Eugenia Cooney is a very sick individual. Her eating disorder has ruined her body and has left many people thinking she should get off the internet and focus on getting healthy. Eugenia Cooney’s internet presence doesn’t outright glamorize eating disorders, people who suffer from eating disorders look up to her and aspire to attain her slim figure. Eugenia Cooney’s eating disorder is fueled by the internet commenting on her body, and her followers' eating disorders are fueled by Eugenia’s internet presence. It is a cycle of destruction.

An anorexic person with an active eating disorder has no business being an influencer. Eugenia has a lot of young kids following her who look up to her and her extremely thin body. This is an outrage. Eugenia is very aware of her audience, and how most people who follow her look up to her  and see her emaciated body as their goal. There's a whole community online called “pro-ana” whose members all chronically look up to her and label her “body goals.” When Eugenia first started battling anorexia, she left social media to tend to her health.  When she eventually returned, she did so by discussing her recovery.  Now, it has been years since her return, and she hasn’t mentioned anything about her disorder or her recovery since her initial return. The public has watched her relapse and her body wastes away before its eyes, and  Eugenia’s presence has been negatively affecting a lot of people and worsening their disorders. 

Eugenia Cooney left the internet back in 2017 after outrage over her content, and accusations about how her body was fueling people’s eating disorders. However, she came back in 2019 and shared her experience with anorexia and her recovery. Recently, people are demanding her content be removed as it appears she has relapsed. The question is: was that relapse because of the internet? The internet is full of critical people; was the pressure of this criticism too much for Eugenia? After she returned to the internet a lot of people have commented about how sick Eugenia is, fueling her anorexia even more. Some anorexic people have reported that they love the attention that accompanies their extreme skinniness. Eugenia hasn’t appeared to have gotten any healthier; in fact, it appears her disorder has just gotten worse. Eugenia needs to get help and focus on herself as her anorexia has just gotten worse, and is also worsening her audience members' disorders by fueling their disease.

If you suffer from an eating disorder, there is help.  Visit the National Eating Disorders website at nationaleatingdisorders.org for a screening tool and a list of resources.  You can call the National Alliance for Eating Disorders Helpline Monday through Friday from 9am-7pm at 1-866-662-1235. Finally, if you are in crisis call or text the Suicide and Crisis Hotline at 988 (or text HOME to 741-741.

Veterans Day is an important holiday where we take a day to honor  those who have served our country in the armed forces. It is celebrated worldwide, although in other countries, such as Canada, it is known as Remembrance Day.  It is celebrated on November 11th to commemorate the armistice between the allied countries and Germany at the end of World War I, which took place on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918. It is celebrated annually nationwide with parades, the largest of which is in New York City. As of 2021, there were 16.5 million Veterans still living in the U.S. 

For more perspective on Veterans Day, I interviewed my grandfather,who served in the Air Force in the early 1960’s.  Here are his responses: 

Q: As a Veteran, what does Veterans Day mean to you? 

A: To me, it is about thanking veterans who served and remembering those who died.

Q: Why did you choose the Air Force?  “

A: When I graduated high school, I had no interest in college, and I didn’t know what I wanted to do, so I went down to the post office, where a recruiter for the Air Force was,, and I joined.

Q: How long did you serve our country, and where were you stationed?  

A: (I served for)26 months, which were split between Morocco in Africa, and Rome NY, outside of Utica.

Q: What did you do while you were in the Air Force?  

A: I was an officer who guarded the planes while they were re-fueling.  

Q: Did you get to see a lot of the world?  

A: Besides serving in Morocco, we got to play baseball for our company in our free time, and would fly to Spain to play in tournaments against other guys who were serving in the Navy and other armed forces.

Q: Would you recommend the Air Force to young people?  

A: I would, because I had good training. I was supposed to get a desk job doing clerical work, but I wanted to join before the end of the year, and on Dec 3rd, the only available job was air police, so that’s what I ended up doing.

Q: What are some of your biggest takeaways from your time in the service?  

A: We learned a lot about the government; we were also taught a lot about respect, and wherever we went, we learned to understand people better and also be more outgoing. When we were sent over to Morocco, we learned about other cultures and customs, and it also helped with being more social.

Q: What did you learn in the military that helped you later in life, after your service?  

A: I learned how to carry myself in a more respectful manner and to be more mature.  There were also many little things they taught us - like how to iron our clothes, keep our shoes shined, and how to make our bed properly.  Everything was taken care of for us, we weren’t paid too much, but we ate well; the food was pretty good, and there were opportunities to set us up for part-time college courses, which were completely free to us. 

I would like to thank my grandfather, and all those who have protected us and served our country.

