by Blue Coyle

Disclaimer: This article is a joke 

The past two years have been abundant with incredible movies, but I believe that one of them stands out the most. Yesterday, I was eagerly scrolling through the avant-garde platform “YouTube” when I came across a unique and original video titled, “The hated child becomes an ice princess (pls read desc).” At first, I thought that this would be a low-quality, unrealistic mess. However, upon watching it, I realized that this “Gacha Life Mini Movie” was truly a masterpiece. In the movie’s beginning, the producer immediately begins with highlighting the challenges faced by an infant, or in this case, the protagonist named Emily. Infants face an abundance of struggles, many of which we do not pay attention to. For example, infants are unable to walk. However, despite the increased difficulty due to her mother giving birth to her just a day before, Emily persists and succeeds in standing. This accomplishment alone proves that infants are capable of anything, contrary to what the adults and the scientists believe. Another significant challenge faced by Emily throughout her childhood is her sister and her sister’s friends bullying her. Emily’s perseverance encourages children to stand up for themselves and to always believe in a better future. Not only does this work of art encourage hope and bravery, but it also promotes following school rules, as Emily’s sister and her sister’s friends get in trouble for not following their school’s dress code. During her school’s “transformation class,” a class that teaches students how to become their true forms as fantasy creatures, Emily is revealed to be an extremely rare variant of creature: an ice hybrid. Later, it is revealed that Emily is the legendary missing ice princess! Once her royal parents learn about how Emily’s mother and sister were harming her, they immediately decided to punish them by making them maids at the palace. Next, this mini movie revealed a major technological innovation that many people have never even considered to be possible. As a result of how the palace is made entirely of ice, it would have been quite difficult to clean. Thankfully, the Ice Queen gives the mother and the sister paper fans. Paper fans are such a simple object, and they can even be made at home. As it turns out, paper fans can actually clean ice perfectly, even if dirt is frozen in the ice. Unfortunately, the simplicity of the paper fan may be an issue as well. Once bigger companies learn about their effectiveness, they may attempt to recreate them and sell them for high prices. However, to trick people into buying them, they’ll likely make them look slightly different and claim them as a different product. If this ever happens, remember that this mini movie has made it clear that all you need to properly clean ice is a handmade paper fan. Anyway, the movie continues on to reveal that Emily’s family is still being awful to everybody. Specifically, they steal the crown of Emily’s baby sister. Immediately after the royal family finds out, Emily’s awful family is punished once again. Now, they have to be put in the dungeon. This promotes kindness, as it shows the consequences of bullying for the bully. In conclusion, the mini movie “The hated child becomes an ice princess (pls read desc)” is the ultimate example of creativity. In addition, it promotes kindness and following rules and reveals how one’s negative actions can negatively affect oneself as well. Lastly, it introduces a new, high-tech way to clean up ice: the simple paper fan. Overall, I found this film to be quite entertaining and would recommend it to anybody who wants an exciting family film to watch.

by Elijah Sturtz and Carter Delgado 

In the eyes of the general public, Nevermind, released in September 1991, is the representative of the grunge subgenre. Nevermind is the second album by Kurt Cobain for singing and guitar, Krist Novoselic for bass, and Dave Grohl for drums. The track list includes “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” “In Bloom,” “Come As You Are,” “Breed,” “Lithium,” “Polly,” “Territorial P***ings,” “Drain You”, “Lounge Act,” “Stay Away,” “On a Plain,” and “Something in the Way.” The three standout tracks on this album are “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” “Drain You,” and “Something in the Way.” First, “Smells Like Teen Spirit” is a classic grunge song and is likely one of the most well-known grunge songs for the general public. Thus, grunge is seen as this song, and it has a right to be a representative of the genre. The guitar is the standout instrument with unforgettable lyrics sung by the great Kurt Cobain. However, due to its status as a classic, it is a bit overplayed and basic, but this is only due to its immense popularity outside of the genre. Secondly, “Drain You” is a lot calmer than the previous song, but its main instruments are its guitar and lyrics. In my opinion, this song has better lyrics than “Smells Like Teen Spirit” due to its less repetitive nature. Furthermore, the sound of Kurt Cobain’s voice in this song is more enjoyable. Also, the guitar takes a step up in complexity from the previous song, and the drums are more prominent. Finally, the best song on the entire album is undoubtedly “Something in the Way”, a moody song with meaningful lyrics. The bass is absolutely perfect and fits the song beautifully. The lyrics by Kurt Cobain are outstanding and unbeatable by any other song on the album. Even the rhythm of the drums adds an incredible beat to the work. In conclusion, Nevermind, released by Nirvana is world-renowned and famous outside the grunge community for a good reason. 

Ten — Pearl Jam 

Ten, released by Pearl Jam in August 1991, is one of the four main grunge albums. With its unique and epic sound, Eddie Vedder, Michael McCready, Jeff Ament, Stone Gossard, and Dave Krusen created an unbelievable grunge album. First, “Even Flow” is most likely the second best song on Ten, and it has perfect guitar and drums, though the vocals are a little lacking. Michael McCready is the standout sound on this song, and his work makes the song the second best on the entire album. Second, the album’s best song, Black, is a guitar-heavy, soft song with amazing lyrics and drums. Michael McCready and Stone Gossard’s guitar and Jeff Ament’s bass is perfect for the tone of the song, Eddie Vedder’s vocals are chilling and somehow soothing, and Dave Krusen’s drums are noteworthy. Overall, although not as well-known as Nevermind, Ten is a must-listen for any grunge fans. 

