By Michael Brasel

After gathering wood, I started running off to explore. As I was exploring, the sun started to set. As the moon rose, creatures started to appear. These mobs of creatures then started to pursue me, with some running in with shovels and swords, others with bows and arrows. I started to run from the monsters, but I had unfortunately run out of stamina, resulting in me having to figure something else out. In desperation, I dug a hole in the dirt and covered the opening up. I then waited until I thought it was day again, with there being seemingly no indication of the monsters upon exiting the hole.

Minecraft, a game that has been around almost as long as we have, with the game originally released in 2009. The game has sold 350 million copies, with it the #1 best-selling game in the world. The game has been an influence on many of us, with its iconic look and music. For some of us, our first experience with Minecraft was akin to the scene above. For others, they messed around with building in a creative world. Many of us grew up with Minecraft, from having it at home, going to our friends to play, or watching some of the many content creators that make videos about the game.

I originally came in contact with the game in 2012, when I was in first grade. I had started school and made some friends, as this was my first year living in California. Some of these friends had Minecraft. With them, I of course played Minecraft, playing in survival with peaceful difficulty. We would make grand structures out of cobblestone and oak wood. One of the most vivid scenes I remember of the game was the first time I ever played on a difficulty that mobs could spawn on. I was hungry, as I didn’t know how to get food at the time, with it being sunrise. Being chased by an enderman, I hollowed out an oak tree and hid in it. As the sun rose, the leaves slowly decayed, with the enderman getting closer and closer until it was finally able to reach and end my character. 

Later on, while my family was still living in California, my parents got us a Wii U. Now I know that this system was a failure according to Nintendo, and that it sold very little, but it was amazing to me. And of course, we got Minecraft for it. I learned more about how the in-game functions worked. My brother and I made expansive, creative worlds, with a bunch of what we would now call simple builds. And as the game updated, we would make a new world utilizing the new blocks. I remember after getting what is known as the Combat Update, creating a shop out of purple, black, and pink blocks that was filled with purpur and end rods and dragon heads. I thought it was such an awesome build, too.

Sometime after moving to Illinois in 2017, we gained access to YouTube. There, I started watching several Minecraft-based content creators, such as PopularMMOs, Stampy, and DanTDM. I would try and recreate stuff from their videos, but it would never work due to them either being mods or animated sequences that you can’t make in the vanilla game.

The game has been a huge influence on my whole life. It has given me so much joy. Being able to play with friends and express my creativity through it has been amazing. And although some seem to dislike some of the more recent updates, I still enjoy the game. Nowadays, I have access to Bedrock Edition and overall play the game less often. But I still regularly watch videos from creators like MumboJumbo and Grian. This game will always be a major part of my childhood and will likely be a presence in the future, even more than we will experience the game, and hopefully have them make similar memories to ours.

By Azucena Mejía

I think we all have or have challenges that we need to overcome. Some might be hard to overcome, others could be the smallest things, and not even bother with it. I know I had to overcome some challenges of my own. Let me tell you about it.

When I first moved to Peotone, I had no idea that it would be this small town in the middle of nowhere (it's not actually) with not a lot of people in it. And I especially did not know that the schools here would be so small with so few students. At first, I didn’t like it, I thought that my life was over and that I was never going to be able to get used to this lifestyle or that I was going to have any friends. 

I remember the first time stepping into the Junior High, thinking about what or how my life was going to be like. I remember being so nervous and anxious that I almost ran out of the building, but I held myself together and was able to go through it. And that's how it was all throughout Junior High, I kind of just kept to myself, had my little friend groups here and there, always quiet, and would like to sit in the back of the class. I never participated much and never liked to ask questions or ask for help. 

When I got to high school, I started to wrap my head around the idea that I had to be perfect. I would tell myself that I had to have good grades, do good in school, have perfect attendance, and so much more. I began to tell myself that if I wasn’t doing a good job or that I wasn’t being perfect, I wasn’t good enough, and that I wouldn’t be getting anywhere in life. This stuck with me for most of my freshman year. I became so normalized by this idea that I didn’t realize how much damage it was doing to me until my sophomore year. 