Amsterdam High School has been slowly adapting to the newly implemented Yondr Pouches, but are they really everything they were made out to be? The pouches seem to have been implemented smoothly, with no big issues in the first couple of weeks. However, as time went on, students began to take matters into their own hands. Students destroyed, stole, threw the pouches down the sewer, and many other absurd fates for these fairly expensive little pouches. Despite this destruction, a good portion of students are doing what they are supposed to do. They lock away their phones everyday and wait until 2:26 pm, some of whom would ideally want or need their phones for schoolwork. To see that good, hard working students are facing the biggest consequences of these pouches, while the ones who really need the pouch to help with self-regulation of phone use are not, is truly confounding. Something needs to be done about this. Yes, it is good that pouches will be assigned and all students should have their phones locked away, but it is not fair for those who use their phones in a productive manner. There should be a reward system for those who put their phones away. That, or everyone should be reprimanded if they do not follow the rules, as they should. Some type of permanent change is needed at Amsterdam High School. 

Planet Fitness has always advertised itself as a place free of judgment; it’s the entire brand. It  uses this method to attract new customers that are scared of a gym environment full of technologically advanced machines. However, when you actually step foot in the place, you feel the judgment oozing in every corner of the place. Perhaps people are not being purposefully judgmental,  but since most people, both gym newbies and experienced gym members, are anxious and afraid of being judged, they are also therefore being watchful to ensure that they are not committing any gym faux pas. Yet,  watchful eyes truly feel like judgmental eyes, and it is unsettling to have people looking at you while you break a sweat. Sometimes though, people are truly just judging beginners, silently criticizing their form, or their clothes, or their “poor technique” or “poor control.”

Additionally, some people feel judged because of their lack of knowledge about gym equipment or gym etiquette. This lack of knowledge leaves people feeling vulnerable as if they’re being watched and judged for not knowing. While this can be true, in some cases people in the gym are only focused on themselves, not others. However, there will always be some people who think they’re better than others, and judge anyone who they perceive as “less than” them. Some people will always be scared of judgment while others will love judging people; therefore, no place could ever truly be judgment-free. 

Donald J Trump has emerged victorious in the 2024 U.S. presidential election, securing his return to the White House. Celebrating with his signature “Make America Great Again” slogan, Trump promises to deliver on a bold agenda that aims to reinvigorate the country.

Trump's first priority is tax cuts and deregulation to spur economic growth. He plans to bring back manufacturing jobs, prioritize energy independence, and continue supporting coal, oil, and natural gas industries alongside renewable energy. Trump is recommitting to building a stronger, smarter border wall with advanced technology. “We will secure our borders and protect Americans”, he vowed.

Trump aims to strengthen the military, renegotiate trade deals, and ensure the U.S. interest comes first on the global stage, especially with China. He is planning an educational reform. His administration will push for a curriculum focused on patriotism, American history, and school choice, promoting values that Trump believes made the country great. 

In response to social media censorship, Trump plans to launch TrumpNet, a new platform where free speech will reign without the constraints of big tech. Trump is also launching a national initiative he's calling the Great American Reboot in an effort to rejuvenate American industry, reinvest in the nation's infrastructure, and encourage innovation in all sectors. “We're going to make America's economy stronger than ever”, Trump promised, “And we’ll do it with American workers leading the way.”

Trump's win has highlighted how fractured America remains. Despite his significant base of support, there is a growing sense of unease among those who fear his return to office will be a step backward for unity and progress. From his first campaign in 2016 to this latest victory, Trump has never shied away from divisive rhetoric, and his 2024 campaign was no exception.

Critics argue that his policies, while popular among conservatives, have often caused division by appealing to populous sediments and prioritizing America first nationalism over diplomacy, inclusivity, and compromise. Trump's focus on issues like immigration, the border wall, and law and order have alienated many in minority communities. While his handling of social issues and his penchant for speaking out against perceived liberal elites have left many democrats, independence, and moderates uneasy about the future. 

Under Trump's last leadership, the US saw significant economic growth. Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, the country enjoyed historically low unemployment rates, particularly among African-American, Hispanic, and Asian-American communities. His administration's tax cuts, deregulation efforts, and emphasis on fostering a business friendly environment are credited with helping stimulate drop creation wages and economic expansion.

While his policies are undeniably bold, Trump has made efforts to reach out to those who did not vote for him. His victory speech called for unity, though he didn't shy away from pointing out the divisions that have shaped the nation's conversation over the past few years. “We may have differences, but we are all Americans”, he said, “It's time to unite for the good of this country.” 

We are born with love in our hearts but we are taught so thoroughly how to hate. How to hurt. As someone who grew up most of their life in this country, it pains me so heavily to see what it's becoming. This nation used to pride herself in being a land of freedom and opportunity, yet now we so loudly hate. We spread hate like flames in every way we can. We kill. We control. Discriminate. We abuse. We manipulate. We hate and we try so desperately  to take away from people we don't even know or understand just because they're not us. We live in such a selfish and somewhat solipsistic world now; Hating just because we don't have the understanding. Yet, of course no one has time to understand. Everyone is too busy focusing on if they'll have food for the week. If they'll have bills paid in time. If they can even make it to the New Year. Not enough people are looking at our country for what it currently is and soon will become because we have turned our home into a place where everyone can only worry about themselves. We only CAN worry about ourselves now. 

