Masks Essential in Drive-Throughs

by Riley Sandoval ‘22 Using drive-throughs and ordering food for pickup has become more common while indoor seating is restricted due to Covid-19. Most people remove their masks when they get in their cars. However, many people do not recognize the need to wear a mask in a drive-through. Whether you are getting food through your car window or placed … Read More

Congruence is Key

by Victoria Martinez ‘23 This school year started quite differently than ever before due to the Coronavirus Pandemic. While I am able to understand and empathize with teachers and students who are doing their best during these difficult times to adjust to the new online learning environment, I believe it would be exceedingly useful and helpful for students and teachers … Read More

The Horror of Breakout Rooms

by Emory Gun ’22 Throughout online school teachers have been working hard to keep students engaged and collaborating. While it is understandable that teachers want students to work together and cooperate with each other, the least effective Zoom feature teachers have used so far is the breakout room. Normally, working with others is an ordinary aspect of school, but of … Read More

Taylor Swift: the Artist of the Decade

by Jenna Bloom ’21 From country, to pop, to indie, one artist has mastered countless genres and produced No. 1 hits across the board. Taylor Swift, who signed her first record deal in 2006, has proved herself to the music industry album after album. Despite being publicly embarrassed by Kanye West at the 2009 VMAs and confronting misogyny her entire … Read More

Voting Isn’t the Only Way

by Sydney Wiser ’23 For many students across the country, watching this electoral process unfurl has been frustrating. How can we change our country when we don’t even have a direct say in who gets elected? There are well-known youth advocates like Emma Gonzalez and Greta Thunberg who have spearheaded their issues at a national level, but you don’t have … Read More

Stop saying ‘Fake News’

by Jimmy Yates ´21 Recently, the New York Times released information regarding President Trump’s shockingly low $750 income taxes in past years. He responded with one of his most common defenses: “Fake News,” with no further explanation other than the argument that the New York Times and the media is out to get him. Trump has repeatedly labeled any information … Read More

MAP Tests are Detrimental in 2020

by Colin Horan ‘21 The MAP, or Measure of Academic Progress, is an assessment that is designed to measure a student’s growth over the course of an academic year. The test is divided into two sections, math and reading, and the tests are normally administered during the spring and fall. The intention of MAP is to provide crucial insight into … Read More

Wish We Still Had Google Classroom

by Katelynn Diuguid ’22 With the start of the 2020-2021 school year occurring virtually, teachers have had to adapt their teaching to the land of the Internet. This meant MCPS Administration had to come up with an infrastructure for teachers to use to keep students’ classes consistent and all in one place. They settled on the use of Synergy for … Read More

Celebs Need To Be Held Accountable

by Jackson Hongtong ‘21  Famous country artist Morgan Wallen was supposed to perform on “Saturday Night Live” on October 10. However, the day before the show, SNL disinvited Wallen due to videos surfacing of him partying, drinking, and kissing women at a party with no masks or social distancing, completely ignoring CDC guidelines about Covid. The Nelkboys, a famous Youtube … Read More

MAP This Year Should Be a One Time Thing

by Lizzy Hermosilla ‘23 MAP stands for Measure of Academic Performance, and there is a math and reading variation that MCPS students have been accustomed to taking since elementary school. During online learning, many high school students are confused about why they are taking this standardized test again after they were told they would not do it after 8th grade. … Read More