Going into my sophomore year, I was probably lonelier than ever. I felt like I couldn’t talk to anyone, and that I didn’t belong in school. I fell into this routine of going to school, doing my work, coming home, and just studying like crazy, and then sometimes there would be days where I would be so overwhelmed that I couldn’t even go to bed, or sometimes I would just cry myself to sleep. And at this point, I was used to hiding my emotions so that no one would really notice. I became numb, and I felt like I couldn’t escape, and I would always be home, spacing out. 

However, things did get better when I met one of the most important people, my best friend Leslie. Ever since I met her, things started to get so much better, it's like she was the light I needed to get to the end of the tunnel. She and I have very similar backgrounds of where we came from and who we are, which is probably why we really clicked instantly. We are kind of the same person. In an interview, I asked her what one of the best moments she had had here since coming to Peotone was. She responded with “It's the fact that I got to meet you and we were able to create so many memories and how we got along and understand one another,” She has helped me overcome so much by making me go outside, she taught me that there was so much more to life than just school and work she and helped me realize that you don’t have to be perfect and you are worth so much more than your grades or how good you are in school. She also helped me realize that sometimes you need to stop listening to that voice in your head and stop giving it so much attention because if you don’t, that voice will only get worse. And she also showed me what it's like to have a real friend who actually listens to you and is there for you. 

This quote is from my mom and she said “Ever since Azucena met Leslie its like she has become this different person Leslie brings out a side of her that I don't’ think anyone has seen and that truly makes me happy to see that she’s so happy with her and so radiant” sometimes she won’t even have to ask who im going out with or who’s there because she already knows that Leslie is pretty much the only one I hangout with. I'm sure there will be a lot more battles that I will have to overcome eventually, but I know now that I won’t be alone when it happens.

By Smiltė Karčiauskaitė

If the world ended tomorrow, I’d run—not to escape, but to find the best food I can, blasting music in my headphones and dancing in the streets like it’s my last concert. And I’d be wearing something I designed myself, of course—because if the world’s going to end, I’m going out in style.

I’d probably stop mid-dance to sing “What a Wonderful World” out loud on the street, because even in chaos, I see beauty. I’d laugh too hard, cry a little, and maybe hug a few strangers along the way.

I’d soak up every color, sound, and feeling like I’m trying to memorize the entire world in one day. And when night falls, I would get really comfy and watch my favorite John Wick movie—not because it’s about survival, but because there’s something poetic about the way he fights for what matters to him. It’s a little chaotic, a little deep—just like me.

I guess I’m the kind of person who, even if the sky’s falling, wants to feel everything and live loudly until the very last minute. That’s how I’d go out: not quietly, but fully, wildly, and with a spark.

By Kayden Pane

Thur May 8, 2025

With the end of the school year coming up, it’s officially time for Peotone’s annual Prom and Post Prom celebration! As per usual, Prom will happen at CD&ME, a wedding venue in Frankfort, IL. The night promises to be both formal and fun, with great food, a DJ, and a wide range of photos. 

After prom, students can look forward to the 40th annual Post Prom! This tradition has been around for many years, as a way to prevent students from getting injured at parties or other things that would happen after prom. Students will enjoy several hours of substance-free fun, such as inflatable bouncy houses, gambling, and enough food to last a lifetime. After the primary celebration, students will proceed into the auditorium, where they will receive prizes using the raffle tickets they have bought with fake money throughout the time of Post Prom. Students will be dismissed after the celebration has ended. 

Whether enjoying the dance floor or winning prizes after midnight, Peotone’s Prom and Post Prom celebration promises to be nights to remember. 

By Smilte Karciauskaite

The pet rock is one of the funniest inventions ever made! Introduced in the 1970s by advertising executive Gary Dahl, this silly “pet” is just a smooth rock sold in a little cardboard box with air holes for ventilation. Each pet rock comes with an adoption certificate and funny care instructions, reminding owners that their pet needs no feeding, walking, or grooming. This fun idea quickly became a popular joke gift, with millions sold in no time. People loved the idea of having a pet that was easy to take care of and great for sharing with others. 

