Books should not be banned in schools because they play a crucial role in fostering intellectual growth, promoting critical thinking, and nurturing empathy among students. Literature provides a window into diverse perspectives, offering students a broader understanding of the world. “I think that by banning books students become more susceptible to ignorance and will lack knowledge about important subjects” (Hubbard Senior, Scout Nicholson) By engaging with books that explore different cultures, historical events, and challenging topics, students are exposed to ideas that they may not encounter in their daily lives. 

Banning books, especially those that deal with complex or controversial subjects, deprives students of the opportunity to engage with these important issues. Books that address themes such as racism, inequality, mental health, or identity are often powerful tools for sparking meaningful conversations and promoting understanding. By limiting access to these books, we not only silence important voices but also prevent students from grappling with real-world issues in a safe, structured environment.

Books that reflect diverse experiences, whether related to race, gender, sexuality, or social justice, also promote inclusivity and tolerance. They teach students to appreciate the value of different perspectives and cultivate empathy for those whose experiences differ from their own. In a world that is increasingly interconnected, these lessons are vital for creating a more compassionate and understanding society. For these reasons, banning books in schools is not only counterproductive but also detrimental to the development of young minds.

Every Thanksgiving, families and friends gather to appreciate everything we have been given, be grateful for the people in our lives, and feast on a meal cooked lovingly to end the holiday. Then, everyone rushes to Walmart at 3 a.m. to get a 65” flat-screen TV for 50% off. This is the culture of Black Friday: rushing from store to store as the ropes drop and the deals get sweeter. Full parking lots, hustle and bustle all day, and a 40-minute wait at Starbucks. A day filled with bags in hands and wallets emptied—until the pandemic hit.

Online Shoppers

Everyone was shut inside for the holiday season, and when Black Friday rolled around, instead of waking up to rush to the stores, people rolled over in bed and grabbed their phones. A study done by Capital One shows that money spent online on Black Friday rose by 1.6 billion dollars from 2019 to 2020. “I haven’t gone Black Friday shopping since 2019,” said junior Nicole Allison. But it doesn’t end there. Online Black Friday sales are projected to rise to 12.6 billion dollars in two years. The proof is in the pudding: people aren’t going out on Black Friday anymore. Everyone stays inside and buys on their phones, but this extends even further and affects the amount you pay on Black Friday.

Rising Prices

An article from CNN, posted on November 17, 2010, describes the types of sales they were seeing for that Black Friday season. Target had $3 appliances, $250 off flat-screen TVs, and $7 video games. The sales were outrageous—doorbuster headlines in every magazine and every store going lower and lower than the years prior. Nowadays, you tend to see discounts in the 25–30% off range. TVs are barely $50 below the average price, and kitchen appliances are cut by $10, still leaving prices well over $50 for shoppers when the doors open. As fewer and fewer sales are being made in stores on Black Friday, the prices have stopped going down. However, I suspect a different reason for the price increase on Black Friday.

What Day is Black Friday?

If I had a calendar in 2010 and I wanted to mark Black Friday on it, I would only have to mark one day. But if I have a calendar in 2024 and I want to mark Black Friday, I better get a pencil sharpener because I might as well circle half of October, all of November, all of December, and I should probably get a 2025 calendar too because the sales are still going on until after New Year’s. This all began with Cyber Monday. It had good intentions: to give everyone a day to shop online so more people would be in stores on the previous Friday. But this was not what actually happened. Stores saw that people would also shop on Monday and decided, well, let’s just extend the sales through the weekend too.

Senior Emma Harley said, “Gracy Lane starts Black Friday sales a week before, at 25%.” This is the Gray Weekend: the outskirts of Black Friday that extend to either side of it, leading up to the big day. But as you spread the Gray Weekend into the week, before Thanksgiving, and into December, the deals don’t seem so special anymore. So if people don’t care about the deals on Black Friday anymore, why would the stores keep cutting prices?

The Death of Black Friday

As much as I would love to say that now that COVID has passed, people will start shopping on Black Friday and the deals will come back, that is simply not the case. It’s projected by the data that Black Friday will never be the same. People will always be shopping weeks before and weeks after, now that the digital era has taken full charge of shoppers. In this time, we have witnessed the rise, fall, and crash of Black Friday.

It’s that time of year again, when families get together, trim the tree, roast chestnuts, drink hot cocoa, and huddle up by the fire to watch… Die Hard? The “Is Die Hard a Christmas Movie?” debate has been going on for literal decades—nearly since before my mother was even born. I’ve seen convincing arguments on both sides; however, all have ultimately left me with just one question: what makes a movie a “Christmas Movie”? 

Is It Setting?

