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VJA ART SHOW
Congratulations to the students in the VJA Art Show! Please stop down to Main South and check out the amazing work on display.
Prom 2026
By Elena Aviles
Assistant Editor-in-Chief
This year was the fourth year that Andrew High School’s prom was held at the Harry Caray’s restaurant at Water Tower Place in Chicago. As seniors did their makeup and hair and put on their dresses and suits, parents and family members watched in awe at their high schoolers who were already old enough to go to prom. The glamour, glitter, and bright colors only exemplify the sentimental value that the night brings: to live in the moment and enjoy your time with your friends as seniors in high school.
Many students captured the moment with photos at many different locations, such as at the train station in downtown Tinley, on Navy Pier, and by Lake Michigan downtown. Luckily, the weather was gorgeous and warm for photos, with the sun creating perfect bright lighting.
At the venue, there were activities for everyone to enjoy. At the start of the night, appetizers were offered by waiters, and then a buffet style dinner was served with many different food options available for everyone. There were many activities to take part in for the people who do not enjoy dancing. An amazing magician was wandering the event to perform unbelievable tricks. The sports museum was open for students to explore and learn about the history of sports in Chicago, with jerseys and even a Super Bowl ring on display. There were also several sports simulations to try out. In addition, there were two more photo opportunities to capture the fun memories with friends, in the traditional photo booth and a 360 spinning photo opportunity.
Finally, there was the dance floor that was open the entire night, with music playing for students to dance to and enjoy. Overall, the night was one to remember, and the experience created memories that will last for many years to come. Stay tuned for next month’s article to view pictures of the event!
Olivia Rodrigo Thinks Pink
By Roxanne Moraga
Staff Writer
Olivia Rodrigo is officially back with new music! On the day after the pink moon (April 2), she announced that her upcoming third album titled, you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love, will be released on June 12, 2026. In addition, Rodrigo’s lead single “drop dead” is already out and streaming.
Release dates, album titles, and song names were predicted by many fans. The announcement date of the complete album was predicted based upon a post that Olivia Rodrigo made on Instagram, hinting that fans will be rewarded shortly after the pink moon. In Los Angeles, there is an Olivia Rodrigo wall that showcases Rodrigo’s aesthetic change. The wall started out as purple, but it transitioned into pink, which hinted that Rodrigo’s new album will have a pink color scheme. When the album name was announced, the title you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love was painted on this mural. Another clue were the four pink heart-shaped locks with Olivia Rodrigo’s logo on them that were found in New York City, Los Angeles, London, and Paris. Each lock said a different word: “drop,” “dead,” “April,” and “17th.” This foreshadowed the release of Rodrigo’s single, “drop dead” that was released on April 17. Olivia Rodrigo’s online store was also completely updated, including new merch and the ability to preorder vinyl and CDs for her upcoming album.
In our time zone, “drop dead” was actually released on April 16 at 11pm. Once 11pm hit, the music video and song were released. The new single is overall an optimistic, happy, and joyous song. Many people believe that “drop dead” is about Olivia Rodrigo’s ex-boyfriend, Louis Partridge. The lyrics reference a Gemini, and Partridge’s zodiac sign is a Gemini. There is a lyric that says, “... angel on the walls of Versailles,” and the Palace of Versailles was built by King Louis XIV. Another lyric clue was “Eurostar to France,” and Louis Partridge is from London (Europe). Aside from the song being about Partridge, “drop dead” also gives tribute to The Cure and Robert Smith, referencing The Cure’s song, “Just Like Heaven.” It is very probable that Olivia Rodrigo will release another single before the release of the entire album.
You seem pretty sad for a girl so in love will be released on June 12, 2026. June 12 is also Philippine Independence Day, which celebrates the freedom of the Philippines from Spain and America. This is significant because Olivia Rodrigo is half Filipino, and the fact that she is releasing her new album on Philippine Independence Day serves as a tribute to her Filipino roots. Olivia Rodrigo has said that her new album will consist of “sad love songs,” but there will also be hints of joy and passion. In conclusion, Olivia Rodrigo’s new album is highly anticipated and is guaranteed to be a wonderful record of the summer.
Is The Dance Floor Dead?
Is The Dance Floor Dead?
By James Abraham
Editor-in-Chief
Charli xcx seems to be the name we can’t escape ever since the tempestuous brat summer hit us. And she wasn't a one hit wonder either, as proven by the resurgence of old tracks like party 4 u and Track 10 along with making the soundtrack for the Wuthering Heights movie. But if there’s one thing Charli does, it’s cause a commotion. Or, more accurately, the internet seems to make a fuss with whatever she says. In petty online celebrity wars, fans of Taylor Swift and other artists like to pull what Charli says out of context in an attempt to cancel her or attack her. Most recently, Charli spoke with Billboard about her upcoming album and genre shift, stating that she will be toying with the rock genre because the dance floor is dead. While Charli is speaking personally about how dance music isn’t as exciting to her anymore, this statement sparked the outrage of many performative fans online along with musicians. But while it isn’t something anyone wants to accept, it just makes us wonder: is the dance floor really dead?
