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

 It’s been almost 13 years since “The Hawk Eye” published the original story, “Baby steps, long strides,” in 2011. Since then, alumni Madie Mckasson and Brandon Van Kuilenburg have worked together to raise their daughter, 12-year-old Skylar Van Kuilenburg. (Photo provided by Madie Mckasson, via Nicholas L. Laning)

Moving forward

By Olivia Evans, Hebron High School March 8, 2024
It was the night before New Year’s Eve — the night before Madie Mckasson’s wedding. She booked a hotel room in downtown Dallas with her daughter, Skylar Van Kuilenburg, and had a mother-daughter sleepover. Madie was excited, but Skylar knew her mom wasn’t always comfortable in the spotlight. The wedding was all about Madie, and it only made her more nervous. Skylar received beaded bracelets with individual quotes on them from her grandma during Christmas. Madie needed something borrowed for her wedding, and Skylar knew exactly what to give her.
An illustration of a therapy session on a Clayton graduation cap.

Do Students Need a Shrink?

By JiaLi Deck, Sidra Major, and Kipp Vitsky February 27, 2024

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,...

The issue of gender bias in the gaming industry and community lies in the ignorance of harassment, as people insist that their comments are just jokes, turning the responsibility of female gamers if they feel offended, humiliated, or undermined.

The warped world of gender in gaming

By Qianzi Loo and Meadow Shen February 22, 2024

“Oh, you’re a girl?!” “But wait, you’re too good to be a girl gamer.”  Over time, these deprecating remarks have become running jokes. Still, they serve as reminders of the bias that exists...

The teacher shortage is taking a toll on McLean High School, even two years after schools returned from the virtual format.

The Educator Exodus

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...

Hatred and misinformation, concerning the Israel-Hamas war, flood Instagram comment sections.

The web of misinformation

By Shiori Chen, Carlmont High School February 12, 2024

"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...

Ready to Wrestle

Ready to wrestle

By Gianna Liu and Celia Sadewasser February 1, 2024

Fourteen rows of wrestlers line up in the middle of the Xtream Arena, each holding a sign with their respective weight class. Before the champion matches begin, the girls march onto the mat in the Parade...

According to senior Wania Munir, respect should be something thats a given and an act of disrespect should not be so easily forgiven. Its not that hard to respect peoples identities and respect peoples race and culture. You dont have to be making derogatory comments, Munir said.

From clicks to consequences

By Harper Latta and Nafsiya Hafiz January 30, 2024

Living in an era where social media and the internet can serve as platforms for self-expression, high schoolers often find themselves navigating between showcasing their authentic selves and maintaining...

Evolv weapons detectors were installed in Manuals building on Dec. 13, 2023. Photo by Aly Peeler

Evolving backward: The company behind JCPS’ new weapon detectors accused of unreliability

By Caleb Masterson, duPont Manual High School January 22, 2024

On July 25, the Jefferson County Board of Education voted 5-1 to place $12 million worth of metal detectors in every JCPS middle and high school by the end of the 2023-2024 school year. JCPS purchased...

Senior Editor-in-Chief, Stella Windhorst, working on the yearbook.

A Family Tradition

By Lily Stroud, Paoli High School January 19, 2024

The Hillcrest has existed since 1948. Over these 75 years, one family has had three generations serve as staff members. Senior Stella Windhorst, this year’s editor-in-chief, is a third-generation...

Hall monitor Carren Rogan subs for language arts teacher David Choate during his absence on Sept. 14, 2021. Due to the continued lack of substitute teachers, hall monitors or other teachers fill in when needed.

Staff shortages stem from district competition, occupational disinterest

By Maddy Cox and Samantha Haney January 12, 2024

Rockwood has been experiencing staff shortages in a variety of areas from substitute teachers to custodial staff. Despite district efforts, these shortages have persisted for a number of years and have...

MSD students lack comprehensive sex education, despite the approval of a new curriculum. The new curriculum does not have a specified course for it to be taught in outside of Personal Fitness and Lifestyle Design.

