This February 12th, STEAM Fest will be held at Hubbard High School. STEAM Fest is a day full of events centered around the acronym STEAM. STEAM stands for science, technology, engineering, art, and math. There are 16 events this year, all varying in length and topic, so there's sure to be something for everyone.

One of the most popular events to be highlighted is the Paint Pour. During this event, students will create a painting by pouring different colors of paint onto a canvas. Sophomore Elma Kassem said, “It was a fun new experience. I’m really grateful I got to be there.” This event lasts an hour, and each session only admits 12 students, making the Paint Pour an exclusive event.

Two other notable events are bridge building and paper roller coasters. These two events are exclusive to juniors and seniors and are the longest events of the day. The paper roller coaster event lasts three hours, during which students will compete in 20 groups of four to create the craziest, wildest, and most amazing roller coaster—all out of paper. Bridge building, however, is five hours long and challenges 15 groups of three or four students to create the strongest, most aesthetically pleasing bridge. This event is the longest of the day.

It is evident that STEAM Fest is an event looked forward to by students and teachers alike. It’s a day full of learning and fun combined, allowing students to have unique experiences. STEAM Fest is a great opportunity for students and is something to be proud of and grateful for.

The Supreme Court's ruling in the 1988 case of Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier and its consequences have been a disaster for the human race.

Okay… that’s a little dramatic, but hear me out. I had originally drafted a really nuanced, well-researched argument with counterpoints and the whole shebang. But then, I had a sudden sense of déjà vu and realized I had done that before—which is exactly why I’m in this situation in the first place (laugh out loud).

First, let’s lay some groundwork. What was Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier about? In 1988, the Supreme Court ruled that public school officials, including teachers and administrators, have the authority to censor school-sponsored student newspapers if the content is inconsistent with the educational goals of the school. In this case, the principal of Hazelwood East High School removed two articles from the student newspaper, and the Court held that the school had the right to do so. The decision emphasized that while students do not lose their First Amendment rights at school, those rights can be limited when the speech is part of a school-sponsored activity.

In other words, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of censorship for the sake of maintaining the school’s image. “How would this student’s writing make our school look?”

I’d like to challenge this way of thinking. Now, obviously, profanity, hate speech, and anything that a legitimate publication would not tolerate should not be allowed. However, limiting students’ journalistic expression to “whatever the school board feels like it should be” is problematic.

I respect our school board and trust them completely. They hold their positions for a reason. However, prohibiting students from writing about uncomfortable topics that don’t fit the general view of societal propriety is irresponsible and, frankly, a cop-out.

Discussions of controversial topics—race, gender, LGBTQ+ issues, politics, etc.—are needed now more than ever, not only for education but also to ease significant tensions from all sides. But how can teens learn to value others’ perspectives when student journalists are barred from reporting on sensitive topics and initiating these conversations in the first place?

The truth is, high schoolers are no strangers to these so-called “difficult” topics. Many experience their effects firsthand. And in this digital age, if students cannot access fact-based, nuanced information through responsible journalism, they will likely turn to social media—a place primed to ensnare them in echo chambers and misinformation pipelines. Without the opportunity to engage in critical discussions, they risk losing the ability to discern truth from fiction.

Though I’ve made light of the issue, this is a serious problem. Without clear guidelines that both protect students’ right to express their viewpoints and ensure respectful discourse, existing rules can be distorted and abused to exclude any topic administrators find inconvenient. In a time like this, that should be terrifying to both students and school officials alike.

Social media—or the digital world altogether—has, over time, become an integral part of our society. It allows us to build new connections, fuel our interests, and access limitless entertainment. Behind all of this good, however, are risks—risks to one's privacy, self-esteem, health, and overall well-being. After all, we've already discovered that social media has had a negative impact on everyone's mental health—but it's destroying our youth. Knowing that social media can bring people together and instill happiness, yet be the root of most mental health issues, is a frightening contradiction. With that, even though it is imperative to dive into this issue, there is no use in doing so without first explaining the common signs and symptoms of unhealthy social media use, along with the steps that should be taken to address it.

Whether you are self-assessing or attempting to help someone else, there are several things to look out for. For instance, “anxiety is the number one negative side effect of social media use” (“6 In 10 Americans Say Social Media...”). At Hubbard High School, senior Ava Flowers describes social media as “overwhelming” and “draining.” She follows up by saying, “Social media often causes me to fall down this rabbit hole of consuming the media's toxicity, and once I do, it becomes incredibly difficult to disconnect from it.” Junior Eli Barr responds similarly, stating, “Even though I still use social media, at times, having it doesn't even seem worth it because of the stress that comes with it.”

Depression, loneliness, self-harm, and even suicidal thoughts are other effects directly tied to excessive social media use. Self-absorption is also a prominent sign that isn't commonly mentioned. Although there is still an apparent stigma surrounding mental health, never feel hesitant to reach out, and stay observant when looking for signs in others. By doing this, you are not only helping them or yourself, but you are also helping to break the stigma.

It is important to note that you do not have to give up social media entirely to have a healthy relationship with it. Instead, we should take the approach of practicing moderation, as there is so much power in it. Moderation is defined as handling things in a way that is reasonable and not excessive. You may be asking, “How does one practice moderation when it comes to social media?” Healthcare.utah.edu editors explain that it can be done in one of these four ways:

1. Deleting social media apps from your phone—not deactivating, but deleting them to avoid the constant urge to refresh and re-enter the app.

2. Leaving devices at home to make living in the moment easier.

3. Disabling notifications.

4. Setting time limits on how much screen time you get for specific apps.

Staying consistent with at least one or all of these four tips will contribute to making a difference and developing a healthy relationship with social media.

