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

Hazard signs warn students of lead in lab stations around the high school.

Miscommunication fuels concern over lead in lab station water

By Spotlight Editors, Southern Lehigh Senior High School April 24, 2024

Lead in Southern Lehigh High School’s water has sparked concerns over student safety. When analyzed in depth, the health threat is relatively minimal, but the lack of communication from administration...

Ocean Lakes Wind Symphony performs a concert with the ODU Wind Ensemble on Dec. 15, 2023. The group would later go on to receive a superior rating at their Concert Band Assessment while performing the most difficult grade of music. Photo used with permission from Katelynn Proffitt.

VBCPS budget cuts threaten essential programs, jeopardize creative environments

By Nash Phillips, Ocean Lakes High School April 24, 2024

Proposed solutions to the $11.8 million budget deficit for the public schools of Virginia Beach are atrocious. The budget distribution for 2024 has left the school board and city council proposing cuts...

Senior Brie Howell worked with senior Celia Brown to create a set of pins meant to promote feminism and empower girls.

Yes, she can be president: Casual misogyny hijacks senior tradition

By Jae Jepsen, Pleasant Valley High School - IA April 23, 2024

The gender wage gap is smaller than ever in recorded history. The NCAA women’s championship set a basketball viewership record unseen in women’s athletics. More women than men are attending college...

Where have all the humanities majors gone? STEM dominates college campuses

Where have all the humanities majors gone? STEM dominates college campuses

By Gaby Gutierrez, Chantilly High School April 23, 2024

The 14th century gave rise to the idea of the Renaissance man: an individual who is gifted in a broad range of areas from the arts to the sciences. Leonardo Da Vinci, for example, is famous for his art—painting...

When making decisions, there are many factors that class officers may consider that other students may not realize.

Editorial: The importance of empathy for class officers

By Epic Staff, Lynbrook High School - CA April 19, 2024

From behind-the-scenes projects to class-wide events, class officers are the backbone of making plans a reality. They represent the voice of the student community by generating ideas, organizing events...

Watch as the balloon of academic excellence inflates, lifting grades to new heights in the soaring landscape of grade inflation.

A+ Arms Races and the Quest for Self-Actualization

By Bethany Lai, Clayton High School April 19, 2024

Consider the figure 3.78, the mean cumulative GPA of the class of 2022, as per the Clayton Education Foundation Annual Gratitude Report. 3.78 — that GPA resides comfortably within the upper levels...

Seniors Morgan Salisbury, Maya Smith, Natasha Torkzaban and Jack Tell pose before a meeting on March 29 with district administrators.

Fighting for our rights: Gaggle & USD 497

We have spent the past four years learning about our free press rights. And we have spent the past five months fighting against a system that threatened them. Last week, our school district finally...

Sexual assault and abuse is a wide spread issue indirectly or directly affecting every American, and National Sexual Assault Awareness Month is a great time to raise awareness and share crucial information about this societal issue.

It’s Time To Take Action Together This Sexual Assault Awareness Month

By Jasmine McIntosh, La Salle Catholic Preparatory High School April 19, 2024

Every 68 seconds an American is sexually assaulted. 433,648 Americans 12 years and older become victims of sexual assault every year. All Americans are impacted by sexual assault, abuse, or harrasment,...

Stanley tumblers, consumerism and the lifetime of a trend

By Max Bykowski, Ballard High School April 19, 2024

Antsy shoppers arrive at 4 a.m. to Target, lining up in the hopes that they can get their hands on the new limited-edition Starbucks Stanley cup. People shove each other out of the way to get to the displays,...

The Miss McHenry Pageant is a community tradition that provides scholarships for young women in McHenry. However, some believe that the pageant is not inclusive.

Opinion | Miss McHenry misses the mark

By Gabe Santos, McHenry High School April 15, 2024

After four years of hiatus, the Miss McHenry scholarship pageant has returned to the community with the goal of being more inclusive than ever. Its rules and requirements, however, leave many feeling left...