Badmotorfinger — Soundgarden 

Soundgarden were probably the first grunge band full on. Bands like Green River and Mother Love Bone (which both featured future members of Pearl Jam) were Proto-grunge. They had elements of the music and culture, but it never culminated into a grunge band. Of the “big four” of grunge, Soundgarden formed and released an album first. So in my opinion they were the first true grunge band. Even though they came first, it took a while for them to reach their full potential, releasing two albums and a few EP’s before releasing their first masterpiece, Badmotorfinger. Released in October of 1991 and featuring the tracks: Rusty Cage, Outshined, Slaves & Bulldozers, Jesus Christ Pose, Face Pollution, Somewhere, Searching with My Good Eye Closed, Room a Thousand Years Wide, Mind Riot, Drawing Flies, Holy Water, and New Damage. The album takes you on an abstract, heavy journey. The song Rusty Cage is most exemplary of the band’s sound. Starting with effects from guitarist Kim Thayil and a sludgy 

groove from Ben Sheppard on bass and Matt Cameron on drums before Chris Cornell joins with his soaring vocals, and the band takes off from there. The album is an experience, and while Soundgarden may have released better albums, this is the best example of the band’s sound at the peak of their powers. 

Dirt — Alice In Chains: Alice in Chains was another one of the “big 4” of grunge and showed to the world that you can be heavy, still have a sense of melody, and achieve huge amounts of success. They showed this to the world with their magnum opus, Dirt. The albums track list of; “Them Bones,” “Dam that River,” “Rain When I Die,” “Down In a Hole,” “Sickman,” “Rooster,” “Junkhead,” “Dirt,” “Godsmack,” “Untitled,” “Hate to Feel,” “Angry Chair,” and “Would” is one of the most powerful track lists of the 1990s. It’s an album that’s musically interesting and intense, with guitarist Jerry Cantrell providing some of the most interesting and cool riffs of his time and one of the best rhythm sections backing him in the form of bassist Mike Starr and drummer Sean Kinney. Many of the lyrics are handled by vocalist Layne Staley and tackle many of his own personal issues, but I feel the most intense lyric on the album belongs to Jerry Cantrell with his dedication to his father, Rooster. In my opinion, Rooster is the centerpiece of the album. Detailing his father’s struggles fighting in war. The album as a whole is consistent and well worth the bone-crushing listen. 

by Liam Orzack

In Sovietistan, Erika Fatland travels to the five Central Asian former Soviet republics and hopes she can shed light on these places because she feels that not enough people in the West know about these countries. When the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991, these countries became independent countries for the first time in their histories, and as a result, she also seeks to find out the impact the Soviet Union had on these countries, their development, and how they deal with their Soviet legacy. I have enjoyed reading this book and would rate it four stars because by now some of the information (mostly on Turkmenistan) is outdated due to reforms in government. It provides a great view into countries that not many, including myself, do not know about, and Fatland gives a good insight into these countries and, by her narration, shows the reader how they would like to view certain issues or aspects. I found this interesting when reading the second chapter about Turkmenistan, which is devoted to Turkmenistan’s dictators, who I did not know much about other than the fact that Turkmenistan’s first president, Saparmurat Niyazov, had a huge cult of personality that rivaled North Korea’s Kims. I also do like her writing style, simple enough that everyone can read it and being funny and/or satirical at times. This comes up when she talks about referendums that show that 99.8% of people support the great President Berdimuhamedow. She neither attacks the dictator nor goes along with it, simply saying, “…if the official estimates are to be believed.” In conclusion, I have really enjoyed reading Sovietistan and would recommend it to people who are curious about Central Asia or like reading about travels in foreign countries.

by Kasandra Kudron

  High school relationships are often seen as inevitable. The people in them usually say they’re the lucky ones — and maybe they are. But at the same time, I believe that those who skip the heartbreak of their first love in high school are the real lucky ones. Of course, that’s just my personal opinion. For this article, I set my bias aside and focused on the facts and perspectives from high school students and teachers across all grades. 

     Dating in high school definitely has its ups and downs. However, based on the responses I received, the majority of both students and teachers believe that high school relationships are a positive thing. Many said dating during these years is a valuable learning experience. Coach Chris put it best: “It’s the time to learn before the real world. You get an idea of what a relationship is supposed to be like.” Others echoed similar sentiments; Sydney, a 9th grader, said, “It’s a chance to have new experiences that you won’t get when you’re older.” Almost everyone who supported dating in high school mentioned that it’s something you can learn from. Julio, Sophia, Noah, and Lila all said some version of, “Pro, because it’s an experience you can learn from.” Some gave more in-depth responses. Aiden Peralta shared, “Pro, because even though there is heartbreak, it’s a learning experience, and you never know who your high school sweetheart could be.” Mr. Maleki added, “It helps you learn what you like and dislike. It teaches you to share things with your significant other.”

     Out of the 60 students and teachers I interviewed, 40 said they were in favor of high school relationships. They believed it helps build life experience, teaches lessons, and even makes future heartbreaks easier to handle. Many agreed it’s better to face that kind of pain while you’re young rather than later in college or adulthood. However, some of those who said “pro” had conditions, Mr. Bozzo explained, “I think dating in high school is a good thing as long as it doesn’t become all-consuming. Otherwise, you’re missing out on life.” I couldn’t agree more. High school relationships can be amazing, but once they consume you, you might start missing out on memories with your friends. Years later, when that relationship is over, you might regret losing those friendships and moments. Kioni shared a similar conditional view: “Pro — but not in freshman year. You don’t know yourself fully and don’t know what you’re walking into.” I agree. As a freshman, you’re still figuring out who you are. While a relationship can help you understand yourself better, it often leads to shaping your identity around someone who probably won’t be in your life long-term. 

Overall, most people agreed that being in a relationship during high school is a good experience. It teaches you about love, heartbreak, and yourself — lessons that will stick with you. As one person said, “Everyone has to go through heartbreak at least once. Better to do it young so you know what you’re looking for when you’re older.” That said, not everyone was on board. Twenty out of the 60 people said high school relationships are a con. Lizzy said, “It’s bad because not a lot of young kids know what love is.” While I get that point, how can someone truly understand love without experiencing it? Zach added, “It’s a con because it causes distraction and a change in priorities.” I actually agree. High school is meant to be a learning environment, and being in a relationship can shift your focus from school to your significant other. Lizbeth raised another issue: “Everyone is in your business. Multiple people get involved in the relationship.” I completely agree — high school can feel like a fishbowl, where everyone knows (or thinks they know) what’s going on in your personal life. Miscommunication, gossip, and drama often follow. One of the two teachers who said “con,” Father Peter, remarked, “I think you have all of your lives to do that, and you should focus on being a kid.” I agree with Father Peter to an extent — being a kid is important. But I also believe that for many people, young love is a turning point. It’s almost a canon event — one of those moments everyone has to go through. 