Rochelle Jordan was the first to throw her hat in the ring. In a tweet with seemingly no connection to or mention of Charli xcx, Jordan announced that the dance floor “isn’t dead until WE say so.” Dance music’s history lies in the history of black Americans. Disco and house music were the genres that defined the ‘80s. While the pioneers of dance music can be found elsewhere, such as Mohinder Kaur Bhamra’s Punjabi Disco, Donna Summer’s Hot Girls and Diana Ross’s Diana were what brought disco into the common household and injected dance in the everyday man’s veins. If you choose to take Charli’s statement as a definitive statement encapsulating the experiences of every artist, then yes, Charli’s ignorance of the other artists and the underground dance scene is very oblivious. Since the 80s, so many artists have worked to rebuild the once glorious empire of dance music torn down by racism and homophobia. But Charli never meant for it to be this way.
And like a pain in the back that no one asked for, John Summit decided it was time that his opinion must be heard. In the time between begging Charli for a collaboration to his sad attempt at a clapback, John Summit has done very little to progress the dance community. Yet, he still believes he has a place in the discussion. In a terribly condescending and tone-deaf tweet, Summit claims, “Maybe ur pop music dance floor is dead but ours isn't babe." While Summit brings up a great point of the dissonance between mainstream pop versus the other lesser-known musicians, and the general public’s insistence that there is no real music besides the former, he does so in an incredibly snide way. And it doesn't end there, as he continues to shade Charli on various instagram stories. While it may be the fact that Charli never took him up on his offer to work with her, Summit represents a lot of what people see wrong with the current dance music. Modern dance has an air of hostility and pretentiousness that deters people from joining in. This isn’t cultivated by the true artists, but by the co-opters like John Summit who go from trend to trend to hop on the latest craze. This time, it was dance.
Death is an ugly word. Death exists as a finality no one wants to acknowledge. But, what good is pretending it doesn’t exist? While I continue to emphasize that Charli’s quote has no deeper meaning, it does unintentionally reveal something deeper. When aspiring musicians and fans are kicked out of the dance scene, when smaller artists aren’t supported and instead cast aside to fall in line to the rabid celebrity culture, when dance was forcibly unearthed from its deeply ingrained roots, when people treat dance like a passing fad instead of an expression of culture and spirit, when no one moves an inch at Madonna concerts, choosing instead to make sure they record it all to enjoy it later rather than now, when everyone fears standing out, leaving the dance floor barren – the dance floor is dead.
"It isn't dead until WE say so" - Rochelle Jordan
Winter Percussion Win Silver at WGI
By Shelby Oliver
Staff Writer
Making their annual appearance, VJA’s Winter Percussion took home Silver at the WGI Percussion World Championships in Dayton, Ohio, on April 18th. Performing their 2026 piece titled “Always Here, Never There,” the production combines visual makeup and costumes with the musical talents of the ensemble. Our Winter Percussion first performed in the Preliminary Round of the Competition and achieved a score of 91.7. After being selected to move onto the Semifinals competition, the group scored a higher score of 94.750 and clinched a spot in the Final Competition. There, the Winter Percussion achieved their best score at WGI, 95.925, and the silver medal placement. This prestigious award is a testament to the year-long work of the entire ensemble, and the VJA community cannot wait for their return to the football field during the upcoming marching band season.
Formula 1 Circuit: April (2026)
By Erick Santiago
Staff Writer
Welcome back to The Circuit, readers! We have a lot to unpack from April in Formula 1, to start we had…oh, that’s right, there was no racing action in April following conflict in the middle east, cancelling the only two races the month had in store for us, located in…the middle east. Not to worry! In the storylines to follow, I’ll recap a few things that opened this Formula 1 season, and what to watch for as we go back to racing in May!