BCPS passes new sex education curriculum

By Brynn Schwartz and Andie Korenge January 9, 2024

*Names indicated were changed to protect students’ anonymity “At your age, you’re going to have a lot of urges,” Coach Carr said in his iconic line in “Mean Girls,” while teaching sex education....

Homeschooling has shaped students’ development in ways traditional schools do not.

A 1 to 1 teacher to student ratio

By Lilly Wu and Olivia Yuan December 12, 2023

Instead of waking up every morning for 8:30 a.m. classes, a typical day in the life of a homeschooled student can be quite different. Some homeschooled students start their academics later in the morning...

WSS investigates the changes in attention and cognitive function with West students.

1-2-3, eyes on me

By Celia Sadewasser and Shanza Sami December 7, 2023

Buzz — a single notification may only cause a small vibration, but it commands the attention of the typical teenager within seconds. Teenagers are constantly bombarded with notifications: a median of...

Graphic depicting a memorial to an anonymous female student (Hustler Multimedia/Jada Mitchum)

ABEL: In case I die in a school shooting

By Zoe Abel, Vanderbilt University December 6, 2023

Editor's Note: This piece contains mention of gun violence. My laptop password is my dog’s middle name. Yes, my dog has a middle name. Middle name privileges were my dad’s consolation prize after...

Michelin inspectors visit fine dining establishments frequently, remaining anonymous in compliance with the guide.

Behind the Michelin star: Anonymity of Inspectors

By Gracia Shao-Xue, Carlmont High School December 1, 2023

In the captivating realm of Michelin dining, anonymous assessors traverse the culinary landscape, concealing their identities while holding the ultimate authority over the fate of restaurants and chefs.  ...

Do We Trust Students?

Do We Trust Students?

By Charlie Meyers, Alex Cohen, and Kipp Vitsky November 28, 2023

Intro Homeschooling is the fastest-growing form of education in the United States. Citing statistics from thousands of school districts, The Washington Post reported that the number of families educating...

Samantha Wurm shows a tattoo she got in April in remembrance of her father who passed away Jan. 13. The scene depicts one of Wurm’s favorite memories with her father, Tony as they overlook Lake Superior’s North Shore in Grand Marais, MN in Sept. 2012.

Sitting with the silence

By Soraya Keiser and Alyssa Malyon November 16, 2023

Editor’s note: This story contains the topic of suicide. — Samantha Wurm sat in her childhood bedroom and sobbed. Her Bible had been left on the bookshelf collecting dust for six months, but...

The Fighting Highlander mascot in the BHS main gym represents all of Baldwins sports teams.

‘Relegation’ proposal would let struggling teams drop down a level

By Jacob Staley, Adam Degenhardt, Jackson Sgattoni, Nico Macurak, and Kevin Hutchinson November 14, 2023

After struggling in the AAA division, Baldwin’s ice hockey team was moved down to the AA level several years ago. There, the team was so successful that it won the 2021 state title and earned a promotion...

Lower attendance rates in Coppell ISD schools are negatively affecting district funding and students academic performance. CISD is in the midst of a 12-week attendance campaign to combat lower attendance rates.

More than a headcount

By Sahasra Chakilam and Aliza Abidi November 7, 2023

It's a typical Wednesday morning at Coppell High School and the day of an AP English Literature unit test. CHS English teacher Benjamin Stroud holds 29 test copies. Little more than half his students...

Wearing her custom Wonder Woman drag costume, drag queen Kelly Kline poses confidently. Kline occasionally wears her Wonder Woman costume to protest for LGBTQA+ rights.

“We Battle People Every Day”: Lives of Drag Queens in Austin

By Alessandra Ashford, WESTWOOD HIGH SCHOOL - Austin November 1, 2023

Irvin Horn takes an hour to put on his makeup, and he’s not even close to being done with getting dressed. He still has to do his hair and get into costume. In a couple hours he’ll step on stage...

Each week, students from all across campus make their way to one of three stadiums to watch the football game. Friday Night Lights, however, is much more than that. These are the stories of those behind a high school staple, Friday Night Lights.

