By Betselot Wondimu ’15 On November 11, MCPS’s Board of Education voted 7-1 to only list days of school closed for the 2015-16 school year while not relating those days to any holidays. The vote came after outrage from the county’s Muslim community, whose protests to close schools on two of their main holidays were rejected with a Board vote … Read More
By Amy Mercedes Hesselroth ’16 For the past 28 years, 40 American students from around the country have gathered at Princeton University to welcome 40 Japanese students for ten days of fun, friendship and cultural exchange as part of the AIU High School Diplomats Program (HSD). During HSD, also called “The Best Ten Days of My Life” by the staff … Read More
The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) has been waging genocide on Shia Muslims and religious minorities in the Middle East for months, in addition to beheading two American journalists. A plan of action is needed, but how far should the United States go? Should our nation take a head-on approach until the threat is completely eliminated, or do … Read More
Is social media an appropriate medium to share important information through? Do teens care about the world they live in? How effective are social media campaigns in raising awareness for causes? With the advancement of technology in the twenty-first century, social media is slowly becoming acknowledged as a reliable source for news and an acceptable medium for social justice. Organizations … Read More
By Ankur Kayastha ’15 MCPS purchased about 40,000 Chromebooks to distribute among elementary, middle and high schools across the county. Of those, about 10,000 are dedicated to high school classrooms, but not all types of classes. The total cost of the program is a substantial $15 million for the first year, and high school students get the lower end of … Read More
By Emma Hierholzer ’15 We’ve all had them before—teachers who we just can’t stand. As hard as we try, even the most valiant efforts to reconcile some sense of understanding fails to be achieved. Some people just don’t click. Teacher-student relationships have always been a key factor in the distinction between classroom success and failure. Although some would argue that … Read More
Cartoon By Emma Hierholzer ’15
By Julia Gajewski-Nemes ’15 As high school seniors around the nation continue to perfect their early applications for colleges, many do not realize that social media activity can hinder their chances of being accepted. In a Kaplan survey of college admissions officers from 381 different institutions, it was found that 31 percent of the officers visit applicant’s social media pages … Read More
By Kira Yates ’16 Texas native Omar Gonzalez, who jumped the White House fence on September 19, should have been monitored more closely after previous run-ins with police. On July 19, Gonzalez was arrested in Virginia with many weapons including four handguns found in his car along with a map with a line pointing to the White House. On August … Read More
By Connor Loughran ’15 In the last couple of years at Sherwood, a new phenomenon has emerged—the “Bathroom Party.” This is when a group of popular boys run into one of the many bathrooms at Sherwood, usually chanting “USA! USA!” Not only is this an annoyance to many students in the hallways attempting to get to their classes on time, … Read More