     In conclusion, most people I interviewed believe that being in a high school relationship is more of a pro than a con. The heartbreak, the joy, the lessons — they all shape you. As Bella beautifully put it, “Teenage love is very special. You experience it differently when you’re young.” I think she’s absolutely right. Teenage love is something unique, something raw, and something that everyone should experience at least once in their life.

by Will Knoth

Lana del Rey’s lyricism and songwriting is acclaimed by many all throughout her nine studio albums, even including a book of her own. Her songwriting is unique, telling thoughtful stories of love, heartbreak, and personal experience. Her songs tell stories of her own life and how she works through hardship, an example of which can be found in her own song “Dealer” off her 2021 album “Blue Banisters,” where she exclaims to her “dealer”: “I gave you all my money. I don’t wanna live. I don’t wanna give you nothing, ‘cause you never give me nothing back. Why can’t you be good for something?” The “dealer” is a representation of her lover, saying that she gave him all her love and affection for him to never give anything back. Her raw lyricism tells such a story of her heartbreak and pain that the “dealer” caused her, even leading to her thinking of not living anymore. 

Another song she wrote that portrayed her life experiences and thoughts was a song off her ninth studio album, “Did You Know that there’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Boulevard?” titled “Kintsugi”. A little backstory on the song name, “kintsugi” is a Japanese art form where broken pottery is joined together revealing the cracks and crevices instead of concealing them. Lana talks about her yearn for escape throughout the song, exclaiming: “I’m at the Roadrunner Café, I’m probably runnin’ away from the thoughts in the day that have things to do with them, but they say: “That’s how the light gets in.” Her words and lyrics show her thoughts in a very descriptive way. The way she explains she’s at the “Roadrunner Cafe” and yearns for escape is written in

very good detail, since she describes being at the “Roadrunner Cafe” while also running away from her thoughts. The phrase “that’s how the light gets in” is another reference to what “kintsugi” is, and that the light shines in the more she thinks of bad things. 

“Yosemite” is another song representing something in her life, this time being love. The song is off her seventh studio album: “Chemtrails Over the Country Club,” where she shows images of love throughout the song, describing how she and her partner are forever: “Seasons may change, but we won’t change. Isn’t it sweet how we know that already?” She describes the seasons changing around herself and her lover, and they themselves never changing. When she says, “isn’t it sweet how we know that already?” it shows how everything will change all around them but they themselves would never change for each other. 

Lana del Rey has a way of turning her life into music, showing her thoughts and memories into every lyric. Her songs show themes of heartbreak, love, and her own personal experiences, painting a picture of who she is and what she’s been through throughout her life.

by Bella DeSimone

The Cheerleaders on the Media 

The DCC produced their own reality TV show called Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making the Team, which aired from 2006 to 2021. In 2021, the magazine Texas Monthly came out with a podcast called “America’s Girls,” with interviews of former cheerleaders and other people involved with the cheerleaders. Then in 2024 the DCC had a new series called America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders. 

Interesting Facts 

The Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders perform year-round and not just during the football season. There are always 36-39 cheerleaders, and the spots get filled in the summer. The tryouts are open to anyone between the ages of 18 and 40. There are around 500 women from across the world who try out every year, and they come from a variety of backgrounds. DCCs have to have their looks and physique, but they also have to take a written test that has current events, nutrition, and the history of the team and the squad itself. To be a DCC, they have to have an understanding of football and how the game works. Tryouts are held to fill every spot, so if you make the team, you have to try out again every year to be on it again. 

History of the Team

In the early 1960s, Tex Schramm approached model and educator Dee Brock with his idea of putting cheerleaders on the sideline of Cowboys games. He wanted them wearing entirely white uniforms in full leather skirts, but he didn’t plan on paying them or Brock to manage them. Brock had to stop him right there because models don’t work for free, and also, that uniform would cost way too much, especially for a guy who is clearly a cheapskate. So that’s why she decided to recruit highschoolers who did it for free. Between 1961 and 1971, the DCC consisted of highschoolers, and for a little while, both boys and girls cheered on the squad, which made a local PR guy to nickname them the “CowBelles and their Beaux,” which Brock hated, so she dropped the boys from the squad in 1969. In 1972, she decided that she wanted more dancing and she wanted older cheerleaders. At this time the cheerleaders were only paid $15 a game, or 14.12 after taxes. The cheerleaders were still getting paid $15 a game in 1978, despite their TV advertisements, dance shows, personal appearances, and the movie in the cheerleaders’ name, which brought many profits to the Dallas Cowboys organization. 

Works Cited

Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dallas_Cowboys_Cheerleaders; 15 Little Known Facts about the DCC; George Voutiritsas; 2020; 

https://www.thethings.com/little-known-facts-about-the-dallas-cowboys-cheerleaders/ History of the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders and the Forgotten Women who shaped it; Makenna Jonker; 2024; https://medium.com/@makennajonker/a-history-of-the-dallas-cowboys-cheerleaders-and-the-for gotten-women-who-shaped-it-62e3515e9d4e

by Emma Carnivale and Callie O’Dowd

Starbucks is a world-wide coffee shop with locations all around the world. It is one of the most successful coffee shops, and part of this is because they sell much more than coffee. They incorporate baked goods, refreshers, teas, and more into their menu. On March 4th, Starbucks released their spring menu again. Each season they have a new menu that includes certain items only available for a limited amount of time. For example, in the fall, they add pumpkin flavored drinks, apple crisp flavored drinks, and seasonal items from the bakery too. Each seasonal menu still includes the year-round items that are available at any time, not just during one season. Recently, they have released their Spring 2025 menu. Some of the items include Iced Cherry Chai Latte, Iced Lavender Cream Oatmilk Matcha, Iced Lavender Oatmilk Latte, and various bakery items. 

