Being First Isn’t Always Best

By Julia Gajewski-Nemes ‘15 When most parents have their first child, they feel the need to prove that they can be good at parenting and want to raise the perfect child in order to reflect those parenting abilities. They have the time to read up on the best parenting methods, research which stroller is the safest and buy the best … Read More

Being Financially Knowledgeable Now Is Better in the Long Run

By Jack Armstrong ’15 Investing is now fun. That’s because it now requires little effort and doesn’t look anything like traditional investing. And it’s all thanks to a new app called Acorns that automatically monitors linked accounts, rounding up purchases, and investing the change into securely managed Exchange-Traded Funds. In addition to apps like Acorns, once you turn 18 you … Read More

Technology Credit Is A Burden

By Morgan Hill ’16 The Maryland State Department of Education requires all students who attend a public high school to earn a technology credit in order to graduate. MCPS offers four classes that satisfy the technology credit requirement: Introduction to Engineering Design, Designing Technology Solutions, Foundations of Technology and Principles of Engineering. Due to the limited number of classes that … Read More

Need To Appreciate Foreign Languages

By Madison Dymond ‘16 When it comes to foreign language classes, most students are lazy. They have no real desire or motivation to speak anything other than English, and these classes are treated merely as obligations. Many students study a language for six years and are unable to hold a conversation in that language. They rarely take these classes seriously, … Read More

The World Will Not End

By Stacey Wells ’15 Americans often strongly voice their opinions about controversial issues, but it would be more beneficial if they would stop overreacting to every little thing. During the NFL Playoffs, McDonalds aired a commercial that depicted different towns and their local McDonald’s signs. The signs contained messages, such as ‘We Remember 9-11,’ ‘Boston Strong’ and even personal messages … Read More

Unhealthy Romanticization

By Julia Gajewski-Nemes ‘15 Over the past couple of years, anxiety disorders and depression have presumably impacted more teenagers nationwide than ever before. While these mental illnesses need to be taken seriously and awareness of them has spread rapidly, social media websites such as Twitter, with pages such as “@cuttingquotes” and “@depressingthoughts,” and Tumblr, with blogs such as “depressingquotesforyou,” have … Read More

“Plugged-in” Generation Devalues Technology Credit

By Maya Koeppen ’17 In a society where nearly every teenager has a cellphone glued to his or her hip, the high school graduation requirement of a technology credit can easily be viewed as unnecessary. To satisfy the Maryland State Department of Education requirement, all MCPS students must obtain one technology credit. MCPS offers select state-approved courses consisting of, Foundations … Read More

Should MCPS Change College Curriculum?

The current MCPS agenda is designed to steer students towards college life. This curriculum’s emphasis on college-readiness is believed to help create efficient and productive students who will be well-prepared for a higher education. However, not all students are fit for a life on a college campus, and MCPS’s curriculum may not be preparing them for the real world. Should … Read More