Many enjoyed showing their pet rocks to family and friends, leading to laughter and fun conversations. The pet rock has become a cultural symbol, showing the playful side of creativity and imagination. It even inspired a trend of other funny items, proving that thinking outside the box can lead to great rewards. 

In the end, the pet rock is a fun reminder that even the simplest ideas can bring smiles and laughter, highlighting how essential humor is for life, just as my Lithuanian language teacher always said: "Be humoro negyvensi" (you can’t live without humor).

By Smilte Karciauskaite 

Imagine having the drive to set not just one but over 600 world records—that’s precisely what Ashrita Furman, an American from New York City, has accomplished! With a playful spirit and an adventurous mindset, Ashrita has dedicated his life to pushing the boundaries of what’s possible, showcasing an impressive ability to turn everyday items into record-setting opportunities. His journey began in the 1970s, when he discovered the joy of trying new things, leading him to pursue increasingly challenging feats. 

He holds the Guinness World Record for the most records ever set, earning a spot in history for his incredible achievements. One of his most memorable accomplishments involves organizing a massive gathering of 2,500 people dressed as Smurfs, establishing a new record for the largest gathering in blue costumes. His ventures are as varied as they are entertaining, including everything from the fastest time to balance a basketball on his head to the most jump rope skips on a pogo stick. 

Ashrita' relentless pursuit of new challenges comes from a belief that life should be filled with excitement and wonder. He aims to inspire others to embrace their uniqueness and pursue their passions, reminding us all that stepping outside our comfort zones can lead to extraordinary adventures.

By Azucena Mejía

Fri February 28, 2025

Have you ever been told a funny joke and you couldn’t stop laughing? Did you know that Laughter has such a big power over us that we can’t control it? Let me explain.

When I get told something funny, I tend to enter this laughing mood and can never stop for a while. I always wondered why I couldn’t control myself at that moment. Well, this is called a “giggle loop,” this is a loop where your body can’t control the laughter and is just a cycle of giggles and laughter. An anthropologist Munro Edmonson stated the central feature of laughter is aspiration: we release a forceful puff of air as we laugh. Laughter is also characterized by repetition, in fact, given the extraordinary variability in the sounds people make when they laugh, repetition is what makes laughter recognizable.

When someone laughs they manifold sound like “he-he-he” or “ha-ha-ha” however Edmonson observed that laughter can be represented in many way in Russia it is heard as “xe-xe-xe” in Tzotzil Mayan language spoken in Mexico its “eh-eh-eh” Its not fully understood why humans make this sound when they laugh but they do know it's very contagious. In the end laughter is a deeply curious thing. It is simultaneously the most social of human expressions, however, it can also be the most disruptive of social edifices and rules. Shared sanctioned laughter might bring us together, but unstructured laughter shows the cracks revealing that we're not quite who we think we are.

So if you ever go about your day and start laughing and burst into tears just know you're probably not going to be able to control yourself for a good minute.

By Smilte Karciauskaite

The Korean age system is quite different from how most of the world calculates age. In Korea, people are considered to be one year old at birth, which can be confusing for those unfamiliar with it. In this system, when a baby is born, they automatically start at one year old, and when the New Year (known as Seollal) arrives, everyone gets one year older, even if their birthday hasn’t yet occurred. For example, a baby born in December would be considered one year old at birth and then two years old come January, despite having their birthday still months away.

Age holds significant importance in Korean culture; it influences social interactions, as younger individuals are expected to show respect to their elders. Certain ages, like turning 60, are celebrated with large parties called "Hwangap," marking a special milestone in life. Additionally, people often form connections based on their age, making it an essential aspect of social life.

A few years ago, there was a push to change how age is counted in Korea. With increased globalization, many younger Koreans are adopting the international age system, which counts from zero at birth and adds a year on each birthday. In December 2022, a law was passed to reduce the use of the traditional Korean age system in official settings, helping to simplify interactions, especially with foreigners.