Redhawks flock together for Friday Night Lights

By Maya Silberman and Haley Ward October 31, 2023

A hallmark of the high school experience. An event that unites students from football, to Student Council and photography. Every Friday, Redhawks across campus flock together for a weekly staple:...

West High’s Sudanese community shares how the current situation in Sudan has affected them.

Sudan’s struggle

By Reem Kirja and Jane Lam October 24, 2023

Television screens flick through various channels, each showcasing unique turmoil— climate change, deforestation and the Russo-Ukrainian war. However, one topic isn't receiving the same extent of coverage,...

Minnesota Hillel on Sept. 23, 2019.

Israeli-Palestinian conflict brings fear, stress and perseverance to UMN students

By Grace Henrie, University of Minnesota October 20, 2023

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has affected University of Minnesota students’ mental well-being as some students have said they feel scared because thousands of people have been killed or wounded in...

WSS covers recent legislation regarding censorship and the LGBTQ+ community in classrooms.

Education legislation

By Kamakshee Kuchhal, Shanza Sami, and Marie Stier October 12, 2023

High school students file into classrooms at the start of the school year, brimming with curiosity and anticipation. However, students face a dramatic shift in the educational landscape this year as the...

Sophomore Faith Won writes in her notebook during sixth period English class in Room 64.

UPHILL JOURNEY: Sophomore with muscular myopathy advocates for herself

By Jaimie Chun, Sunny Hills High School October 11, 2023

A memorable color that sticks after meeting Won is red — not because that’s the color of her electric wheelchair, rather through her personality. “I like red because it looks clean, bold and straightforward,”...

Sophomore Meredith Ho edits an interview transcription on Otter.ai. With the addition of AI guidelines to the student handbook, our editorial board has been questioning how AI technology can impact journalism.

Editorial: AI is a tool, not the future of journalism

By 23-24 Editorial Board, Archer School for Girls October 5, 2023

At the beginning of the 2023-2024 school year, Archer’s student handbook's section on academic dishonesty was updated to incorporate guidelines for artificial intelligence, saying academic dishonesty...

Will Seavers and friends after he received his medal at the Special Olympics. After discovering a love for basketball, Will began to compete for his middle school team and participate in the Special Olympics games.

Will’s World

By Isaiah Macri, Hagerty High School October 4, 2023

You are having a bad day—maybe you just flunked a math test or had a falling out with a close friend. As you mope to your next class, you’re approached by a friendly face and can’t help but smile....

The FSACC facility was condemned as unfit to host a child care facility in 2022, and they now hope to find a new location for the center.

Fairfax-San Anselmo Children’s Center faces eviction

By Charlie Fee and Ben Luka Sheddrick September 29, 2023

After a year-long battle with the Ross Valley School District (RVSD), the Fairfax-San Anselmo Children's Center (FSACC), which has provided subsidized child care in Marin County since the early 70’s,...

Otter 841 clings onto a vibrant surfboard in the waters off Santa Cruzs Cowell Beach in June. Many surfers have reported encounters with this otter outlaw, and authorities are still searching for her.

Otter 841: The audacious, surfboard-snatching menace

By Victor Gong, The Harker Upper School September 28, 2023

As surfers ride the waves in the cool blue waters of Santa Cruz, one omnipresent threat looms over them all — an overly-social, delinquent sea otter. The aquatic outlaw, which local officials call Otter...

Interim High School Principal Jack Phillips approves the affirmation of student free expression rights Sept. 8. The affirmation was developed by the Private School Journalism Association and the Student Press Law Center to ensure that students in school-sponsored media have free expression rights.

Interim High School Principal affirms student free expression rights

By Sophia Bassi and Oskar Doepke September 27, 2023

Interim High School Principal Jack Phillips signed an affirmation of student free expression rights Sept. 8. The affirmation, which was developed by the Private School Journalism Association and the Student...

TRAFFIC ON PRESTON 
As Marksmen start coming into school on a Thursday morning, students and other passing drivers cause heavy traffic.

Dallas driving disasters

By Hilton Sampson and Arjun Poi September 26, 2023

As the traffic light flashed green, senior Sharang Vyas lurched forward. Accelerating onto the toll road access ramp, he felt his anxiety begin to resurface. With only a short runway of an entrance...

