is its dedicated maintenance...

Senior Emilie Efendy is the salutatorian of the Class of 2025.

Driven by Wonder

By Karen Wei and Shubhi Bhagat May 21, 2025

Emilie Efendy finds wonder in the ordinary.  “I think my biggest motivation is just curiosity,” Efendy said. “I’m really interested in the fields that are still in their early stages. Seeing...

As part of a Valentine’s Day photo shoot at West Chicago Community High School, two male students pose in costume, recreating a romantic gesture. Moments like these challenge traditional expectations of masculinity by celebrating vulnerability, creativity, and emotional openness between boys - without shame or assumption.

Strength, sensitivity, and the modern man

By Romeo Alfaro, West Chicago Community High School May 21, 2025

When Luke Davis was in middle school, his math binder was vandalized. Slurs were scrawled across it - words like "gay" and worse. He was harassed online, targeted in DMs and on social media pages. Now...

Novem Chua was rushed in for surgery after her brain aneurysm ruptured in 2017. During the surgery, the team of neurosurgeons had to cut her head open from the top, and it had to be stitched up, leaving a scar. She now has to check in yearly for annual surgeries at the hospital.

A heartbeat from death

By Ashlyn Wong, Carlmont High School May 19, 2025

She attended one of the most prestigious universities in Singapore, married the love of her life, and attained her dream job after years of hard work. On the outside, she has everything that one could...

English teacher Susan Spengeman stands in the back of her classroom, instructing her AP (Advanced Placement) Literature students.

Susan Spengeman: A Teacher’s Teacher

By Ananya Karthik and Maya Coleman May 19, 2025

English teacher Susan Spengeman’s work is easiest to see in hindsight. It’s in the way a new teacher adjusts to their first chaotic September. It’s in the habits that survive beyond a year: how a...

Senior Ethan Hsu (right) points at the laptop screen of junior Julia Kim (center) in his attempt to tutor her after school at the Algebra Center on Thursday, March 6, in Room 45. Also helping Kim is senior Sarah Patino.

Sine, cosine, tangent

By Caleb Kang, Sunny Hills High School May 19, 2025

Sin²θ + cos²θ = 1. For those who’ve never taken pre-calculus (also known as trigonometry) before, this equation may lead many to scratch their heads and mutter to themselves, “What the …?” Meanwhile,...

“I want to be known as the person who brought up difficult questions. In the best way possible, I want to be known as that person who not only stood up for everyone in some way, but also challenged everyone in some way, made people stop and question their beliefs," senior Fern Biswas said.

Humans of Harker: Voices unplugged

By Katie Tcheng, The Harker School May 19, 2025

Their hands trembled as they read and reread their printed out script. Their eyes flicking across the page over and over again. Senior Fern Biswas sits alongside the adult organizer and a youth panelist...

Native Hawaiian cultural historian Pualeilani Kamahoahoa leads an engaging discussion with Na Pua Onaona o Kewalo students at the oval, explaining the historical context and cultural significance of the newly installed plaque.

Kanaka Maoli Find Healing in Legacy of Annexation

By Dominic Niyo, McKinley High School – HI May 19, 2025

Beneath the statue of President William McKinley at McKinley High School, a new plaque offers a revised account of Hawaii’s annexation. Proposed by the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs, the plaque...

Pulido enjoys painting a sculpture of a dog at an art studio. Pulido was 10 years old and experimenting with multiple mediums at the time.

Coloring outside the lines

By Jessica Wang, Bellaire High School May 19, 2025

The clock ticks past midnight as she strains her eyes, struggling to keep them open on four hours of sleep. The homework seems endless, piling up more and more each hour. But once junior Sophia Pulido...

Karen’s RoundUp Legacy

Karen’s RoundUp Legacy

By Grace Hu, Shubhi Bhagat, and Lipi Shah May 19, 2025

The driving force behind more than 70 published articles, five Best of SNO awards, and most recently, recipient of a $1,000 scholarship from the Texas Association of Journalism Educators, only awarded...

Dan Ottenheimer walks the students through the story of his family's journey throughout Germany. Ottenheimer has visited to Wayland High every year to teach 9th and 11th graders about his families experience during the holocaust.