Ultimately, the Korean age system is a fascinating part of the country’s culture, highlighting the importance of age in shaping relationships and social norms. Understanding it can enhance appreciation for Korean customs, whether for fun or while planning a visit.

By Smilte Karciauskaite

Ever found yourself endlessly scrolling through bad news, even when it makes you feel worse? That’s called doomscrolling, a habit many of us have fallen into, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic. While it may seem like a way to stay informed, it can actually leave you feeling more anxious and stressed than ever.

Doomscrolling is when you can’t stop reading or watching negative news, no matter how much it impacts your mood. You might feel like you need to know every detail to stay prepared, but this constant exposure to negativity can harm your mental health. It’s a cycle that’s easy to fall into, but being aware of it is the first step toward breaking free.

With everything happening in the world right now—from political turmoil to natural disasters and ongoing health crises—it's easy to get caught up in doomscrolling. The constant stream of negative news can feel overwhelming, and you may keep scrolling in an attempt to understand more or feel more in control. But this never-ending cycle only deepens feelings of stress, fear, and hopelessness.

To break free from doomscrolling, it's important to pay attention to how it makes you feel. With so much going on, it's essential to take breaks from the news cycle. Try setting limits on your screen time, seek out positive stories, and focus on actions you can take to make a difference. By doing this, you can protect your mental health and feel more grounded, even during uncertain times.

By Wayde Beechy

Almost all the months of the year have a holiday or something exciting happening in them. Some would argue that January has some exciting days, like New Year's Day. While that might be exciting to some, it's really just another day where no one has work or goes to school. Nothing truly exciting happens, and the possibility of bitter cold adds to the already boring month. To fix these boring times of January, stuck inside hiding from the deep cold, there should be a new holiday to lift the spirits of the human race in these bitter times. 

Making a new holiday may seem hard at first, but if you know anything about other holidays, then you would know some major holidays, like Thanksgiving, were just traditions randomly started one day (unless you consider 52 people from Plymouth having a feast or something the start of a tradition). 

The new holiday wouldn't have to be a feast, but I am simply just using Thanksgiving as an example. Perhaps a day of celebration honoring the birth of our beloved Mr. Price?

In summary, January is boring. Most months aren't boring, so it needs to be changed. A good way to change it is to start a tradition that could one day become a nationally recognized holiday, offering us a break in the freezing monotony that is January.

By Isabel Cortes

Fri January 10, 2025

The new year is here! You know what that means, new movies, new TV shows, and new seasons coming out! On December 26, 2024, Squid Games, Season 2 was finally released. The second season comes after almost three years since the first season was released on September 17, 2021, and it was rated number one on Netflix in 91 countries not even a full day after it came out. As we all know, a majority of movies or shows mainly come from books. Only so many shows and movies are based on true events. Squid Games just happens to be one of those shows. 

When you think of Squid Games it doesn’t necessarily scream ‘based on a true story.' It screams more of a thriller show or even horror. Well, as devastating as it sounds, people actually lived through this horror in South Korea in the 1970s and 80s. The place where these so-called ‘Squid Games’ were held was called, “The Brothers Home” in the coastal city of Busan. 

First intended as a homeless shelter, the truth was it was an internment camp. Police officers would take children and adults off the streets and hold them against their will. Inmates, as the police called them, were given identification numbers and matching dark blue tracksuits just as shown in the show. They were often forced to hold positions for long periods of time or play torture games. Less than 10% of these captives were living on the street. A majority of them were lost kids found wandering the streets, women or men wandering the streets at night without identification or drunks. 

This event led to more deaths than in any season of Squid Games. Approximately 657 people had died by the time they were exposed in 1987. Rumors of people disappearing off the streets and mistreatment occurring at The Brothers Home led to the arrest of the director of this masquerade, Park In-keun. Unfortunately, he was acquitted on charges of illegal confinement. The Brothers Home is now considered to be one of the darkest human rights violations in South Korean history. 

Although Squid Games may not be entirely accurate, almost all of the captives in The Brother's Home suffered about the same fate. However, these people did not win anything, rather they lost their lives and free will. 