I used to feel shameful playing sports as a little girl, but now, at 17 years old, that feeling has changed — and I have Caitlin Clark to thank. With record-breaking scores, she’s changing the history of women’s athletics and inspiring a new generation.

Opinion: Throwing like a girl

By Olivia Evans, Hebron High School April 12, 2024

Six years.  I played softball for six years before quitting.  I was a catcher on the Pink Panthers softball team. Our cotton shirts were dyed hot pink, I wore frilly ribbons in my hair every game...

The 19th Ave side of South High School.

SPECIAL EDITION: South Budget slashed $2.8 million

By The Southerner Staff, Minneapolis South High School April 10, 2024

Throughout the second week of March 2024, teacher after teacher was called into the office to meet with South principal Afolabi Runsewe. As teachers came into the office, their anxieties were low, expecting...

College Board sucks up U.S. Department of Education public subsidies for AP exam fee waivers.

College Board’s profit motives harms student success

By Spotlight Editors, Southern Lehigh Senior High School April 10, 2024

The College Board began with a clear social mission: to help more students get into top colleges. However, high testing fees and contentious spending patterns cast doubt on whether the organization still...

The SAT runs the risk of disregarding the individual strengths of each student taking the test, potentially jeopardizing the accuracy of the scores and evaluation.

The new adaptive SAT design amplifies disadvantages in standardized testing

By Elyana Kachaochana, Niles North April 10, 2024

Students are constantly having to adapt to changes in their academic journey, and the latest transformation comes in the form of the revamped SAT. With the exam now condensed to a brisk two hours and transitioning...

Across the United States, state Congresses have seen an uptick in bills aiming to further particular political ideologies in the classrooms, which raises concerns about the place of political battles within classrooms. In Dec. 2023, Francis Howell School District’s School Board in St. Charles County voted to pull two elective courses centered around Black history from the curriculum, later stating that the courses could possibly return if they adhered to the board’s definition of “politically neutral.” The case of Francis Howell School District and their rescinding of legitimate classes centered around topics of political interest is just another example of thinly-veiled censorship that has become increasingly popular throughout the country within the past half-decade.

Classrooms should not be political battlefields

By Pathfinder Editorial Board, Parkway West High School April 8, 2024

Parkway was recently placed in the hot seat when Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey sent a cease and desist accusing the district of religious discrimination. The letter claimed that Parkway prohibited...

Senior Hannah Connor represents the male student section leaders sitting during games while the women in the stands interact with athletes.

Girls In The Stands

By Lucy Prescott and Ali Parkhurst March 28, 2024

Waterloo West High takes pride in their school spirit. Many students enjoy attending the games, meets and other events to support their peers. However, over the past year there has been a common issue...

The counseling office works with Manual’s Mental Health Practitioner, Elise Christensen, to provide Trauma Informed Care to students.

OPINION: Removing Trauma Informed Care programs would be detrimental to students’ mental health

By Isabella Edghill, duPont Manual High School March 28, 2024

Since the start of Kentucky’s legislative session on Jan. 2, education has been the focus of many bills. Senate Bill 93 (SB 93) has gained significant media attention for its removal of diversity, equity...

With the new bill, schools can no longer enact expulsions or suspensions for acts of willful defiance.

New law protects students from defiance expulsions

By Charlotte Bolay, Lynbrook High School - CA March 26, 2024

While expulsions and suspensions in schools can be necessary for maintaining a safe school environment and eliminating violence or dangerous behavior, the current criteria for a student being expelled...

Bias in healthcare threatens female’s health, societal progress

Bias in healthcare threatens female’s health, societal progress

By Sakina Tahir, Chantilly High School March 26, 2024

From the discovery of penicillin in 1928 to advancements in mRNA technology that may enable the development of vaccines for diseases that are difficult to prevent, innovations in medicine have paved the...