Born after, speaking before: Dan Ottenheimer tells his father’s Holocaust survival story to WHS

By Melina Antun, Emily Wyner, Karis Tam, Kyle Zhang, and Katie Collett May 19, 2025

On Thursday, May 8, guest speaker Dan Ottenheimer spoke in the Wayland High School auditorium about his father’s experience as a Holocaust survivor who grew up in Germany during the Nazi rule. He was...

Junior Simar Kaur presents four recent nail sets. “The first set I did was French, and I remember it looked really bad,” Kaur said. “I remember the Spider-Man set that took me six hours to do. I feel like after I did the Spider-Man nails, I got the hang of it, and after that everything got easier.”

Manicures With Meaning: Junior Simar Kaur Gives Back to the UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital

By Nina Krish, Portola High School May 19, 2025

For many students, side hustles are a quick way to make some extra cash while pursuing their studies. For junior Simar Kaur, her passion for nail art has turned her creativity into compassion as she donates...

On average, teens get 7 to 7.5 hours of sleep per night, but experts say they should actually be sleeping as much as 10 to 12 hours.

Catching Zzzzs

By Morgan Siegel and Zoey Srote May 19, 2025

After getting home from school, Avery Zink, sophomore, immediately starts working on her homework before going to soccer practice. She then gets home about 8:30 p.m., and by 9 p.m., Zink is asleep. “I...

The vanilla buttercream cake, which is one of the most popular cakes on the menu, can be decorated to match the specific occasion. Photo by Adan Chaudhry.

Spotlight: Adan’s Bakery serves up sweet treats

By Hansika Gautama, Chantilly High School 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,...

Matthew Bounds reflects on his time at the School and looks forward to the future.

The name of the game: Bounds leaves a legacy of robotics, computer science and fun

By Sophia Kim, St. John’s School – TX May 14, 2025

There is a rumor that Matthew Bounds created Fortnite. It’s not true, but before working at St. John’s he was part of the exclusive group that tested a beta version of the game. “I played it,...

Sarah Schlapp relaxes on a lawn in front of Bryn Mawr College, the school she will be attending in the fall. Schlapp chose Bryn Mawr because of her positive experience feeling valued and included in classroom discussions in a predominantly-female environment.

Investigating the relevance of historically women’s colleges

By Allie Faber, The Masters School May 14, 2025

Senior Sarah Schlapp used to be quiet in class. “But coming to Masters and being in [middle school] classrooms, primarily with other women, I feel like I was never questioned about my worthiness of...

Plastic cups spill out onto the street from an overstuffed garbage bag. Fallen cherry blossom petals blanket the ground around it.

Petals beneath plastic

By Eugene Sung, Daegu International School May 14, 2025

Pink petals flutter through the spring air like confetti—but they land atop crumpled ramen containers and discarded coffee cups. Millions of Koreans flock to hotspots like Jinhae, Gyeongju, and Seoul’s...

Ms. Goetz wears the crown given to the yearly “Speed Trig Queen” in front of the wall of students’ perfect scores.

The 30 year reign of Laura Goetz

By Ian Chen and Anna Wu May 14, 2025

This story contains an alternate format that can only be viewed on the original site. View this story on The Tide. It was originally published on May 13, 2025.

Portrait of senior Nathaly Arana

Senior faces pressure to succeed, does so through STEM

By Logan Day, Caney Creek High School May 14, 2025

Senior Nathaly Arana is everything her parents want her to be. She’s taken almost every science class at the school, her progress reports are rows of A’s and her teachers describe her as productive...

After nearly three decades of teaching, Latin teacher Mrs. Landvick will retire this summer. Photo courtesy of Mrs. Landvick.

‘In Loco Parentis:’ Celebrating Mrs. Ariel Landvick’s 29 Years at LFHS

By Anna Jasper, Lake Forest High School May 14, 2025

For the past 29 years at Lake Forest High School, Mrs. Ariel Landvick has embodied the Latin principle of “In Loco Parentis,” meaning “in the place of a parent.” “Whenever I say ‘my kids’...

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