GANAS Algebra 2 is just one of the six racial affinity classes that ETHS offers for Black and Latinx students.

Seeking Affinity

By Sophia Sherman, Isaac Suarez Flint, and Marin Ubersox September 22, 2023

2,580 miles away from her home in Medellin, Columbia, Maria Gomez stepped into Evanston Township High School (ETHS) for the first time in 2021, a junior in high school. As Gomez made her way through the...

Student press rights must be protected

Student press rights must be protected

By Jack Tell and Natasha Torkzaban September 21, 2023

National outrage spread quickly when police raided the press office of the Marion County Record, a small but fiery local newspaper in central Kansas. Police removed phones and computers in a highly...

Posters protesting J.K. Rowling, the controversial author of the Harry Potter series upon which the upcoming rally is based, were found around campus on Tuesday, Sept. 12.

Protest posters spark controversy over Harry Potter-themed spirit week

By Elise Spenner and Sophia Bella September 19, 2023

Art teacher Eislyn Wolf-Noyes printed and displayed posters during and after lunch on Tuesday, Sept. 12, denouncing leadership’s Harry Potter-themed spirit week and rally as an endorsement of author...

Actresses Judy Reyes and Ana Ortiz picket at the Writers Guild Association strike May 8. Ortiz has been attending WGA and SAG-AFTRA protests almost daily since the start of the unions’ strikes.

Hollywood actors, writers share insight into cause, impact of ongoing dual strike

By Surya Patil, Archer School for Girls September 18, 2023

For the past four months, Hollywood's writers have been on strike. SAG-AFTRA, which represents Hollywood’s actors, joined the Writers Guild of America in their strike against the Alliance of Motion...

Teens continue to go on with their day as shootings of others their age ensue nationwide.

In America we (dis)trust: the effects of guns on America’s youth

Ringing the wrong doorbell. Pulling into the wrong driveway. Opening the wrong car door. Dropping a basketball in the wrong backyard. Once seen as innocent mishaps, these actions may warrant a death sentence...

Campbell plays viola for their senior portrait. This fall, Campbell will attend Oberlin Conservatory where they will study viola. With classes on everything from chamber music to music theory available, Campbell believes that Oberlin will allow them to grow as a musician and person.

From A to Z

By Ingrid Smith, McCallum High School May 24, 2023

Everyone in orchestra knows: if you’re lost during a concert, just watch senior violist Z Campbell. Chances are, the audience is looking in their direction already. On and off stage, Campbell is unapologetically...

Despite a state law that says A student may not be issued a monetary fine or fee as a disciplinary consequence, students at MCHS continue to receive tickets from the McHenry Police Department for their behavior in school.

Still fine

By Vanessa Moreno, McHenry High School May 22, 2023

Walking through the halls, a McHenry High School student notices fighting near the bathrooms. In response, a school resource officer nearby issues adjudication citations, or tickets, to the students. All...

College and career counselor Camille Nix seeks higher ground by standing on a desk after a raccoon scurried into her classroom toward the end of first period today. After the room was evacuated, faculty members were able to coax the raccoon into a trashcan and then let it go outside.

Raccoons make landfall

By Noah Braun, McCallum High School May 9, 2023

After an ordinary hour and a half or so to begin the day today, the early morning calm within classes was abruptly and chaotically put to an end just as the first period drew to a close. Mac found itself...

Hyundai and Kia brand cars have been stolen at drastically increasing rates around the St. Louis area due to a weakness in their software and security systems. As a result, the unit growth rate for Hyundais and Kias decreased by nearly 16% from 2022 to 2023.

St. Louis Sues Kia, Hyundai Amid Rise in Car Thefts

By David Moss, Marquette High School May 3, 2023

Late last February, Matt Shockley, father of Layla Shockley, sophomore, parked his Hyundai Sonata overnight at a hotel in Independence, Missouri. When he went to his car the next morning, there was someone...