My [Emma’s] personal favorite from the new spring menu at Starbucks is the Iced Cherry Chai Latte. This drink incorporates some of people’s favorite flavors which is key to marketing. The flavor options include cherry and beautiful chai tea flavor. Not only are the flavors delicious, but the presentation is elegant as well. The Iced Cherry Chai Latte starts off with a delectable chai tea base and moves on to the creamy, whipped, cold foam that has a pink coloring and cherry flavoring. Lastly, the cold foam is topped off with crunchy cherry sprinkle toppings that give the drink a loud pop and a bit of saltiness. This drink provides a spiced, creamy flavoring from the chai but also satisfies the sweetness aspect with the cherry cold foam and cherry sprinkles. 

My [Emma’s] first time trying this drink was a few months ago with my aunt. She got her normal order and I wanted to try the new Iced Cherry Chai Latte. I am a big fan of chai lattes with sweet cold foam on top, so I thought this would be a perfect item for me to try from the 2025 Starbucks Spring Menu. As someone who loves chai, this drink was a perfect balance between sweet and salty. The cherry sprinkles provided a great contrast to the sugary, cherry cold foam because of the salty flavoring of the sprinkles. Overall, I believe that if you are a fan of chai and you want to try something new from the spring menu, you should definitely go for the Iced Cherry Chai Latte! 

My [Callie’s] favorite item of the spring selection is the Iced Lavender Cream Oatmilk Matcha. It is a creamy matcha made with oat milk and served over ice. The finishing touch is the lavender flavored cold foam on top. It is sweet and creamy and contains hints of floral flavoring. In my opinion, it is a nice flavor that isn’t too overpowering. Sometimes, drinks that are too sweet are just too much for many people, including me. This drink has the perfect flavor that is subtly sweet yet perfectly satisfies your sweet tooth. I would definitely recommend this to people like me who want something tasty yet not overpowering! 

We went around the class to our classmates who have tried the new 2025 Starbucks Spring Menu and asked them for their review. Two of our classmates had tried the new menu from Starbucks and they both gave me their honest opinions about it. First, we interviewed Ana Haggerty. Ana stated, “The matcha had a decent flavor but gave me a bad stomach ache afterwards.” She implies that although the matcha was good, it wasn’t anything special. This led to the idea that she wouldn’t incorporate this drink into her normal day-to-day order. Adding on

to that, we interviewed Bella Gomez. She said something similar but about the Iced Cherry Chai Latte. Belle proclaimed, “The cherry chai was good because of the cherry cold foam but it wasn’t anything special. It was just a chai with cold foam on top that was cherry flavored.” Bella indicates that the cherry chai was a delicious drink but there was nothing extravagant about it. It was simply a chai tea latte with cherry cold foam which we believe made many students go for this choice. The simplicity of this drink attracted many students but it overall was delicious. 

Additionally, many people in our English class had not tried items from this menu yet.  For those that had not tried it, we asked for what they think would be the best drink rather than asking for a review. We described each drink in detail and asked people which one sounded the best to them. Overall, the votes were distributed fairly evenly between the three drinks, but the most voted one was the Iced Lavender Cream Oatmilk Matcha. We think that this is because it is unique and different. Matcha is a classic, but with the lavender flavored cold foam it becomes an unusual drink. It intrigues those who are up for trying new things. After the matcha, the Iced Cherry Chai Latte came next in votes. We believe that the reasoning behind this is because it is a fairly safe bet. Chai is something many people like, as well as cherry flavoring. It is not an extravagant flavor, yet sounds good enough to want to try. Lastly, the Iced Lavender Oatmilk Latte came last. This drink is an espresso latte with lavender flavoring incorporated into it. This most likely came last because of the risk behind it. Many students do not like coffee, so adding flavoring that they potentially could dislike to a flavor that they already dislike did not sound appealing to them. 

Overall, we believe that you should try the 2025 Starbucks Spring Menu because of its delectable flavors and unique drink options. The addition of reviews is to show you what

others also recommend for you to try this Spring 2025! All in all, the 2025 Spring Menu incorporates a bunch of new, unique flavors that you should definitely try!

by Kaitlyn Benacchio

Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird is a novel that covers themes such as racism, prejudice, and justice. The novel follows Scout Finch as she gets older and learns the importance of these themes. The novel also covers themes of stereotyping, which eventually reveals how the novel got its name. In addition to its many themes, there are many symbols in the novel that help convey the message of the novel. 

The novel takes place in Maycomb, Alabama, in the nineteen thirties. Scout Finch lives with her brother, Jem Finch, and her father, Atticus Finch, who is a lawyer. They also have a cook, Calpurnia, who takes great care of the family throughout the novel. Scout’s aunt, Alexandra, comes to live with them later in the novel. At the beginning of the novel, Jem and Scout meet Dill, who tells them about the rumors about the Radleys, specifically Boo Radley. He tells them that Boo Radley stays inside all day and doesn’t come out of his house. As a result, the three of them make fun of the Radleys. They sneak into their backyard and make plays about them. These events set the stage for important events later in the novel, involving Boo Radley himself. 

The novel takes a turn when Atticus defends Tom Robinson, a Black man, after he supposedly harassed a white woman, Mayella Ewell, for a court case. Most of the town turns against him because of this. In addition, a few kids went after Scout at school after they found out about her father. This also causes backlash from the family, as some of them do not agree with Atticus’ decision to defend Tom Robinson. Despite all of this, Atticus tells Jem and Scout that defending Tom Robinson was the right thing to do, even if it causes backlash against him.

