Expectations are inanimate values that can be used in an attempt to make a person ‘better’. Yet, high expectations feel like a punishment for countless high school students.  While general expectations...

When librarian Laura Utile’s children came home from Catholic class one day talking about how their teacher banned them from reading “The Golden Compass,” Utile responded with a simple question:...

It would be an understatement to say senior Angelina Xu is well-known throughout Montgomery County. As the elected president of the Maryland Association of Student Councils (the state-wide student government),...

When custodian Willie Grubb saw a house burning down as a junior firefighter, he didn't hesitate to suit up and run in, saving a 2-year-old girl. “I wasn't scared, I had heart,” Grubb said. “I...

Students whisper about ACT scores being released across the AP Biology classroom. Everyone opens their mobile devices quickly, along with Lia Swanson. Hugged in a clean turquoise circle, sits the flawless...

When Grace Valdez was a freshman, Gohar Khan appeared on her social media feed like a knight in academia armor, protecting followers on the quest to their dream schools. With more than 3.3 million...

Grant McTaggart watched as his father stood a few feet away and called Hall of Famer Craig Biggio. Grant had just taken his two daily chemotherapy pills, each wrapped in a Fruit Roll-Up by his mom Melanie....

It was a sunny August morning when senior Samhita Kashyap, then a sophomore, first stepped foot into MVHS after moving from Weston, Florida. Finding herself lost in navigating the unfamiliar campus and...

At 2715 Hurd Ave., in the heart of Evanston’s Sixth Ward, exists what was once a large and lively church dedicated to worship alone. The Second Church of Christ, Scientist, nestled among dozens of single-family...

Ninety percent of Americans feel that we are currently in a mental health crisis, according to the Pew Research Center. In a time when it seems we can hardly agree about anything,...

When fifth-grade elementary school teacher Patricia Althaus saw her son Liam struggle to decipher the birthday card her mother had gifted him, stumbling through the loopy letters and skipping over phrases,...

While many children snuggle under their covers as they excitedly await presents under the Christmas tree, a young boy tosses and turns on an old couch in an unfamiliar office, unable to fall asleep. It’s...

In recent years the legalization of recreational marijuana has spread to many states around the U.S, Ohio now being one of them. Issue 2 was passed on November 7, 2023, and since then there has been questions...

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid allows students pursuing higher education to submit their financial information to be reviewed for government-subsidized aid. This year, the FAFSA underwent...

The clock reads 3 a.m. in bold, red letters. It’s far too late to still be awake on a Thursday night. But she can’t sleep yet, not until she perfects her speeches. Her tournament the next day will...

Content warning: Suicide, self-harm and trauma * Indicates a false name to protect the identity of an anonymous student Aug. 28, 2023, two laws regarding the treatment of transgender individuals...

Logan Huwalt was 7 years old and playing basketball in a gym when his parents noticed that he was standing still, looking like he had fallen asleep standing up. “He zoned out and the ball rolled away...

Picture this. You show up to school like any other day, ready to go to class. Except this time, your class isn’t a typical classroom. It’s the location of a non-profit organization, and instead of...

Pans clinking together, the satisfying crunch of knives cutting through lettuce and the whistling of the stove can be heard every week at Project Downtown St. Louis (PDSTL). Freshly cut fruit and cucumber...

Carlos Vences, senior said he plans on getting a set of Sennheiser headphones for the holidays. He has owned close to 35 headphones in his lifetime and has needed new ones for a variety of reasons. ...

Chief Justice Natalie E. Hudson achieved a historic milestone last fall when she became the third woman and first Black person to lead the state judiciary. Her journey from Mounds View High School,...

  Every day last summer, Grace Dai, sophomore, spent around three hours in the searing heat preparing for her upcoming tennis tryouts. She played in tournaments, took classes and practiced with...

Logansport High School home games wouldn’t be the same without one large smiling face, Felix the Cat. Greeting guests, giving out high fives, and cheering on the Berries are just a few of the many roles...

The focus of this year's National Scholastic Journalism Week is "Here to Stay," and 2024 also marks the Journalism Education Association's 100th anniversary. The theme for Monday, Feb. 19, is the First...

High school junior Darryl George was in tears when he was informed that he would be suspended for violating his school’s dress code. In September of 2023, there was a national uproar when George was...

Various skincare products line the surface of the countertop, some serums spilling over the top, creating a sticky but fragrant mess. Coppell High School sophomore Aditi Rathod flickers on the lights...

The counseling room is tense, the air thick with anxiety and hesitation. The counselor intently listens to the young boy across from her as he cautiously shares his story, recalling memories of his parents’...

This story contains an alternate format that can only be viewed on the original site. This story was originally published on Nordic News on February 15, 2024. 

While living and traveling through Europe in the years after college, Tim Lydon found himself at a dog sanctuary in Ireland that changed his life.  The 40-acre converted equestrian farm housed dogs...

Change can be difficult for a lot of people, whether that change is necessary or just happens. Moving to a new country, new school, new community, and meeting new people due to hardships can be an even...

Lillian Jean-Baptiste, junior, went to elementary school at Mallinckrodt Academy where they had a huge community garden. People who lived around the school could come to pick vegetables. “My dad...

The confused tourist in an unfamiliar culture, a stubborn train on a dilapidated track, a fierce soldier heading into no man’s land. Depending on the subject, learning can feel like any of the above....

As springtime approaches, college decisions are at the forefront of many seniors’ minds. While most of them will head off to their chosen college in the fall, some will choose to take a gap year instead. A...

Imagine packing your bags and leaving everything you know to go to an entirely different place. You wake up only to have to go to school in a foreign country. This experience was the case for Carlmont...

This story contains an alternate format that can only be viewed on the original site. View this story on The McHenry Messenger. It was originally published on February 14, 2024.

In Chinese culture, Lunar New Year is an all-out celebration to secure an auspicious start and end of the year. It’s truly an unforgettable experience — whether it be the loud bang of firecrackers,...

Somewhere within McLean High School, a seasoned educator is finding themselves at a crossroads. Wrestling with the weight of prospective decisions and a growing sense of disillusionment, they contemplate...

Marco Island is one of the most popular and beloved tourist destinations in Florida, where vacationers see their problems melt away like the setting sun over the shining waters of the Gulf of Mexico. For...

*DISCLAIMER: The following quotes from Maria Lopez Morey were written in Spanish through email and translated, from Spanish to English, via Google Translate and native-speaking staffers on The Muse.   ...

He’s a modern-day Renaissance man in every way. While Andrew Hamilton continues the classical tradition of teaching Latin, he also knows “a little bit about literally everything.” From dance...

The music swells to a climax every four years. In the ongoing opus of our country’s history, each election marks a grand crescendo as different melodies vie for dominance. Each note casts its vote,...

Thousands of years ago, a beast known as “年," which translates to the word "year" in Chinese, would emerge from the sea or mountain every New Year’s Eve, according to ancient Chinese folklore. ...

“Do you have a pad?” one classmate not-so-quietly announced just moments into B Block History. Before I could respond, three other students had already pulled out a colorful array of various pads (and...

The ACPS community is upset about COLA, and they don’t mean the carbonated beverage. After Superintendent Dr. Melanie Kay-Wyatt’s proposed budget for the 2024-25 school year touted a priority of...

What started as a teetering kitchen stool in the corner of his drafty garage has transformed into a full-blown barbering chair, filled with hundreds of clients awaiting to be cut by Davon, a Stafford High...

"What the f— are you looking at?" Vicha Ratanapakdee, an elderly immigrant from Thailand, heard these words before a teenager from San Francisco slammed into him. Ratanapakdee passed away two days...