The silhouette is meant to represent me wearing my traditional  clothing and my background being Mongolian.

My Experience Being Asian

By Azaa Battsogt, Metea Valley High School March 19, 2024

I am Mongolian. I celebrate Lunar New Year’s. In my country and language, we call it цагаан сар (tsagaan sar) meaning white moon. Mongolians wear traditional clothing called дээл (deel),...

Parents, students and members of the Westport community gather in protest against racism in the schools.

Westport rallies against racism: Community protests discrimination in public schools

By Ruby Kantor ’24, Staples High School March 14, 2024

As the morning sun rose and students made their way to school on Feb. 27, protesters lined North Avenue with signs, posters and a powerful feeling of autonomy.  Following the Board of Education meeting...

The Eyes on Education website was launched on Feb. 6, allowing anyone to submit instances of indoctrination in Indiana public schools and view them. The website states submissions will be published regularly.

Column: New Eyes on Education Program Endangers Teachers and Schools

By Jackson Lythgoe, Logansport High School March 11, 2024

On Feb. 6, Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita announced in a press release his new Eyes on Education portal, which launched on the same day. According to the press release, the new website aimed to “further...

Lucy Kims petri dish and embryo photo.
Made with Canva.

Alabama’s Frozen Embryo Ruling: A Green Level In Vitro Baby’s Take

By R. Butler, Green Level High School March 8, 2024

The Alabama Supreme Court has ruled that frozen embryos are children, putting many legal and moral considerations into question for Alabama citizens, and in turn, the citizens of our country at large who...

Graphic entailing the disproportionality of African-American students enrolled in Advanced Placement (AP) college readiness classes in the 2021-2022 school year.

Black students deserve more

By Maddux Horn, Bellaire High School March 6, 2024

Once again, I was outnumbered. It was the first day of school, and I witnessed the same thing I’ve come to notice since freshman year: a lack of Black representation in educational spaces. My AP English...

Image of Sanford stadium at the University of Georgia Athens campus.

Laken Riley: a woman’s story

By Savannah Hayes, McIntosh High School March 5, 2024

Over the winter break I  made plans with one of my friends to visit the University of Georgia Athens campus for a tour as we are looking for more information to commit to a college for next year. However,...

Decisions, decisions...

Election alarmism grows tiresome

By Noah Braun, McCallum High School March 5, 2024

“You’re not going to be a dictator, are you?” “No, other than day one.” This response came from former president and anticipated GOP nominee Donald Trump during an interview with Sean Hannity...

The rise of artificial intelligence has many questioning the viability it has in the journalism industry. While it can streamline the reporting process, some worry about the effects it has on the livelihood of staff and the ethical dilemmas that it can create.

Editorial: Modern journalism must ethically utilize AI

By Editorial Staff, Carlmont High School March 1, 2024

Artificial intelligence must be carefully integrated into journalism to keep up with the modern world.  Dating back thousands of years, reporting the latest information is nothing new to humans. From...

Student Press Freedom Day offers a stark reminder for student journalists that their First Amendment rights are guaranteed. Although setbacks in defamation and censorship may intimidate a schools publication, it shouldnt deter from your First  Amendment rights.

Editorial: Students must recognize their First Amendment rights, especially at a journalism school

By Kristin Intal and Sophie Ortega March 1, 2024

Student publications are driven by the student voice, an impactful expression of young minds threatened by the poor awareness of press freedom. It is student press freedom that prevents the crucial words...

One in three Black boys can anticipate going to prison, compared to one in six Latino boys and one in 17 white boys.

Beyond Bars

By Taia Menefee, Beachwood High School February 28, 2024

According to a fact sheet by the NAACP, the number of incarcerated people in the United States increased from around 500,000 to 2.2 million between the years 1980 and 2015.  Furthermore, the sheet...