Overall, this novel was one of my favorite novels I have read. One thing that stands out about the novel was the use of the mockingbird, which helped convey the message of the novel. The novel makes readers eager to turn the page, wondering what will happen next.

by Will Smitreski and Jacob Spear

 The National League 

     We are about 3 weeks into the 2025 Major League Baseball season, and the storylines have already started. The National League East has gone as expected. After a bad opening series against the Astros, the Mets big three of Lindor, Soto, and Alonso have broken out, and the team stands at first in the division. The Phillies have been good as well, but they have shown signs of decline and feel less like a World Series contender than they did in previous years. The Nationals and Marlins both have very young cores and are middle-tier teams in the league. A big surprise has been the early struggles for the Braves. After an 0-7 start, the team has not been able to get back into contention, and it seems like their core is on the wrong side of the aging curve. The National League Central is looking like an interesting division race. The Cubs currently lead the division, but they have played more games than anyone else in the league. The Reds, Cardinals, and Brewers have all been hovering around .500, and it feels like any of them could take the division at any time. This division race gets more interesting with the realization that this division probably won’t get a wild card team, and the only way to make the playoffs is by winning the Central. The Pirates continue to be the worst team in the division despite Paul Skenes pitching as well as he did last year. The National League West is the most exciting division in baseball. The Dodgers came into the season as the defending champions, and they only added to their super team with Roku Sasaki. The team started 8-0, but a rough stretch has left them at third in a very competitive division. The Padres were expected to be good, but they have done better than any expectations with the best record in baseball. The Giants years of big free agency moves have also paid off, as they follow right behind the Padres with the second-best record. All three of these teams are legitimate World Series contenders, and the two teams that don’t win the division will most likely still make the playoffs. The Diamondbacks have been good, but they have the misfortune of playing in the gauntlet division. They will probably end up fighting with the Phillies for the third wild card spot. The Rockies have been expectedly bad and currently hold the worst record in baseball. The season is still young, and things will change in the coming months, but the first few weeks have set us up for an exciting season.

by Chris Roman and Jayden Wu

The 2025 March Madness tournament had many exciting events. The tournament kicked off on March 18th and went until April 7th. As always, there were many upsets in the tournament this year. Some of these upsets included the six seed Ole Miss beating the third seed Iowa, the ten seed Arkansas beating the two seed St. John’s, and the twelve seed Colorado State beating the five seed Memphis. These upsets were all very exciting, and they showed just how unpredictable March Madness is. Another upset where the twelve seed McNeese beat the five seed Clemson. This team was one of the most popular teams in the whole tournament. They were all over social media and had millions of people all over the country rooting for them. Although they were an amazing team, their team manager, Amir Khan, was the most popular person in the program. He walked out with a speaker to hype the team up before every game, and he instantly became a hit all over social media. His popularity led to him signing many NIL deals with well-known companies such as Buffalo Wild Wings. The Final Four was also an extremely exciting event in this year’s March Madness tournament. The games were neck and neck, and in both games there were some amazing comebacks. In the first game in the final four, Duke led Houston for the entire game until the last few minutes. The Houston Cougars went off and made the 70-67 comeback win against the favored Duke Blue Devils. The second game in the final four also had an upset. Auburn looked like the team to win it all, and they were ahead for almost the entire game. It looked like Auburn would be headed to the championship. However, a Florida player named Walter Clayton Jr. had the best game of his career, and he helped Florida make a comeback. Clayton Jr. ended with 34 points, and the Florida Gators made the comeback win with the score of 79-73. The Florida Gators took this momentum into the National Championship, and they ended up becoming the National

Champions after beating Houston with the score of 65-63. This year’s March Madness tournament was thrilling and will be looked back at as a great tournament. Meanwhile, in the National Basketball Association, or the NBA, there are various events that are shaking the league. For instance, the Luka Donicic trade had people who don’t even follow basketball baffled. Luka Doncic was officially traded from the Dallas Mavericks to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis. Social media exploded, and fans of the Dallas Mavericks were outraged. Just hours before the trade occurred, fans were chanting “MVP! MVP!” in what was in last game as a Dallas Maverick player. When Luka returned to Dallas as a Laker, the atmosphere was full of nothing but love. Tears fell down from Lukas’s eyes as a tribute video was played for him before the game. He was meant to be the next franchise player and stay there for his entire career, but this trade changed it all in an instant, and that is why it was so devastating for him and the fans. Also, Jared McCain went from a TikTok superstar player to a tragedy. McCain began hitting a stride early on in the season and was going to be a guaranteed rookie of the year when suddenly a disaster took place and his leg was injured. This injury sidelined him for the rest of the season and left fans in shock. Although this was a letdown, perhaps the biggest disappointment of the season was the Phoenix Suns. Three superstars teamed up at the beginning of the season. Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal all decided to create a super team and win what would seem to be an easy championship. But issues involving team chemistry and injuries ultimately knocked them out of playoff contention. A team that was bound to win didn’t even have the strength to make the playoffs. But then fans are starting to question if Kevin Durant is really in the conversation for being a GOAT (greatest of all time). His incapability to win a championship without the help of Golden State Warrior guard Stephen Curry makes fans question whether he has what it takes to even be in the Hall of Fame. Lastly, there was baffling news that the head coach of the Denver Nuggets and the GM were both fired recently. Malone led the Nuggets to a championship just two seasons ago and firing him right now is making the owner seem a bit ridiculous. But the owner also fired the GM at the same time which is making fans question the owner. Playoffs are about to begin soon, and Nuggets fans are struggling to understand why the owner couldn’t wait until after the playoffs to fire the coach and GM. In total, the NBA is full of many heartbreaking events that leave the playoffs as unpredictable as ever.

by Zach Nartey

     Video games for a long time have sparked debates and concerns about the effects of playing. Are video games entertainment that can boost creativity and bring ideas? Or are they a distraction that can cause addiction? However, video games can have both positive and negative effects depending on factors such as frequency of play and the types of games being played. 

