OPINION: Schools Are Cutthroat on Debt
By Blaze Myers, Boyertown Area Senior High
November 18, 2019
Earlier this year, Wyoming Valley West School District threatened foster care to students who couldn't afford their lunch debt. Two days ago, cafeteria workers from a school in Minnesota (Richfield High School) threw away the hot lunches of students owing $15 or more, publicly shaming several students...
Beyond the grief: Surviving the death of my dad
By Kayla MacLaren, Londonderry High School
November 18, 2019
I wrote this story to let people know that it’s okay not to be okay. I’ve overcome a lot of things in the past few years. This was during the worst time in my life. I went through flames, got burned, got back up, and carried on. After everything, I’m still standing here today. I’m sti...
Don’t forget my name
By Manahil Rizvi, Monte Vista High School
November 18, 2019
“I didn’t immigrate halfway across the world and give you this name for it to be butchered and mispronounced,” my mother said. To be fair, to be given this name in America, I thought she should have expected that. Manahil doesn’t roll off the tongue as easy as most. But as I grew older, I...
A journalist’s take on fake news
By Kristen Tibbetts, McCallum High School
November 18, 2019
Trump revokes press credentials of multiple news outlets! McDonalds employee sneaks mixtape in Happy Meals! Former first daughter Malia Obama expelled from Harvard! What do all of these shocking reveals have in common? They’re completely made up, but all of them were published online in recent...
What Feminism Means to Me
By Brooke Huffman, Liberty High School
November 18, 2019
“Feminist” is a dirty word. Associated with radical misandrists, complaining about things that don’t really matter. Though it’s defined as the theory of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes, that’s not exactly how we think of it. Forgotten are the revolutionary women...
How far is too far for cancel culture
By Mariam Keita and Cymry Hieronymus
November 18, 2019
Imagine you wake up in the morning and open your Instagram, Youtube, or Twitter feed to see your name trending across all platforms, thousands of people calling you out, tagging you in harsh comments. The #canceled posted right by your name. "Cancel culture" is a phenomenon in which people use the...
Never Again — Again
By Julia Poppa, North Allegheny Senior High School
November 15, 2019
After Sandy Hook, the words resounded from sea to shining sea -- "Never again." Then we witnessed another 2,291 mass shootings. Yesterday at 11 am, a shooter opened fire at Saugus High School in Santa Clarita, California. Two people were killed; three more were wounded. The suspect, a student from Saugus who had recently turned 16, was taken into custody a...
Illness: What is so romantic about it?
By Marjorie Lichner, Downers Grove South High School
November 15, 2019
“The Fault in our Stars,” “Midnight Sun” and “Five Feet Apart.” All of these romantic movies share at least one thing in common, that being, the romanticizing of illness. The common theme in these films is the love blossoming between two main characters where at least one has a terminal illness. ...
Are ‘your’ priorities straight?
By Gianna Ortner-Findlay, Prosper High School
November 15, 2019
In the game of life, everyone has priorities. People focus all of their attention on that thing, whatever the priority may be. And anything else that does not have as much importance is often forgotten. This type of intense hyper-focus is usually put toward subjects such as homework, grades and college...
Reece: Moving Forward
By Davan Reece, The Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science
November 15, 2019
In Mississippi, two things are concrete: Christianity and conservatism. It's the cornbread and butter that I was raised on in the rolling hills of the Tombigbee. It’s the backbone of the fundamental lifestyle of everyday Mississippians, and it will one day be blamed as Mississippi’s downfall. ...
Bathrooms for all: equal access for every student
By Lane Phifer, Pittsburg High School
November 15, 2019
Like many transgender people, determinating which public restroom to use is a battle I face every day. I question my safety and how others will perceive me depending on which restroom I choose, not to mention the state laws. In 2016, the Trump administration created the “Bathroom Bill,” which...
Dear Shane Gillis: Stop making racist jokes
By Delaney Crawley, Richard Montgomery High School
November 14, 2019
It’s all fun and games until someone gets hurt. That universal statement applies to not only physical activities, but social situations as well. In September, Saturday Night Live (SNL) hired Shane Gillis, a stand-up comedian who has a history of using racist and anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric. After a video...
Column: Let me be normal
By Lizeth Godinez, Lewisville High School
November 14, 2019
My friend found out. “You’re gay? Cool, now I have a gay best friend.” She’s known me for years but minimized me to just the gay friend. I’m more than that. A random guy talked to me during lunch last year. He found out too. “It’s great that you’re gay because we can both...
Opinion: Kaepernick workout offers chance to right a wrong
By Jaiman White, Baldwin High School
November 14, 2019
Protest is not a crime, and in America it is a protected right listed in the Constitution. With that being said, the NFL has treated Colin Kaepernick as a criminal since he decided to kneel during the national anthem in 2016, protesting police brutality. Now completely out of the blue, the NFL has...
The disposable struggle
By Lois Ramilo, Clark Magnet High School
November 13, 2019
The world is sinking in waste. According to a study conducted by the World Bank, humans have generated over 2 billion tons of solid waste. That means each person produces about 0.74 kilograms of waste per day, with waste generation expected to increase by about 70 percent in 2050. 0.74 kilograms doe...
