A New Cold War

by Nick Hermosilla ‘19  A recent speech by Vice President Mike Pence criticizing China has put the two countries even more at each other’s throats. Recent events surrounding this conflict include the growing U.S.-China trade war, mass imprisonment of Muslims in China’s Xinjiang province, and ongoing Chinese cyber attacks and espionage attempts. Pence fiercely criticized these actions of China, and … Read More

Cuts In Refugee Numbers Are Bad News for America

by Vendela Krenkel ’20 Secretary of State Mike Pompeo recently announced President Donald Trump’s plans to lower the limit on number of refugees allowed into the United States from 45,000 to a record low of 30,000 annually. This is just one effort in a series of actions seeking to cut down on immigration, both for illegal immigrants and by making … Read More

Lower Voting Age

by Kara Thompson ’20 As the November election draws closer, the pressure to vote has gotten increasingly higher. This year’s midterms will be one of the most critical in our country’s history, and it’s crucial for everyone who can vote to do so. Many people from celebrities to major companies to average citizens have been part of the campaign of … Read More

Community College Has Monetary Benefits

by Anika Mittu ’19  On May 8, Governor Hogan signed bills to reduce the cost of community college for students from lower income households. Beginning in 2019, the new law applies to individuals from families who earn less than 125,000 per year and single adults who earn less than 90,000 dollars per year, providing members from both groups with up … Read More

Where’s The Love for JV Athletes?

by Jackson Hongtong ’21  As spring varsity sports come to an end, the athletes look forward for all of their hard work during the regular season to pay off in the playoffs. For the playoffs, the crowds are larger, the stakes are higher, and the dream of a championship is on the line. While all of this sounds great on … Read More

Lazy Students Lead to Frustrating Environment

 by Adam Levine ’20  Chromebooks have become staple work devices in the classroom that are used daily in some classes. Most students know the pain of having to walk up to the cart of Chromebooks if they are the first or last class to use them that day. One of the most annoying aspects about the Chromebooks is the conditions … Read More

Social Media Makes Promotes Toxic Jealousy

by Leah Peloff  ’18 It is widely known that social media can be bad for teen’s mental health. It may decrease one’s face-to-face interaction skills and can lead to obsession over likes, comments, followers, etc. But one huge problem stemming from social media use goes beyond these common criticisms of technology; they only show your best moments. The cool vacations, … Read More

God Over Government

by Russell Irons ‘19 In January of last year, the United States Army conceded in a long struggle between the Sikhs and the Uniform Code Of Military Justice. Sikhism is a religion that originated in India. Its adherents do not cut hair on their face or head, and wrap their hair in a turban. The purpose of growing out one’s hair … Read More

MCPS Needs to Act Fast on Lead Contamination

by Frank J. Platko ’18 Elevated lead levels have shown up in water samples taken from four public elementary schools and a middle school in Montgomery County, according to reports released this week. As part of a countywide, comprehensive analysis of drinking water across 205 schools, the first batch of returns came from fourteen schools, five whose drinking water contains elevated … Read More

Sports Illustrated Embraces Body Diversity

by Lucy Kuchma ’18 This spring season, Sports Illustrated has displayed its first set of swimwear shots featuring a plus-sized model. Hunter McGrady, a 24 year-old model from Los Angeles, struggled with body confidence in the modeling world for years which led her to develop an eating disorder. After battling Anorexia for most of her teenage years, McGrady decided that fitting … Read More