For example, many scientists believe video games do bring some positives. Scientists think video games can improve problem-solving skills and the ability to analyze questions better. The American Psychological Association states, “The more adolescents reported playing strategic video games, such as role-playing games, the more they improved in problem solving and school grades the following year.” (APA 1) This quote portrays that playing these types of games can lead to better grades at school and can support learning and thinking skills. It also shows that video games can help students think better and be able to focus on tasks. However, not only do video games help with strategic and thinking skills, but these games can also help people emotionally with stress and anxiety. Video games allow people to come together, and can be seen as something that can reduce stress. For example, an article by Brystan Strong states, “In a 2022 study, it was found that playing video games as a family allowed families to cope with collective trauma” (1). Strong shows video games are a positive tool for people and families during tough times and can help them cope with trauma. Strong also reflects that video games are more than just entertainment; they bring people closer together, help them cope with trauma, and can reduce stress. Overall, video games can help with emotional healing, and can improve performance in school. In my opinion, video games are a positive tool in society, and provide many benefits. For example, video games give people an opportunity to communicate with other people, and also they allow people to have fun with each other without necessarily knowing who’s behind the screen. However, I do think playing excessively can take time from sleep and physical activity and can become unhealthy if played too much. I also think video games can become an addiction, and too much can cause excessive money spending and can ruin other priorities. In conclusion, video games provide many benefits and opportunities for individuals and families, but excessive gaming can lead to unhealthy habits and addiction. 

Work Cited Strong, Brystan. “Emotional Benefits to Playing Video Games.” Jackson County Library District, 18 July 2023, Granic, Isabela. “Video Games Play May Provide Learning, Health, Social Benefits.” American Psychological Association, 2013

by Katelyn Marmara

On Tuesday, March 25, Rumeysa Ozturk, a student at Tufts University, was going to meet her friends at dinner when she was detained and arrested near her apartment. She was taken by masked officers and then driven away in an SUV. Rumeysa Ozturk is an international student from Turkey and one of the multiple foreign nationals recently arrested for activities the government believes are related to terrorist organizations. During her case, another was brought up, the case of Mahmoud Khalil. Similarities were found between the two cases: both were arrested near their homes with no notice, and both were transferred across state lines and jurisdictions. The Trump administration has been trying to crack down on pro-Palestinian demonstrations on college campuses. The U.S. is an ally of Israel, which is at war with Palestine. Many Jewish students feel endangered when they see these pro-Palestinian activists because Israel is a Jewish homeland. When asked why Ozturk was taken in it was said it was because of an op-ed she had written in the school’s newspaper. In the op-ed, she responded to an article in which she criticized Tufts response to the pro-Palestinian movement. However, she had written this over a year before she was arrested. Many found the video of her arrest very disturbing. She was taken by masked officers and was not given a reason for her arrest at the time. After her arrest, she was not given a lawyer, and Ozturk’s attorneys could not reach her for almost 24 hours. The reason later given for the arrest was a piece she had written in the school newspaper. However, Rumeysa Ozturk had a visa that allowed her to be here, and this visa gives her rights just as everyone else has, and one of those is the freedom of speech, which she used when writing her piece in the paper. As a result of this and multiple other situations international students are becoming more and more nervous to come to the U.S. to study. They are scared that they may face these same situations and be deported back to their countries with no logical reason except that they shared their opinions on a topic with others. No one should have to experience this situation, especially when they just want to receive an education.

by Emma Mainardi and Maddie Sprock 

Many people across the country and even across oceans look across the vast cities and plains of the United States and see an abundance of faults. They see the cracks, dents, and imperfections of our nation, and some come to the conclusion that the United States is not fit to live in. While many American citizens and other countries criticize the United States, many more people outside the nation see only an image of these plains and cities, but see no imperfection. When they hold those pictures up and compare them to their world, the United States becomes a glowing paradise filled with all those opportunities they could only dream of having. All around the globe, people see the United States as one of two things: a golden nation of opportunity or a cultural disaster, but what often goes unconsidered is the truth about America and, with it, the truth about other nations. 

     In other countries, both women and men alike face a number of limitations on what they can and cannot do. In Pakistan, women face extreme challenges in daily life, especially in marriage. Pakistani women are often forced to marry before maturity, and marriage is often “used as a means of forced conversion against non-Muslim girls – a violation that happens to approximately 1000 girls per year” (Matera). Women in Pakistan are not afforded the same rights as American women, who have rights to freedom of religion and the right to say no in marriage and marital acts. In the country of Sweden, discrimination against men is clearly shown in a number of ways. In a study aimed at identifying sexism in Swedish workplaces, Mark Granberg,

A PhD student in economics, found that “there was no evidence of discrimination against women in male-dominated professions or in mixed-gender professions, but the researchers did find evidence of discrimination against men in female-dominated professions” (Dolan). Even for men, there are injustices and stereotypes firmly established in many countries. Men are expected to do certain “masculine” jobs they may not be fit for, while women do not have the same restriction. Men are broken into pieces both physically and mentally when trying to earn the respect they already deserved. There are many more countries and areas of injustice for both genders, but the evidence presented stands as proof that the citizens of the United States are truly afforded so many rights and opportunities that people in other countries wish they could have just a taste of. 

It is widely known that outside countries looking at America do not view them as a nation far superior to the rest of the world. For example, the way Europeans perceive American style is far less classy than the American style actually looks. If one were to ask a European woman to form a picture of an American woman, she would most likely draw her in a sweatshirt and sweatpants, with her hair up and no makeup on. This false perception of the culture in America creates the image that Americans are less put together than Europeans, and they are inferior to their culture. 

In reality, America is one of the most cultured countries in the world. From the fast-paced life in New York, to the slow, southern pace in the Carolinas to the California coast, America has extremely diverse and beautiful cultures that express the history of each region of this nation. For example, the southern way of life is extremely cultured and different from the rest of the nation. Southerners are notorious for their accents, style, and slower pace of life. This is an

extreme difference from the New Yorker style, as they are notorious for having fast-paced lives, a thick accent, and a unique street style. 

Having these differences in America is crucial for the development of culture and provision for different perspectives on relevant topics. Having input from all the different cultures in this nation ensures that the leaders can guarantee there are educated decisions that firmly consider culture when regarding any aspect of a society. In these various choices, they do what is best for the majority of the population. This can be good for political dilemmas and cultural matters that need settling. Such careful observation and consideration creates a great nation where all the people can share their voice and opinion and know it will make a difference. That is one of the great things about having a representative democracy in this nation because it allows for every community and culture to be represented in politics and ensures the population that everyone’s concerns will be heard and taken seriously.