By Smilte Karciauskaite

The Sixth Chakra, also called the Third Eye Chakra, is an important part of understanding yourself, especially for teenagers. It is located in the middle of your forehead, right above your eyebrows. This chakra is connected to your intuition, which is your gut feeling or inner voice that helps you make choices. While the first five chakras focus on different areas of your life like emotions and communication, the Sixth Chakra helps you see things more clearly and understand yourself better. 

When your Sixth Chakra is balanced, you usually feel more confident in your decisions and have a strong sense of intuition. This means you can trust yourself to make good choices and see things from different perspectives. On the other hand, if this chakra is not balanced, you might struggle to trust your instincts. You could feel confused or overwhelmed, and some people even experience headaches or trouble seeing clearly. Recognizing these feelings is the first step to improving your Sixth Chakra.

There are several easy ways to activate and balance your Sixth Chakra. One of the best methods is practicing mindfulness and meditation. Take some quiet time each day to focus on your breathing and visualize the color indigo, which represents this chakra. Doing creative activities like drawing, writing, or dancing can also help you express your feelings and connect with your inner self. Additionally, spending time outside, whether in a park or a garden, can ground you and clear your mind.

Keeping a dream journal is another useful practice. Write down your dreams and any patterns you notice; this can help you understand your thoughts and feelings better. It's also a good idea to limit the time you spend on your phone or computer because too much screen time can make it hard to listen to your inner voice. Lastly, try to visualize your goals and dreams every day, imagining them as if they are already happening. This can give you clarity and strengthen your intuition.

Learning about and balancing your Sixth Chakra can be a game-changer during your teenage years. By trusting your instincts and listening to your inner voice, you can handle the challenges of adolescence with more confidence. Taking the time to connect with your thoughts and feelings can lead you to a better understanding of yourself and the world around you. 

By Smilte Karciauskaite

The third chakra, known as the Manipura or solar plexus chakra, acts as a powerful channel for our personal strength and self-awareness. Positioned just above the navel and beneath the rib cage, this chakra embodies the fiery spirit of transformation and self-definition.

Manipura, a Sanskrit term meaning "place of shining gem," radiates a vibrant yellow color, symbolizing liveliness and intellect. This energy center is crucial for our self-esteem, willpower, and sense of purpose. When functioning harmoniously, the solar plexus chakra enables us to express our desires confidently and confront challenges with clarity and determination.

However, when this chakra becomes blocked, it can lead to a range of physical and emotional symptoms. Physically, you may encounter digestive issues or exhaustion. Emotionally, feelings of insecurity, fear, and powerlessness might appear, often accompanied by difficulties in expressing your needs or a sense of unproductiveness. Recognizing these signs can help you understand when your solar plexus chakra is out of balance.

Aligning your solar plexus chakra is essential for embracing your personal power and encouraging clarity in life. A balanced Manipura empowers you to accept responsibility for your choices and pursue your goals with a spirit of enthusiasm and strength. By recognizing your essential worth and releasing the need to rely on acceptance, you open the way for true fulfillment.

To restore harmony within the solar plexus chakra, practices like yoga poses, pranayama, and focused meditation can be incredibly beneficial. Engaging in core-strengthening yoga can activate this energy center, while specific breathing techniques, such as Kaphalabhati, wake up both mind and body. Visualizing a warm yellow light radiating from your solar plexus during meditation can further enhance the feelings of confidence and personal strength.

In summary, the solar plexus chakra is the foundation of our personal power, steering our sense of self and guiding our interactions with the world. By acknowledging and developing this energy center, you can embody confidence, self-assurance, and clarity in your daily life. Embrace the strength of your Manipura and let your inner light shine.

By Smilte Karciauskaite

Fri December 6, 20224

As we approach 2025, one thing is clear: creative problem-solving skills are a must. Did you know that over 73% of companies want employees who can think outside the box? Whether you dream of being an artist, scientist, or business leader, mastering these skills can set you apart in school and beyond. Get ready—because improving  your creativity now can open doors to exciting opportunities!