As we grow up in an age where social media often dominates our source of entertainment and news, it places many people in a limbo state between the new reign of social media and the ways of the old, which creates a sharp divide between generations. Join writer Jane Kim as she discusses the impact of social media in our modern lives.

Opinion: Our lost generation and the reign of social media

By Jane Kim, Foothill Technology High School February 28, 2024

Over the past years, social media platforms have steadily been building empires of wit and addiction. Targeting increasingly younger audiences with each passing generation, the satirized tech-savvy image...

Our school has five Standard Response Protocols (SRPs) for different emergency situations: Hold, Secure, Lockdown, Evacuate, and Shelter. 

Editorial: Standard Response Protocols need updating

By Edie Himmer and Kaelyn Jones February 27, 2024

Gun violence is an increasing concern in communities, with 346 school shootings in the U.S. last year. For students who are aware of these statistics, the anxiety concerning such threats lingers in day-to-day...

Silenced voices: the fight for high school press freedom

By Quinn Burton, Millard West High School February 27, 2024

As a student journalist, our role would serve no purpose without having the ability to have our voices heard. In high schools across the United States, student journalists are currently facing a critical...

The landmark Supreme Court case Tinker v. Des Moines was ruled on in 1969 and set a precedent that continues to protect student rights.

Understanding the Importance of Tinker v. Des Moines and the Legacy it Left Behind

By Sofia Gonzalez, La Salle Catholic Preparatory High School February 23, 2024

Among the freedoms promised in the Bill of Rights, the First Amendment is arguably the most crucial. From freedom of religion to the rights of the media, this amendment protects the open exchange of ideas...

City High Students protest the Perry High School Shooting on January 8th, 2024

The End of School Shootings Starts With Stricter Gun Laws

By Lily Rantanen, Iowa City High School February 22, 2024

If you grab a map and locate City High, then draw an approximately 150-mile straight line to the left along I-80 with a short diagonal tail at Des Moines, you’ll find a little town called Perry, Iowa....

Isabella Quesada warms up with her partner before practice. Quesada is one of three female wrestlers who qualified for the 2024 6A/5A State Championships.

Rapid rise in women’s wrestling at Wilsonville

By Maddie Holly, Wilsonville High School February 22, 2024

The lights dim, a solo spotlight shines on the mat, “Let’s Get It Started” by the Black Eyed Peas echoes loudly through the speakers, and out comes the girl's wrestling team for Wilsonville. Unfortunately,...

STAFF EDITORIAL: What More Will It Take?

STAFF EDITORIAL: What More Will It Take?

By Tai Caputo and Isabella Young February 16, 2024

On May 17th, 1984, a 17-year-old student entered Southeast Polk High School in Pleasant Hill, Iowa, carrying a handgun. What ensued is almost unimaginable. Two students were killed in the first school...

In a male-dominated world, women have always been standing in the shadows of success, overlooked and underestimated by others. Whether it’s how they dress, act or present themselves, every action and word is critiqued.

Opinion: More than just a girl

By Madeline Rivera, Hebron High School February 14, 2024

I remember it all too well. The pointing, the disgusted looks, the whispers – all from those whom it hardly concerned. It was sixth grade – my most awkward year – and I had worn my first bra to...

Senior Addie Kilcoin poses at the Eras Tour in June of 2023. Like Kilcoin, a large majority of Swifts fanbase is female. 
Photo Credit to Addie Kilcoin.

OPINION: Unfounded criticism of Taylor Swift enters America’s game

By Jae Jepsen, Pleasant Valley High School - IA February 14, 2024

Chiefs fans have grown accustomed to a familiar pattern this season: tight end Travis Kelce succeeds, making a touchdown or good catch, and the crowd goes wild. Cut to Taylor Swift. Since Swift and...

There are currently no driving lessons offered for adults in the Sioux Falls area.

Driving discrimination in South Dakota

By Katya Surendran, Lincoln High School February 9, 2024

With limited public transportation and freezing winter months, a car and a driver's license are necessary in South Dakota; however, the latter is tough to attain as an adult due to a lack of driving lessons...