Works Cited 

Dolan, Eric W. “Swedish Study Suggests Hiring Discrimination Is Primarily a Problem for Men in Female-Dominated Occupations.” PsyPost, 8 May 2021, https://www.psypost.org/swedish-study-suggests-hiring-discrimination-is-primaril y-a-problem-for-men-in-female-dominated-occupations/. 

Matera, Barbara. “The Legal Reality of Women Living in Pakistan.” The Parliament Magazine, 29 June 2020, 

https://www.theparliamentmagazine.eu/news/article/the-legal-reality-of-women-li ving-in-pakistan.

by Karl Krajewski

 Artificial intelligence influences schools and their environments in many different ways. Some of these effects are students using them to study and get ahead on assignments, and teachers using them to teach and individualize assignments. 

     Students utilize their access to artificial intelligence by using it in both positive and negative ways. Some positive effects are the students using it to gain knowledge and study to prepare them for assessments and assignments. Using AI for these reasons are great ways for students to become more engaged in their studies and yield better test results. 

     Although artificial intelligence can be used for good reasons, there are some not-so-good reasons, like cheating on tests and assignments and promoting bad studying habits. AI is used regularly by students cheating on assignments and tests. The school system created extreme consequences to discourage this behavior, such as receiving a zero on the assignment and losing the ability to be in honor societies. These drastic measures hopefully reduce the number of students who abuse the power of AI in the school environment. 

     Another positive reason AI is used in the school environment is by teachers. Teachers sometimes use AI to make presentations and assignments for students to better understand their lessons. Teachers also use AI to make individual assignments for students with special needs. These uses of AI show how monumental the addition of AI is to the teacher’s arsenal of teaching resources.

by Kaitlyn Guevarra 

I have one thing to say about this “gacha life mini movie.” It changed my life: This “gacha life mini movie” had a phenomenal impact on my well-being. It truly brightened my world and my perspective on life. I do not know where I would be without it. It feels as if I have been rebirthed into a new person. It opened my eyes to an expanded creativity and a brighter future. 

I was not that creative of a person before I watched this video. Sure, I knew how to draw well, but that was pretty much it. When it came to writing, my writing felt bland. It felt dry like the rocky sand on the beach. Luckily, this movie saved my creativity. I admire every aspect of this video so much. The character designs were full of bright colors and a wide variety of species. Our protagonist Emily had a gorgeous blue color palette, which helped inspire my art to be more colorful. The same with the other characters as well. They were filled with rich vibrant hues, especially the Ice Family at the end. The rich and colorful white and ice blues on those characters harmonized wonderfully and helped open up my eyes to creativity. After I watched that movie, I took inspiration from the bright colors and applied them to my own art. I was mesmerized by how much my art improved. It looked so much better than it did before and I was in pure awe. The well-written and dynamic personalities also helped inspire my writing. No two characters were alike, and they all had their own unique personalities and thoughts. This helped me to write better characters for my own creative-writing stories, and these characters all turned out utterly fantastic. The plot of this story seemed so unique and original too. It’s like nothing I have ever seen before! An outcast turning out to be a special ice princess is pure art and creativity! Especially when Emily turns into an ice princess through the power of love, as she thought about Aron. That moment was so heartwarming and taught me more about writing romance. This video impacted my art and my writing significantly, and I do not know how it would look without this video. 

The message of this video also significantly impacted my life. The main message is to never give up. Emily was mistreated by her family her entire life because she was born “ugly.” She was even bullied at school by Mary and her friends. The lowest point in her life had to be when she watched her father die in front of her very eyes. Her father was the only person in her family that truly loved Emily for who she was. Now he was gone in the blink of an eye. Despite all of Emily’s hardships, she persevered through it all. She did not let her family tear her down. Emily made friends, she excelled in her studies, specifically math, and she ended up being the one and only lost hybrid ice princess. She even got to escape her mother and sister and went to live with her true biological family happily ever after. This video taught me to have hope for the future. I applied this lesson to my own life, and it altered it positively. There were many times when I felt like giving up on my schoolwork and other activities and hobbies in my life simply because I thought I was not good enough to do well. However, after watching this movie and how Emily persevered through it all, I felt that I had hope for success. I realized that I need to work hard to improve myself with my academics and hobbies and to never give up. I had hope. Eventually I did get better and I am in awe of how much I have grown. I really do owe all of my life improvements to this “gacha life mini movie”. Today, I do not know where I would be without this video. It truly changed my life.

by Mario Gimelli

Recently, an organization called Colossal claims to have made Dire wolves, but these wolves may be more Gray than Dire. First, let’s review how Colossal made the “Dire” wolves. Colossal scientists retrieved DNA through a 13,000-year-old tooth and a 70,000-year-old ear bone, recovering 91% of the genome. Then Colossal scientists modified the genome of modern-day gray wolves to look more like dire wolf DNA instead of inserting dire wolf DNA into the Gray wolf DNA. They added the modified gray wolf DNA to a dog ovum that had been purged of genetic info, and they put 45 embryos into eight dogs (each dog got 45 embryos). From these 360 embryos, 4 pups were born: first 2 males, then 1 female, and a fourth pup was born, which died due to an either infected or ruptured intestine. The pups were then given the names of Romulus, Remus, and Khaleesi (The names are from the story Rome made about its origins, specifically its founders, and Game of Thrones.). Colossal already had asked some news outlets to make stories about the wolves, landing themselves some major deals, such as getting an article in Time magazine. However, most of the articles written about the wolves claimed that they were real Dire wolves even though they had no Dire wolf DNA. It didn’t help that a date was set for these articles to release, which would have coincided with the release of a paper detailing the scientific process Colossal took to make the pups. Unfortunately, one of the journals (the New Yorker) released their news article earlier than the date, and others followed suit. This hurt Colossal because other scientists only got what the major articles published, which was mainly the stories from Colossal instead of the real story. Science rarely goes forward like this, instead having discussions and peer review of papers written by scientists instead of news articles just trying to get people to read them. Case in point, the Dire wolves made by Colossal are surrounded by seas of controversy from not being wolves and from how their existence was discovered.

