by Brooke Brownell

The Stallions Dance Team made history at the NDA (National Dance Alliance) Competition. Over the course of three days, the team competed in the hip-hop and game-day divisions. This was the team's first time attending the national competition, and they placed fourth in the nation.

The NDA (National Dance Alliance) holds premier dance competitions to showcase top teams around the country. The NDA features many styles of dance such as jazz and pom. Jazz focuses on more technical skills and emphasizes fluid movements. Pom is different in that it requires sharp and precise movements, jumps and formation changes. This year, nationals was hosted at the Hilton Orlando, and teams had to qualify at an NDA summer camp. The Stallions Dance Team qualified by winning first place on their “team routine” at the NDA camp. The team was scored based on how well they remembered and showcased the choreography.

The nationals competition was February 14th-16th. Stallion Dance Team member Alanna Cromartie explained the grueling schedule. “Each day we performed, we woke up around 6:30 am and had to eat breakfast and be ready by 8:00 am. (read more)

By Shayla Leach

Black History Month is celebrated in February each year, but how did it become what it is today? What steps were taken so African- Americans could remember and celebrate their history?

In the summer of 1915, Chicago was full of excitement as it hosted a large celebration for the 15th anniversary of the end of slavery. Carter G. Woodson traveled from Washington, D.C. to join the event. Thousands of African-Americans from across the country came to see displays showing the progress their community had made since emancipation.

Inspired by the three-week celebration, Woodson decided to create an organization dedicated to promoting the study and appreciation of black life, history and culture. (read more)

by Brody Dixon

Remove yourself from the situation. Say “No.” Provide an excuse. Peer pressure is a concept with which many are familiar. 

From a young age, many are taught how to avoid succumbing to it, but it still persists. Although this advice is helpful, the power of peer pressure is much deeper than that. What makes it so tempting? Why are teens more susceptible to it? The answers lie in our very own brains. 

As humans, we are social creatures. We both crave and need social interaction for our survival. This survival need can be observed biologically with the brain’s reward system. The brain’s reward system is a brain circuit that activates feelings of pleasure, such as when you eat food you like or receive a good grade on a test. This reward system is heavily involved with our social interactions as well, especially among teens. It is activated by getting a compliment or more importantly, “fitting in”. Vitalina Glushko, a student at Southeast stated: “I feel the most peer pressure when the teacher asks the class for the right answer and everyone says a different answer that I think is wrong, but I just follow up with what they say to not get judged or bring too much attention on me.” (read more)

by Kamalika Bhushan Bezzam

Have you ever been interested in ghost stories or paranormal cases? Do you believe they exist? Japan is world-renowned for its deep, unsettling, and psychologically driven horror, often considered among the best in the world. Japanese urban legends are modern folktales passed from person to person, often through whispers in school, late-night TV shows, or online forums. Unlike ancient myths about gods and spirits, these stories usually take place in normal settings. Bathrooms, train stations, schools, and city streets are all examples of some of the most popular places mentioned in these stories. Here are some of the most famous Japanese urban legends that continue to haunt people’s imaginations.

Kuchisake-onna (The Slit-Mouthed Woman)

Kuchisake-onna is said to be the spirit of a woman who wears a surgical mask, which is common in Japan. She approaches people, often children, and asks, “Am I beautiful?” If you say no, she may attack you. If you say yes, she removes her mask to reveal her mouth sliced from ear to ear and asks again. No matter how you answer, there seems to be no safe response. This legend became extremely popular in the 1970s, when reports of sightings spread across Japan. Schools even wanted children to walk home in groups. The story played on everyday normality a simple surgical mask hiding something horrifying. (read more)

by Addison Jayne Bennett

One of the words for the 2025 “word of the year” was “AI Slop”. Many people use this word to describe the use of generated images and other artistic works. People say AI is awful, it’s bad for the environment, bad for your health and just plain bad for you. Period.

And I agree.

Taking this on a personal matter, I am a person of creative insight. along with creating and listening to music, I love to write and I love to paint and draw. With the growing use of AI, especially in 2025, original and human-made creative ideas in the artistic area have fallen. Art being generated by people simply putting in an AI prompt is soulless, heartless and overall idiotic.

Think….(read more)