Two thirds of of students who received a private school voucher in Iowa were already enrolled in private schools, according to new data from the Iowa Department of Education.

Opinion: the public school crisis

By Madelyn Johnson, Liberty High School - North Liberty, Iowa February 8, 2024

Dear Iowa government, Hands off of our public schools. Iowa public schools are in a crisis. Every harmful piece of legislation that gets passed, every time funding gets cut, we watch our public school...

Because Texas does not currently have the infrastructure to protect residents in the face of increasing climate threats,  policymakers need to heed the warnings of experts and plan for worst-case weather scenarios.

Our planet needs a plan

By Shield editorial board, McCallum High School February 7, 2024

This year, Austin experienced its hottest summer on record, reaching triple digits for 45 days in a row. With only 1.31 inches of rainfall, the season was also the driest the city has been in 113 years....

WSPNs Maddie Zajac discusses her thoughts on the effects of screens on teenagers.

Opinion: The effect of technology on “screenagers”

By Madeleine Zajac, Wayland High School February 7, 2024

What if I told you that the average secondary-aged student spends 4.8 to 5.8 hours per day on social media? Would you believe that most students in the middle school to high school range spend up to six...

Southern Lehigh Administration should rethink decision to ban cash donations

By Spotlight Editors, Southern Lehigh Senior High School February 5, 2024

The Southern Lehigh School District administration is planning to make changes to the high school’s fundraising procedures in the near future because of their concern with the security of cash donations...

Athens student, Nora Richards catches up with friends on her flip phone. She now prefers talking on the phone rather than texting. (Photo courtesy of Bridget Shuck)

Flip it up

By Nora Richards, Athens Drive High School February 2, 2024

I went into my junior year of high school wanting to be productive, goal-oriented and social. I wanted to get things done and not waste time procrastinating like I had in previous years. However, as the...

Don’t take your rights for granted: Why you should protest in 2024

Don’t take your rights for granted: Why you should protest in 2024

By Julian Manning, Inspire School of Arts & Sciences January 31, 2024

As I walked across Broadway over to the annual Women’s March Chico “Bigger Than Roe” Day of Action, I didn't see anyone at first. I anxiously checked my phone over and over again, wondering if I...

There is No Need for Legacy Admissions

By Ian Swanson, HAMILTON-WENHAM REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL January 31, 2024

Every year, millions of students apply to their dream colleges. These people are hard workers who strive to do everything right, but their spots are taken by people who do half as much as them. The only...

Coal power plants must go.

It’s time for Lawrence to fire coal

By Brendan Symons, Lawrence High School January 30, 2024

I don’t believe in vegetarian “bacon”, I keep my heat 2 degrees warmer in the winter than you do, and though my car would probably fail any extensive emissions test, I drive it anyways. I’m bad...

Illustration depicting how teenagers are held captive by screens.

The Teen Time Warp

By Anika Sanka, Robinson High School - FL January 30, 2024

The skip ten-second button on Netflix and I have become fast friends lately. Every time I settle in and try to watch a TV show, I get this urge to skip through it a bit. Oh, the characters are taking a...

The penmanship of cursive handwriting is embedded in our nations founding. Its historic roots are a necessary skill for students to continue as classwork remains on paper.

The art of cursive must remain in print

By Satenik Ayrapetyan, Daniel Pearl Magnet High School January 26, 2024

I write in cursive. I’m sorry to all my classmates who had to partner with me for physical worksheets for making our assignments half illegible to them. When I was in the third grade, I was taught...

College Board is not the non-profit organization it tries to be, overcharging students per tests.

Is the College Board Truly a Nonprofit?

By Rebecca Sanchez, Woodbridge High School January 26, 2024

There is much debate on whether the College Board is a nonprofit organization. Legally, yes it is. Morally, not so much. The College Board is the organization that administers the Advanced Placement...

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