Ryan Cohen

Despite the many risks and negative press associated with video games, there can be many positive effects that you can benefit from by playing video games, especially in moderation. Not only can these benefits improve your cognitive abilities, but physical abilities as well. Not only do you gain more skills, but the entertainment can increase overall happiness and improve your general mood. Throughout the rest of this article we are going to illustrate for you the bright side of video games, and how to see the success and productivity that can be derived from playing them. 

Many people who play video games see an increase in their reaction time. Virtually all video games require some form of speedy visual recognition abilities to play effectively. When being attacked by an enemy player, you must be prepared to defend yourself immediately or risk losing all of your saved progress in the game. Even playing for just a little bit a day, and playing high intensity games, you can see a linear growth in how fast your hand eye coordination gets. This is a fun way to improve a critical cognitive and physical ability. 

Video games are also a great form of entertainment. Previously, most entertainment was something that you had to watch. TV shows, soap operas and movies are among these examples. However, you now have the opportunity to be able to take part actively in these events. You are no longer sidelined as your favorite characters are in their journey to take on the antagonist. 

Many people are aware of the dangers associated with speaking to strangers online, especially because you have never met them before. However, if you take extra precautions and understand the risks that are undeniably present, you can make great acquaintances who you can share your love of video games with. Not necessarily that you will meet your best friend on there, but it is pretty nice to have people to play with. 

Overall, video games have had many positive impacts on culture and on people individually. They can be an escape from reality, and a comfortable place to express yourself without all of the

consequences from doing so in the real world. As long as you play in moderation, stay safe, and have fun, there is nothing wrong with playing video games from time to time.

by John Brost and Ana Haggerty

We were wondering how some people suggest staying connected with faith. So, we interviewed Mrs. Bullman on what ways she stays in touch with God and how she keeps her faith a priority. Many people don’t stay connected to their faith, as either life gets in the way, they can’t get to mass so they just give up, or any excuse other people find. However, in reality, faith is a big part of life and should be a priority. Even if you can’t get to mass every Sunday, you can still pray every so often, or just do things that you find help connect you to God. Faith is always there for you. 

One of the questions we asked was: how does faith impact your life? Mrs. Bullman’s response was very insightful. According to her, she would “be in a very different place” because her faith has led her through life and she owes her current situation to her faith in God. Faith carried her through good and bad, fun and sad, faith has brought her to places she needs to be. She told us a story of something she did over the weekend. Her niece, who is a little girl, is a new big-sis. She went over and played with her and her niece was so happy to be a big sister. Faith has given her and her family the joy of life. They are not only enjoying their life but also enjoying new lives. 

How do you grow in faith? It can be hard to grow in faith, and Mrs. Bullman told us her methods: praying constantly, regularly attending Mass, reflection, and reading. She continued by telling us how prayer is a calming stress reliever. Praying is a strong way to stay connected and also a great way to release feelings without needing to talk to another person when you can just talk to God about it. 

Mrs. Bullman gave us a great example of sharing faith with others. She told us a story from recently of her trying to make palm crosses with her less faithful sister. Then, they went to visit the cemetery where their parents are buried; the two continued bonding, sharing stories, and praying together. They both helped each other grow in faith. She also points out that to grow in faith we have to do it together, as a community joined by God. 

One other thing we asked is: “What are some of your favorite things to do to help you be faithful?”, to which she replied, “Working with all of you.” For her, working with younger people gives her a new perspective on how others view faith and evolve through it. Since we are still innocent and receptive, we still have wonder and we still ask questions. Our brains are still developing, so we still try to deepen our understanding. Mrs. Bullman said seeing that helps her stay grounded and rooted in faith.

As we continued to interview Mrs. Bullman, she gave us some more specific methods she utilizes to grow in faith, especially during this Lenten season. One thing that we gathered is that she attends the Stations of the Cross during Lent. Additionally, she uses media to grow in her faith. This is done by her in a variety of ways, including visiting the websites of multiple different parishes located throughout the country, listening to Christian music, watching podcasts, watching videos produced by different priests, and reading student warm-ups. More specifically, she watches different parishes, podcasts, and priests to gain different viewpoints on many religious topics. The do-nows she gives her students also serve this purpose. 

The music Mrs. Bullman listens to is mainly two forms: instrumental and Gospel. In both categories, she listens to a few musical artists, each of whom serve a purpose. In terms of instrumental music, Mrs. Bullman predominantly uses classical music as a way to be alone in her thoughts and with God, so as not to be influenced by sinful, outside influences. When it comes to Gospel music, Mrs. Bullman listens to a few artists. These include CeCe Winans and Phil Kaeggy. Some of these bring their own joy, and their music is very moving to her. The Gospel singers also spread the Good News and positive, constructive thoughts to the listener. 

However, she also acknowledges how the internet can be negative. For example, Mrs. Bullman expresses her belief that the internet often is used to spread negativity and toxicity towards others by people who are hiding behind a screen. Additionally, social media can promote

sinful acts aside from simply being unkind. Therefore, while the internet can be used for evangelization and spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ, it can also be utilized for spreading negativity and promoting sin. 

Growing in faith, despite being one of if not the most important thing to do in life, is one of the most difficult things to do in life. While there are many ways discussed here and in our interview with Mrs. Bullman, such as using social media, praying to God, and reading the Bible,. all of these methods, as good and useful as they are, are less effective than another method: interacting directly with other believers. Though prayer and reading the Bible are powerful, in order to stay motivated and better understand the Bible, other believers are an extremely helpful, and possibly necessary, tool. While social media can be considered a tool for having other believers alongside you, the other believers with whom we connect online can often not assist with personal and specific issues or with encouragement and motivation. Thus, while prayer, social media, and reading the Bible are extremely important when it comes to growing in faith, they are not sufficient on their own. As in other things, there is strength in numbers, which is why interviewing other faithful people, such as Mrs. Bullman, is so important: not only does it give ideas as to how to be faithful, but it allows cooperation and love among ourselves, just as Jesus loves all of us.