Overall, now that we've taken the first step in acknowledging the harmful effects social media has on the mental health of young adults, we must take the next step of realizing that there is, in fact, a way to establish a healthy balance between ourselves and our social media use. In doing this, emphasizing the power of moderation is crucial, as it is the most effective way to create that balance. Remember, you do not have to neglect or sacrifice anything to experience the things you enjoy.

Sources:

6 in 10 Americans say social media negatively affects their mental health - Online Therapy 

Social Media and Mental Health: Social Media Addiction

Señora Badurik has been teaching at Hubbard High School since 2001. She is the beloved Spanish I, II, and III teacher. When asked what she loves most about teaching, she shared that she enjoys interacting with students and making an impact on their lives. She also said, “What I love about my particular position is that I get to have students for several years and develop a better relationship with them.”

When asked what she dislikes about teaching, she admitted that she doesn’t enjoy getting up early and dislikes the paperwork that takes time away from lesson planning.

Señora Badurik always knew she wanted to be a teacher and chose to teach Spanish because of her love for the culture, language, and diversity of the subject. Since she already knew Greek, she found learning Spanish easier and enjoyed speaking in a language that not everyone may know.

When asked what students have taught her, she responded, “Tons of things! They have taught me patience, understanding, appreciation, and all kinds of things.” If she could go back and change her profession, she wouldn’t—she loves teaching and can’t see herself doing anything else.

Two Hubbard Spanish students shared their thoughts on Señora Badurik. Senior Alexa Vansuch said, “Mrs. Badurik is a great teacher because she cares for all of her students like they are her own children.” Gianna Scacchetti added, “She is a really good teacher and has helped me navigate life both in and out of the classroom. Mrs. Badurik is very welcoming and makes sure that everyone is included. Anytime I need someone to talk to, she is always there—no matter how mad I make her.”

The final question was, “What advice would you give future teachers?” After a moment of reflection, Señora Badurik answered, “Focus on the big picture. What are the core things you want your students to learn—not just about your content, but about life? Make a conscious effort each day to instill those things.”

Through her dedication and passion, Señora Badurik continues to inspire and support her students at Hubbard High School.

It’s February, and for many, it’s a season of cold weather, Valentine’s Day, and basketball. But for one senior at HHS, it’s a very stressful but rewarding time.

Izzy Williams began work on Shoot for a Change her sophomore year. “After reconnecting with my cousin Christopher, who has autism, I attended one of his basketball games at Potential Development. After this game, I realized he would only get to play four games in a season.”

Izzy is an athlete who has played various sports throughout her school years. She says, “I couldn’t imagine only playing a handful of games in a season.” She wanted to take this idea and turn it into something that could help and benefit many people, specifically the kids at P.D.

Her solution? A charity game where she’d gather students and put together a team to give the students at Potential Development not only another game but also a chance to experience something new—surrounded by love, support, and community members who want to make a positive impact.

Organizing an event of this scale was not easy. Izzy discusses the copious amounts of research that came with Shoot for a Change. “I learned about donor letters and W-9 forms. I also had to start going to businesses and asking for donations.”

All of her hard work has paid off. Izzy’s games have been very successful over the past two years. So far, she’s raised almost $10,000 and seen amazing volunteer turnout. She has also managed to turn her event into a Senior Night to honor all of the students at Potential Development and give them a special memory they will hold in their hearts forever.

In closing, Izzy says, “This game is by far the most heartwarming experience I think someone can have, and it has definitely changed my life in ways I could have never imagined.” And she’s right. Attending this event and seeing the positive impact left on every person involved will truly change your life for the better. We hope you’ll be there! The game begins at 4:00 p.m. on February 1st in the high school gym.

If you read my last article, you would know that artificial intelligence is extremely harmful to artists, but what about the earth that those artists live on? AI is not only terrible for creators but for the planet itself.

Wasting Water

People use AI so much without really thinking about what it does to our planet. Some may just assume it doesn’t do anything negative to the earth, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.

“I have no idea how AI impacts the environment. How does it even waste water?” Hubbard High School sophomore Olivia Williams replied with this statement when asked how artificial intelligence is wasting drinking water.

Freshwater—the water that we drink—makes up only 3% of the world's water, making it a pretty valuable resource, not to mention that about 2.5% of it is frozen in glaciers. Some take this precious liquid for granted.

For AI data centers to run properly, they need water to cool them down. This water is often not recycled and is just wasted. Google's Hyperscale data centers use about 2.1 million liters of water daily—a lot of water. As of 2024, there are about 11,000 data centers, and this number is rapidly growing as time goes on. In the United States of America, the average per capita water withdrawal is 132 gallons in a single day. Data centers are one of the top ten water-consuming industries. Each string of prompts that you ask for an assignment uses about 16 ounces of water.

Ethical Uses of Water

There are an exorbitant number of cities, states, and countries that are scarce of water, and tech companies are wasting limited resources. A sweeping number of these locations are in North Africa, South Africa, and the Middle East. Qatar, Libya, and Afghanistan are some of these countries.

Living with water stress puts lives at risk. A lack of drinkable water can cause people to become deathly ill by drinking tainted water. Water is important for raising livestock, producing ethical energy, and growing the crops that people need to eat. At the very least, 50% of the world's population has had to deal with water insecurity for a month every year.

It is well worth the sacrifice to save water and put it to better use. Spend the extra twenty minutes and do the assignment yourself. By doing this, you are improving your writing skills and lending a helping hand to countries with water stress. Is it worth the damage to get the assignment done quicker?