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005) is set during Christmas time—did you know that? It's hard to tell, with the movie completely devoid of any of the snow or cold weather we usually associate with the holiday. However, it is set in California, so I guess, for that, it gets a pass. The movie is peppered with Christmas decorations and festive outfits, so, therefore, it’s a Christmas movie, right? 

Is It Tone?

A stereotypical Christmas movie is riddled with themes of holly jolly holiday cheer. Think Miracle on Easy Street, Elf, or The Search for Santa Paws (a personal favorite). But what about movies like Home Alone, Krampus, The Lodge, or Better Watch Out? Technically, per my previous section, based on setting, these are all “Christmas” movies, taking place at or around Christmas time with clear references to the holiday. However, these movies are decidedly NOT about the joy of the holidays and spreading Christmas cheer. In fact, quite the opposite. Does that disqualify them from being classified as Christmas movies, or is that a nonfactor? 

Is It Release Date?

Well, if not setting or tone, then what about when people actually watch the movie? A lot of movies that are projected to do well are awarded a Christmas Day release; however, does that make them Christmas movies? This year, a few of those movies include Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu, Babygirl starring Nicole Kidman, and A Complete Unknown, a Bob Dylan biopic starring Timothée Chalamet. Now, out of all of these movies, which sound like a Christmas film to you? If you said none, you’d be correct! Well, partially correct depending on your opinion regarding sections one and two. You see, Nosferatu does have a scene with a Christmas tree in it, so… there. 

What Do You Think?

What do you think? Personally, I’m of the opinion that anything can be argued one way or another. There are movies that I associate with holidays or seasons that have nothing to do with the actual movie. I think movies are supposed to make everyone think or feel something different, so debates like this—whether or not a movie is meant to be seen one way or another—are very interesting to me. But it’s not Christmas yet, and we’ve still got a way to go, so let the debates begin! 

The influence other people have on our lives is way too strong, whether it be from social media or real life. People stop thinking for themselves; they follow the most popular ideals. Individuality is being drowned out as we get older, and we don’t even realize it. Since our youth, we have been told how to behave and suppress our eccentric tendencies. We have been told how to dress and what to like by other kids and sometimes our own family. It doesn’t matter what extraordinary abilities and talents we have; we’re told to do good. Art is dead; singularity and identity are lost entirely.

Academic-related situations aren’t the only times when students feel they can’t express themselves freely. In and outside of the classroom, people are told how to live. Social media encourages overconsumption and following microtrends. People have to conform to an “aesthetic” or a subset of life. You can’t just have your own style—you have to be coquette, preppy, Y2K, or some sort of laid-out style. Only the styles that are considered popular seem to be socially acceptable. Subcultures like scene, goth, or emo are frowned upon. You have to fit into the societal norms of fashion, interests, and culture. Everyone should be listening to mainstream music and buying the latest products.

This thought of living your life “wrong” brings about anxiety and increased stress. Students come to learn that their interests and passions are inherently wrong, which they are not. Individuality is looked down upon often in today’s world, and this view suppresses so many people. I asked Hubbard High School students the question: “Do you feel like you are masking your true identity to fit in?” One student, sophomore Austin Martin, replied with this statement:

“Well, of course I feel like I’m masking my true identity to fit in. I’m a part of the ever-growing population of transgender teenagers, and with a decent amount of people having different views on my identity, I tend to mask a lot. Whether it be my personality or my identity as a whole, I feel like an empty husk when I’m out and about, that I’ll never live up to the male standards but would never return to the female ones. My comfort in my identity somehow arouses discomfort for others, which I’ve never understood. However, like many other queer people, I’ve bent over backwards for the people that are deemed higher than me socially, as they fit a norm I cannot fit, and their validation brings me a step closer to being a man in their eyes—even though I’ve always been one on my own.”

So many people have been conditioned to believe that their idiosyncrasies are bad when they are what make us unique. Whether it be from adults like teachers and parents, the peers around you, or the influence of social media, many students are pushed to become the most stereotypical version of themselves.

Ms. Davis has taught for fifteen years—ten of those at Hubbard High School, one year at Akron East High School, and four years at Lima Bath High School. When asked what she enjoys most about being a teacher, she replied, “My subject area and building relationships with kids.” She also shared, “I like my grade levels; I like juniors and seniors. I think my longevity here is partially due to the fact that I have the drama program and the extracurricular opportunities here.”

Ms. Davis is very passionate about teaching, but one downside of the career, she notes, is the list of tasks asked of teachers outside of the classroom. While she loves teaching psychology and sociology, teaching government has become increasingly challenging for her, partially due to recent changes in the political landscape.

Educators like Ms. Davis teach students new material daily, but they also learn from their students. When asked what she has learned from her students, she said, “Picking your battles, empathy, and patience.” Her teaching experience has helped her not only in how she interacts with students but also in how she deals with people in general. She noted that students are rarely simply “bad kids”; those who act out often face problems at home or other personal issues that influence their behavior.