It breaks my heart that in this long-running time of struggle and pain uneducated and less fortunate PEOPLE are being taken advantage of. Manipulated. Used. Just to push the wants of those who only seek to fulfill their own selfish ideas. Those who want so openly to hurt them. But the less fortunate won't see it. They never could, because with the nation we live in, they were never taught any better. They didn't have the opportunity or privilege to LEARN any better. Because our "home" does not care. Our "home” claims it wants equality yet it takes away the rights and safety of our women. It strips the rights away from our mothers. Our sisters. Our wives. Our "home" claims it wants equality but it puts so little effort and care into its education system that these people grow to be so uninformed and so easy to take advantage of. Our "home" claims it wants equality yet it takes away rights of people who want to be comfortable in their own body. Our "home" wants equality yet it kills and imprisons innocent people based on the skin they were born into. Our "home" wants to kill and take advantage of us. And it wants us all to be blind to it. It doesn't have to be this way. It never had to. We could still make a change. We can construct our nation to truly be a land of freedom and opportunity. But we won’t. We don’t have the time.

The Inclusion Squad at Amsterdam High School has been fundraising since the beginning of the school year for one of the biggest events for the New York Special Olympics- the Polar Plunge. It takes place every year in late November on Lake George with a purpose of generating money to fund the various opportunities the New York Special Olympics provides for people with disabilities. 

For the past four years, Jessica Verrigni has pieced together a group of people to represent Amsterdam High School at the Polar Plunge. Verrigni is the head of the Unified sports department at Amsterdam High School, and continuously offers students with disabilities a fun, inviting community to thrive in. In just the last year, Verrigni has created a club called the “Inclusion Squad” that comes together to create new, exciting experiences for students with disabilities at Amsterdam High School. Many students are involved currently and some students have even visited other schools to talk on the importance of continually bettering the opportunities for students with disabilities.  

Verrigni hosts the most well known event daily- unified gym class. It is often the highlight of all of the kids' day. The gym classes combine selected students with disabled students to create a safe environment for everyone to work together and have fun. Not only are unified gym classes offered at the high school, but as of this year they are also offered at the middle school. The unified program has grown so much in just the past few years and has become such a big part of the community at Amsterdam. 

Last year, the polar plunge team raised over 15,000 dollars and claimed first place for fundraising. This year, the team has drastically increased in size with over 75 participants and has exceeded their goal of raising  20,000 dollars for the New York Special Olympics. The event unites schools with unified programs across the state and demonstrates the importance of inclusion in everyone’s life. The Unified sports program at Amsterdam High School is such a vital part of the community and I encourage everyone to get involved. 

The story ended long ago

But lives on in my mind all the time

Back when we would run around, it was a different world 

Do you have friends over now? 

Do they know that land is sacred now? 

Do the trees mourn for us?

Does the bench cry out its splinters,

Despite the fact that it will never be touched again?

Why does it still reach out?

When the sun rises, does it feel our presence missing?

Does it burn a little brighter before it sinks back down in grief?

The hope remaining, no matter how small, is a burning torture

And what of the moon? 

Does it search the clouds for a whisper of my longing? 

Does it raise my message to you in the tides? 

Will all the water sparkle like my eyes when they were on you 

Do the stars spell out our names? 

After all these years, how many more years can I go on like this? 

I know our streets are empty now

That sweet smell in the air 

It was heaven

How do I return?

Even now, we keep almost meeting 

Then you slip away like the time did 

Waking up to sunshine through my window

The light is just a little dimmer than the mornings I held your heart in my hands

The night is so much colder than when I held your hand in mine

The day I had to leave

I clung to the empty space beside me

My eyes holding onto you as it all disappeared

Why did I run so fast?

I didn’t mean to rush through our time

I'll call out your name in that street one day

Knowing you won't reply because my you is gone now

Sometimes I find myself in that atmosphere again 

As though I've gone back in time

I stop for a moment and look around 

It's all haunting me 

I want to take you by the hand and run away again 

I still hold your secrets in my heart 

And that time in my soul 

That smell of freshly cut grass 

Sending a rush of energy through me that reminded me life was beautiful

Even after taking off the golden filter

I see it was perfect enough for me

But childhood is just a tangent 

I know I was foolish to love someone like you

But I hope you’re okay. I still miss you.

If I ever find myself lost in a strange place 

Please find me before I lose it again

Can’t you reappear just as suddenly as we were separated?