Examining the impact of gun violence in various parts of the world

Arms across oceans

By Krish Dev and Taryn Lam May 3, 2023

As a 12-year-old growing up in Zimbabwe, English teacher Doug Leresche was mugged and chased by a man with a metal pole. If his assailant had a gun instead, Leresche believes the stakes would have been...

Teen vaping causes dangerous side effects, such as popcorn lung, which can lead to overall poor health outcomes, or even death, for students.

Use of electronic cigarettes remains high among teens

By Andie Korenge, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School April 5, 2023

A student enters the bathroom as the bell signaling the start of lunch rings overhead. She pulls a USB-shaped device out of her pocket. Drawing it towards her lips, she begins to take short puffs, inhaling...

As SEIU strike comes to a close, no deal reached with LAUSD

By Maggie Simonyan and Satenik Ayrapetyan March 27, 2023

This article was updated to clarify information about LAUSD’s fact-finding efforts.  On the third and final day of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 99 strike, negotiations continued...

Coppell ISD is evaluating the idea of a four-day school week starting in the 2024-25 school year. Various neighboring school districts have also been considering this option over the course of the past few months.

CISD explores abridged week for 2024-25 school year

By Sri Achanta, Coppell High School March 16, 2023

In its February employee newsletter, Coppell ISD floated the idea of a four-day school week, testing the waters to see if CISD educators were willing to take the first step in reimagining the traditional...

Zach Avila, architectural engineering teacher, removes eggs from his chicken coop. He said they often have an abundance of eggs, and they usually give some away to friends and family.

Chicken before the egg…

By David Moss, Marquette High School March 14, 2023

Zach Avila, architectural engineering teacher, had always thought about getting chickens. “My wife and I had been discussing it forever,” Avila said. “We’ve also had friends and neighbors that...

Although social media discussion usually lies within the effect of mental health, there are underlying issues that are not always addressed. The decrease in attention span is alarming and affecting students in many ways.

15 seconds too long

By Greta Carrasco, Hagerty High School March 13, 2023

You have to watch a video and answer some questions for an assignment, but you let it play while also scrolling through your Instagram feed. After the first time through, you are missing answers for several...

Nepotism exists far beyond celebrity circles, outlining the future of academia and politics alike.

Opinion: Admitted since Birth

By Aris Pastor, North Allegheny Senior High School March 10, 2023

In 2022, Lily-Rose Depp, daughter of famous actor Johnny Depp and actress Vanessa Paradis, told Elle, “If somebody’s mom or dad is a doctor, and then the kid becomes a doctor, you’re not going to...

Kimberly Moon, language arts teacher, celebrates her fourth birthday, which was also the first time she celebrated on her actual birth date. Moon said her parents celebrated with a frog theme since it was on leap day. I always had to explain to my friends what a leap year birthday meant when I was younger, Moon said. Kids dont really understand that.

Leap Year Babies Celebrate Nontraditional Birthdays

By Annie Alcorn, Marquette High School March 1, 2023

Later this week, Kimberly Moon, language arts teacher, is celebrating her birthday; she will turn 6 3/4 quarters this year. Moon was born on Feb. 29, 1996, which is leap day. She said she has always...

When people think of love, most picture a stereotypical romantic relationship, but this year, a compilation of various love stories shows that love is so much more than what the media commonly portrays on Valentine’s Day. “Love can be anything you want it to be,” junior Katherine Goodwin said.

What is love?

By Claire Creely and Audrey Ghosh February 15, 2023

When you first hear the word love, what comes to mind? Maybe it’s the person who gives you butterflies or the person who raised you. Perhaps it's that friend you play Mario Kart with all night, talking...

A digitally constructed image created by junior Wes Phipps represents the new TikTok ban colleges are enforcing. Without TikTok, a lot of my college friends now need to rely on other sources to gain a mental break and comfort, senior Riya Meka said. When students are depressed, it certainly affects the people around them, ultimately negatively impacting everyone as a whole.

Texas universities censor students with TikTok ban

By Ananya Nandyala, Rock Hill High School February 1, 2023

In response to Gov. Greg Abbot’s banning of the social media platform TikTok from all government issued devices, public universities across Texas are blocking access to the popular app on the campuses’...

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