Ms. Davis chose to become a teacher partly because of the inspiring teachers she had growing up. Another reason was her familiarity with taking CCP classes, navigating the college process, and applying for scholarships. She felt she could use her experience to help students further their education.

Lastly, she explained her love for not just teaching but for school in general and how important her high school and college education were to her personally. When asked what advice she has for future teachers, she said, “It's not what you think.” In her opinion, no class can fully prepare someone for the actual classroom. Though the material being taught may stay the same, the kids are different each year, and their needs continue to evolve.

Hubbard High School student Nikki Allison shared her perspective, saying, “I’ve never had Mrs. Davis as a teacher, but I’ve had her as my drama director. I love working with her and being a part of her productions. I love seeing her fun personality and making her proud.”

This is Jackson Corbett of the Jacktivities Action Cobra Kobra (short for J.A.C.K) reporting for duty. There is a realization I’ve made as of late: people take up a lot of room. Think about it. I mean really, really think about it. We have houses, roads, shops, and airplanes all taking up space that could be used for something far more useful, such as palm trees. Or maybe koi fish ponds. Oh yeah, I’m digging the fish. They make their little glub glub faces as you feed them those dirt pellets not even Michelle Obama would deem acceptable. The point is, if we want more koi ponds, we must do something about the people situation.

Where shall we start? I’m thinking roads. Who needs them? They’re black, ugly, and don’t serve much of a purpose. If you need to get somewhere so badly, then just… walk? No need to be so lazy. If the Neanderthals could do it, so can you! By removing every road on the planet, one saves around 200 billion square feet of prime pond real estate. That’s a lot of zeros! Specifically, it is two zeros, as I did not print the entire number. One could even create a fish highway. Every road is a waterway. The fish can use it to go about their fish business and buy fish sticks and fish salad. I presume this is what fish would use it for, but despite what some may believe, I am not, in fact, a fish, so I wouldn’t know for sure.

Removing roads is an outstanding start, but what shall be axed next, perchance? Public services seem like a fine next step. After all, these “services” hardly serve anything one can’t serve themselves. Who needs the police when you can just buy a gun? Who needs hospitals when you can use leeches to cure your ailments? Who needs the school system when one can buy their own books? Who needs the fire department when one can simply throw buckets of water onto their house set ablaze? If it was good enough for the peasantry, then it is good enough for all of us. Now, we already have quite a few koi ponds. The next obvious choice is to replace essential services with golf courses—the sixty-year-old’s delight! We could even begin constructing double-decker golf courses to maximize the hole-to-ball ratio.

All of this is truly fantastic, but I believe there is potential to take it one final step further. Let us assume that people only need roughly one square foot of space to survive in. Eight billion people leave us with our footprint on the planet at only eight billion square feet. Some may reject this particular proposal as inhumane. I will admit that it would take some adjustment for people to adapt to their new life in The Box. However, we know people can manage this. There is a reason coffins are so small. If people weren’t able to live in such cramped confines, they would make coffins significantly larger. I know a guy who has been living in a coffin for a few years now. I haven’t heard from him since, but he’s yet to return, so I must assume he’s enjoying his stay. Doing so truly maximizes the space available for much more important things. I’m thinking of lawn gnomes. Lots of lawn gnomes. Enough lawn gnomes to make someone think, “Oh boy, that's sure an awful lot of lawn gnomes.” And it will be. It will be a lot of lawn gnomes.

We have identified the peak of human existence; now it is time to act. Do your part to stop wasting space. Move into a cramped apartment. Stop enjoying your life. Strive toward The Box. The future awaits us. The future awaits you.

As the first game of the season draws nearer, the Hubbard boys’ basketball team has been putting in the work and consistently practicing to prepare to face off against other teams in our area. Curious about the effort, team dynamic, and outlook for our 2024-2025 season, I interviewed two varsity basketball players, juniors Kenyen Franklin and Jakob Hayes.

Last year, the varsity team played a challenging season, ending with a final record of 11-10. They lost by one point in the first round of playoffs, barely falling short—a loss that devastated the team but also motivated them. Kenyen is an experienced player who has been on the varsity team all three years of his high school career. “We lost three of our senior starters this season: Lavonte, Gavin, and Javon,” he said. “But we have a lot of former JV players working hard to fill the spots.”

This is Jakob’s first year on the varsity team, and he has plenty of thoughts on what the team needs to focus on for success this season. “Our team needs to work together, pass the ball. Don’t be selfish.” Moving up along with Jakob are Brady Fabrizio, Talan Ifft, and Anthony Clark, who’s starting as point guard at the season opener on November 27th against Labrae. “Going from playing four quarters of JV to starting varsity definitely makes me nervous,” Anthony said. But his teammates have faith that he’ll be able to carry his weight on Wednesday.