Sorry not sorry
By Abby Landwehr, Powell High School
November 13, 2019
Turns out that going a day without saying “sorry” for mishaps that are not your fault is not as easy as it seems. About a week or two ago, a friend told me I apologize too much. Immediately my reflex response was, “I’m sorry.” This, of course, made me start to wonder, “Do I really say...
The US Prison System Must Change
By Srilekha Cherukuvada, Westwood High School
November 12, 2019
Desperate Housewives star Felicity Huffman forked over $15,000 to have her daughter’s SAT scores manipulated by Rick Singer, the mastermind behind a huge college admissions scandal consisting of over 50 wealthy people and celebrities. Accompanying Huffman were six other parents eager to break the la...
Ten Minutes Away, Worlds Apart
By Lucie Flagg, North Allegheny Senior High School
November 12, 2019
The words “mom” and “dad” don’t go together in my vocabulary, and it feels as though they never have. Ever since kindergarten when my parents got divorced, it’s been “Dad and Tricia” and “Mom and Will.” At first, when we developed the mom’s house vs. dad’s house schedule,...
U.S House of Representatives finally recognizes the Armenian genocide
By Anna Arutunian, Clark Magnet High School
November 12, 2019
After school had ended on Oct. 29, my dad picked me up from my bus stop and replaced his usual greeting with “The House recognized the genocide!” The conversation carried home, spreading the news to the rest of my family. My patriotic grandmother immediately rushed to turn on the television to see...
Erlich makes correct decision in banning ‘Thin Blue Line’ flag
By Kayla Holt and Amelia Burton
November 12, 2019
The "Thin Blue Line" flag was gifted by a local resident and his son to a Germantown police station in Montgomery County but has sparked controversy across the state. Governor Larry Hogan took a picture with the flag after Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich stated that the flag will not be hung...
If he can do it, why can’t she…
By Maddy Licea, Pleasant Valley High School
November 11, 2019
Congresswoman Katie Hill stepped down from Congress on Nov. 1 after allegations of an inappropriate relationship with a member of her staff and pornographic images were released by her soon to be ex husband. Hill admitted to an inappropriate relationship with a female worker on her campaign trail;...
Back to school PSA shows new reality of going to school
By Mia Lucido, Stillwater Area High School
November 11, 2019
Gun violence, especially in schools, is a prevalent topic in today’s society. The Sandy Hook Promise Organization put out a video PSA entitled “Back to School Essentials” urging viewers to know the signs to help end gun violence. The video shows students using school supplies to protect and save t...
My Life: What it is like to be a second generation immigrant
By Rahim Kouferidji, Riverside Brookfield High School
November 11, 2019
Growing up, I’ve always been different from the rest. Living in North Riverside, I have consistently been one of the only black kids in my class, and also of course, the only Muslim. Not being able to talk to another person you relate to can be lonely and frustrating. I like to think that I’ve adapted...
A Voice for the Voiceless
By Laine Gamrath, Lake Forest High School
November 11, 2019
Last spring, three LFHS teachers went to see a play. Eager to find a show to put on as the freshman/sophomore production for the 2019-2020 school year, they went in with an open, but still critical, mind. They had heard positive reviews from various production lists, and as soon as they left the t...
Moore: NCAA? More like N-C-won’t-pay
By Carter Moore, The Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science
November 11, 2019
One of the biggest news items in college sports in the past week has been the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s (NCAA) “decision” to allow players to earn profit from their name, image and likeness. While allowing these benefits would be a wonderful change for college sports, this new...
One Size Fits Small
By Annabelle Harshbarger, Millard West High School
November 11, 2019
In the past years, brands like American Eagle, Target and Old Navy have launched body-positive campaigns in order to include more diverse body types. Companies do this by adding sizes and having a diverse group of models. Although many brands are expanding to spread a body-positive message, there are...
OPINION: Bloomsburg Protest Demonstrates Pennsylvanian Values
By Blaze Myers, Boyertown Area Senior High
November 11, 2019
Last weekend, a video demonstrating a student acting out a slave auction and utilizing obscene racist language surfaced - and Bloomsburg demonstrated how Pennsylvanians civilly handle racism. The video made its rounds last weekend, showcasing a student employed by the athletic training department...
To Thine Own Self Be Cruel
By Reese Hill, Iowa City High School
November 11, 2019
It is safe to say I have a theatrical personality. I have always been addicted to the unreal: the idea of pretending I am someone I am not, the thrill of donning a costume and transforming entirely. But my love of theater has a much bleaker origin than a knack for dress-up. I was enraptured by the stage...
Veterans Day: More Than Just a Day Off
By Dean Grassi, Tyrone Area High School
November 8, 2019
Monday is an important day for all Americans. It is a day set aside to take time to thank all of those who serve, or have served in our armed forces. It is possibly the most important holiday for our nation. Sadly, many Americans will see this Monday as a day off school or a time to relax. But it’s...
Why We Didn’t Attend the Trump Rally
By Olivia Doyle and Anthony Mondelli
November 8, 2019
President Donald Trump held a campaign rally in Downtown Lexington on Monday, Nov. 4. He hoped to convince supporters to vote for Matt Bevin in the 2019 Kentucky gubernatorial race and campaign for the 2020 presidential election. While many student journalists would be flocking to such a rally with...