F1 2026 Regulation Tweaks First, I want to talk about a few regulation tweaks that are to come when teams hit the track once more in Miami, kicking off the month of May. Starting with qualifying tweaks following driver concern that because of highly technical and complicated battery/engine software, drivers would actually be punished for trying to push their cars to the limit, which was found to be true. Essentially, the problem was these complicated engine softwares would mistake on the limit, snaps of oversteer (caused when drivers are a bit too eager on the throttle with most of the torque being delivered through the rear wheels, the rear snapping if applied too early, making the driver have to compensate by turning the steering wheel the opposite direction of the snap) as the beginning of a full-throttle longer straight for battery deployment. Since this was not the case, when the time came for actual long straights, the battery would be much lower on energy compared to rivals, costing drivers lap time. The changes aimed at fixing this phenomenon include a reduction of maximum permitted recharge on a qualifying lap from 8 megajoules down to 7 and peak superclip power increasing from 250 kilowatts to 350. (Check February’s edition for more about super-clipping). During qualifying these changes will make the battery recharge significantly faster, with less to deploy available, but also with increased super-clipping harvesting. That will make the super-clipping effect worse, but last much shorter (only lasting 2-4 seconds a lap, so it might not even end up being that much worse). So it will, in theory, provide for qualifying laps that are at maximum three seconds slower to last year’s laps (in dry qualifying conditions) but also as close as eight tenths. During qualifying, now, this means the battery will be used significantly more, which is fast and makes the battery easier to manage, letting the cars be more on the limit. As for the race, changes were made to improve driver safety and simplify battery management. During round three of the Formula 1 season in Suzuka, a dangerous crash was seen in the race between Franco Colapinto and Oliver Bearman, as Bearman, trying to overtake on a small straight into a breaking zone had been deploying his battery, but Colapinto ahead had been recharging, causing a MASSIVE speed difference between the two, ultimately leading to a scary accident. To try to prevent this from happening again in the future, changes made include capping the boost/overtake mode down to an additional 150 kilowatts compared to the car in front and limiting deployment levels to 250 kilowatts through some select corners. Additionally to make energy management simpler, alternative, dynamic lower energy limits will be set for 12 future races instead of the initial 8. Other unintended benefits these race changes will have include the reduction of flyby overtakes caused by too much energy being deployed by the boost, making some fans happier to see genuine overtaking with the consequence of a few less overtakes, overall. Finally, less energy being deployed with the boost during the race also means the battery will drain less, making recharge and battery management easier, but still interesting with that change of 12 dynamic races having varying maximum deployment figures. With less being drained, super-clipping might also be needed less during the race, leading to higher top speeds, as we had been initially expecting.
Storyline: Mercedes v Ferrari (v McLaren?) Heading into May, from what we have learned so far in this season of Formula 1, there are many storylines to follow! To start, we have seen a somewhat competitive fight for the constructor’s championship, as Mercedes currently have the obvious edge, but I wouldn’t say they have run away with it just yet. When the season began round one in Melbourne, Australia, the race had started and the Ferrari’s bolted into the lead with superior starting performances caused by having smaller turbos, taking less time to rev/spool up to fly off the line. (Check February’s edition for more information on the turbo-spooling effect). For most of the start of the race, the Mercedes and the Ferraris had been going head to head, battling for the lead for awhile, until a virtual safety car came out, prompting the Mercedes to pit, but both of the Ferraris to stay out, the Ferrari team hoping for a more opportune moment to pit. (Check December's edition for more information on safety cars/virtual safety cars). That moment, unfortunately, did not come, and many believe was the factor preventing a Ferrari win. The Mercedes edge really presented itself in Shanghai, having a superior engine compared to the Ferraris allowing them to dominate, and the Ferraris left to fight each other for a podium. This is where the McLarens came into the mix, round three in Suzuka, Japan, here at the beginning of the race, there was a small battle for the lead between the Ferraris and Mercedes before the McLaren driver, Oscar Piastri, started managing things comfortably out front for a few laps. That was until he pitted the lap before the previously mentioned Bearman-Colapinto incident, many believe, costing him the race win, in the end. McLaren never seemed to be championship contenders this season, despite coming off the back of winning it last season, they haven’t quite had the advantage of Mercedes, fully understanding the engine and building around it. However, in Suzuka with Oscar suddenly joining the mix for the win, it seems they have begun to better understand the Mercedes power unit powering their McLarens. With new regulations, come development races, or teams trying to upgrade/develop their cars quickly and more effectively, so you can never tell what’s going to happen in the midfield of Formula 1 at this stage, but the front of the field (championship contenders) can be more predictable. That being said, we now know all of McLaren, Ferrari, and Mercedes could be in the mix for the constructor’s championship as the development race continues, especially after the teams had an entire month off to test things in the wind tunnel and, if you’re Ferrari, in the engine factory. That’s because they have reportedly met the threshold of having a significant engine power deficit compared to Mercedes, therefore being cleared to upgrade their engine to make the championship battle more competitive by the FIA (the governing body of F1). All of this, then, makes you wonder: who will take a step up in the fight for the constructor’s championship? The answer to that question will be found, on track, this month in May. That’s not the only question you should be asking yourself at this point in the season, no, you should also be thinking of the other championship, leading me to my next storyline…