Currently, the Eagles have played four successful scrimmages, and many members of the team are eager to show off the various plays and abilities they’ve developed over the summer, both as a team and individually. Senior Kyle Barr said, “I think the season will be great. We’ve been doing really well throughout the summer and offseason.”

One thing the boys can all agree on is team chemistry. “I’d say we all love each other,” senior Sam Wagner said. “We’re around each other a lot, so we’ve gotten pretty close.”

They’re all excited to start the season, so be sure to come out and support the team on game days. After talking to some of the players, I’m very eager to see where this season leads.

The arrival of new businesses often brings a wave of excitement and anticipation within a community, especially when it comes to essential services like grocery stores. The recent announcement of the opening of Price Cutter in our little town of Hubbard has generated considerable interest among residents. A long-time student of Hubbard High School, Sage Lukach, has their own opinion on this topic. “I was sort of hoping for a skate rink or even an arcade,” Sage explains, “but I guess a grocery store will do.”

Price Cutter is expected to offer a range of benefits to the residents of Hubbard. The store will provide convenience to shoppers who currently rely on neighboring towns for their grocery needs. Most families go to bigger grocery stores like Giant Eagle, Walmart, Meijer, and Sam’s Club—all of which are not in Hubbard. By offering a local shopping option, Price Cutter eliminates the need for residents to commute long distances for everyday essentials. This not only saves time but also contributes positively to the local economy by keeping residents’ spending within the community.

In addition to convenience, Price Cutter aims to distinguish itself through its pricing strategies. The store promises to offer lower prices on staple grocery items, which will be particularly beneficial for families and individuals operating on tight budgets. This is utterly awesome.

The opening of Price Cutter also promises to generate new employment opportunities in Hubbard. Job creation is a vital factor in the area’s economic growth, and the grocery store is expected to employ numerous staff members across various positions. In Hubbard, there are not many employment opportunities for high school students apart from fast food. Sophomore Aliyah Elliott expresses, “I need money, but I am not a fan of working in the fast food industry, so you will definitely see me as a Price Cutter employee!”

The opening of Price Cutter in Hubbard, Ohio, is an event that holds the potential to transform this small town. As residents embrace this new shopping option, it is likely that Price Cutter will foster a sense of community pride and contribute significantly to the local economy. I know I am excited about this new addition to Hubbard, but are you?

Sources:

• https://www.wkbn.com/news/local-news/hubbard-news/price-cutter

As obvious as it may seem, technology has become such an integral part of education, but for good reason—it has adapted the minds of students to expand their thinking into the real world. It’s what most people believe to be an easier way of doing almost anything, whether that be writing a paper, taking a test, or simply completing an assignment. However, what most seem to ignore are the downsides of technology, or why it holds students back, because it’s not always as efficient as one may think.

There are many reasons why this new form of learning has shown negative effects on students. For one, technology could pose as a distraction to students trying to study or complete classwork. It’s so common for students to completely drop what they’re working on because they saw their phone light up and figured whatever it was couldn’t wait. Another problem caused by the increasing use of computers in school is that this could create feelings of alienation for students. Being present in a class is beneficial for social interaction, but not many learners get this experience because the social aspects of learning have turned into something digital. With technology, it’s clear that certain needs aren’t met that help students grow academically.

There have also been studies performed that reveal the downsides of online learning. One of these observations concluded that “college students in the U.S. who used laptops or digital devices in their classes did worse on exams” (“How Classroom Technology”). This wasn’t the only discovery either. There have been countless studies done that demonstrate the negative effects the use of technology in schools can have on students. Another one showed that “Eighth graders who took Algebra I online did much worse than those who took the course in person” (“How Classroom Technology”).

A few students were asked their opinions on the question: “How has technology held you back in school?”

Jordan Porter, Hubbard High School senior, had this to say: “I’ve been held back by technology, especially during Covid. It was pretty hard to look at instructions from teachers on a screen, rather than getting the full explanation in person and having the ability to ask questions and get an answer quickly.”

Another Hubbard High School senior, Emma Harley, said this: “Sometimes I feel like teachers depend on technology to do the teaching for them, rather than going through the topic thoroughly in class or having a memorable assignment done with it to help differentiate the topic from others. I think technology holds us back as a school, and we’d be a lot more successful as a whole if we veered toward more person-to-person interactions.”

This input reveals that students view what is supposed to be helpful as more of a setback.

Sources:

• https://www.valvetime.net/how-classroom-technology-is-holding-students-back/

• https://cacm.acm.org/news/241813-how-classroom-technology-is-holding-students-back/fulltext

• https://wellbeinginyouroffice.com/what-is-technostress/ (image source)