Storyline: Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Driver’s Championship Leader
After a dominant first win for Kimi Antonelli in round two of the F1 World Championship held at Shanghai, China where his teammate, George Russell, was battling technical issues during qualifying and never managed to recover during the race, Antonelli followed up his first win with another stellar win in the round that followed in Suzuka. There, Antonelli took advantage of the previously mentioned safety car post Bearman-Colapinto incident, pitted for fresh tires, came out back in the lead, and in superior machinery, never looked back. His more experienced teammate, George Russell, had made a minor aerodynamic setup adjustment from qualifying into the race, which seemed to cause a whirlwind of balance issues, with the front unnaturally turning in, in relation to the rear. That put Antonelli in the lead of the driver’s championship, becoming the youngest driver to ever do so at 19 years old and the first Italian to win back to back races in Formula 1 since Ascari in 1953. This makes the final question be: will Antonelli be able to keep that lead and become driver’s world champion by the end of the year? Well, all the storylines/questions will be answered as the Formula 1 season progresses, starting where F1 Returns to the United States! That’s right, the last time F1 visited the US was back in October, and now, in May, F1 is visiting Miami! For any football lovers who have made it this far into the article, I thought it would be cool to share that the track races around the Miami Dolphins stadium, Hard Rock Stadium! The track also uses some of its parking lots for its layout. As for the layout, it has it all! Sector one is full with fast, sweeping S-shaped corners (like the Suzuka circuit), Sector two has a straight along with a very slow, technical sequence that follows, and sector three is essentially just straight! To include virtually all the types of corners and some straights on a track is already enough of an impressive feat, but it’s even more impressive when you consider that this track is a street track/circuit! This should make for great racing action. Additionally, it is a sprint weekend! As I have said in previous editions, this means teams have less time to practice (though this singular practice session the FIA have decided to expand to an hour and a half to give teams time to test their new development packages and the regulation tweaks after spending five weeks off track) and set up their cars, and have more competitive sessions to partake in. As per usual, I will let you know the times of the most important sessions you should consider watching for the Miami Grand Prix weekend in CDT (Central Daylight Time; Illinois and Mid-Western time). Beginning with the Sprint, which starts at 11:00 AM on Saturday, May 2nd. The same day is Qualifying at 3PM-4PM. The next day on Sunday, May 3rd is the main event–the race! It happens at 3PM. It’s a great time to watch this Formula 1 race since all competitive sessions occur at a reasonable time! Anyways, that’s all for this month! Thank you for reading this far, and sharing the love for Formula 1! (For driver information; who drives for what team, check February’s edition. For any additional information, go to formula1.com)
"The Story of Tonight" - Hamilton Field Trip
By Sarina Mohammad
Staff Editor
On Thursday, April 23rd 2026, history quite literally played out live for ninety students from VJA. The Hamilton field trip immersed U.S. History students in foundational areas of the past. It is well known how the musical incorporates particular details about the famous founding father´s rise to power and, naturally, his eventual demise, such as the plethora of Federalist papers but also the Reynolds Pamphlet into its scenes. However, the contemporary twists added to appeal to an anticipatory, contemporary audience indubitably made for an unforgettable performance. The performance brought an unappareled air of unity amongst VJA history students. At some particularly historically relevant moments, such as the depiction of how the French aided the colonists in the revolution against the British, you could almost feel the epiphanies, the lightbulbs illuminating in your fellow young historians' brains as you collectively come to the same conclusion, ¨I remember learning this!” Here are some of those historians´ favorite moments from the show:
¨My favorite moment was from ¨The Battle of Yorktown,¨ when they said 'Immigrants, we get the job done.´ It was so wholesome and was just so chilling to hear how the crowd went crazy because it is such a real and true thing that many of the people who play a major role in America have worked for.¨ - Maya A
¨My favorite moments were when Phillip Hamilton died because it showed genuine raw emotion by Elizabeth and Hamillton, as well as the song, 'Wait For It.¨ That part of the play was so fire, I loved the depths of the lyrics and how the play portrayed it through tone and choreography.¨ - Maria B
Spring Fashion Trends 2026
With the spring in full swing and the weather starting to stabilize, styles change like the season has. Want to be in the know? Here are some fashion trends that you will expect to see throughout the next few months.
Layering
Not only is layering a popular spring look, it's also a smart one. The transition of weather can change drastically (even within the same day). Layering is practical for all weather spring weather situations and looks great.
Wedge Sneakers
Wedge sneakers are making an appearance on the feet of young celebrities. This trend is trickling down to the masses and offers a unique look that can be dressed up or down.
Accessories
Brooches are not for your grandmothers! They are making a comeback in a big way to elevate any outfit. Grab some sun glasses and a silk scarf and you will have covered all of the spring trends!
Spring Nails
Nothing finishes a look better than a good manicure. This season, colors like misty blue, lilac, and orange give a nod to the blooming flowers of spring and offer some whimsy and fun at your fingertips.
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