So, what is creative thinking? It’s the ability to approach problems in new ways, find innovative solutions, and generate fresh ideas. This skill isn’t just for artists or writers; it’s important in all fields, including business, science, and technology. In fact, over 10 million jobs in the U.S. actively require creative skills!

At a recent lecture I attended, we explored various techniques for enhancing creativity and problem-solving. The highlight of this lecture is the importance of noticing something new every day. Many details often go overlooked in our daily lives. By taking time to observe these details, you open yourself up to new ideas and connections. 

Another effective technique is to engage in internal conversations about possible solutions. Asking yourself questions like, “What if this happens?” can help you explore different scenarios and spark innovative thinking. It’s also valuable to change your perspective on problems, as a fresh viewpoint can reveal unexpected solutions.

Creativity often emerges when traditional methods fail, and it becomes crucial in challenging situations. To foster creativity, try defining specific problems you want to solve. Framing your thoughts around relationships between actions and outcomes can clarify your thinking and inspire new ideas.

Additionally, storytelling can ignite your imagination. Use people or objects around you to come up with creative scenarios. For instance, think about what a stranger might be experiencing at that moment. This exercise can inspire your own creative thoughts and lead to great insights.

The key takeaway from the lecture is that creative thinking is not just a nice-to-have skill—it's essential for our future. By developing and applying these techniques now, you'll be better prepared to face the challenges that lie ahead, both in school and in your future careers. Embracing creativity will enable you to make meaningful contributions to problem-solving and innovation, regardless of the field you choose. So, let’s start growing our creative minds and see where that takes us!

By Taylor Fritz

Wed December 4, 2024

MiSight is a brand of contacts that is helping blurriness in children not get worse. MiSight contacts are daily contacts, which means you use one pair a day, that work to treat myopia (nearsightedness) progression.

MiSight contacts are the only contacts for treating myopia by the FDA. There is scientific evidence proving this, backed by many countries around the world. The contacts, instead of having the light rays fall in short of the retina, they focus in front of the retina. This treatment affects the signals going to the eye, which slows the rate that it grows longer, which helps to minimize the effect of myopia. 

MiSight Contacts are able to be used by children, as they are easy for the kids to put in and take out independently. I can attest to this, as I have used MiSight contacts and they helped my eyesight. One MiSight user said, “Getting the contacts helped boost my confidence with just doing what I used to and it helped me get back to my normal self.” Another MiSight user loved her contacts saying, “It’s just what I'm trying to do and what I'm trying to achieve. My vision is perfect.”

MiSight can help your friends and family prevent myopia. Mytopia will weaken the eyes with age. To get MiSight contacts you can visit their website, https://misight.com/,  to find an ophthalmologist near you. 

By Azucena Mejía

Fri December 4th, 2024

Have you ever had to feel the experience of moving? Do you know what it feels like to have to move away? In this feature piece, I will be talking a little bit about my personal moving experience from moving to the city to moving to a totally different quiet town as well as the pros and cons.

My story started back during the pandemic when things were looking pretty bad. Businesses were shutting down, more and more people were getting sick, were running out of supplies, and people were losing jobs. Well, my dad was one of them. He didn't have much of a job and he wasn't getting paid like he used to. Times were getting pretty bad until an “opportunity,” as my parents referred to it, came up.  

My dad got offered a job, here in Chicago, by a relative and since things were pretty bad he decided to take it so he was the first one to move here. Then came my mom and me, and since I was taking the move pretty heavily, my parents decided to let me finish my 6th-grade year in New York and then we would have to move here to Peotone. 

Well, that's what happened and let's just say I didn't take it well. I didn't want to move and yet the thought of having to even think of moving made me feel nauseous. Leaving my home crushed me but I had no choice, I'm just a child. We eventually moved and the first couple of months were rough, but over time I got used to it and I found out that it wasn't so bad.

So in the end, moving could be both great and not so great for starters; The pros of it could be starting fresh, a new adventure, making new friends, meeting new people, and more. However, the Cons could also be having to leave the place you grew up in, leaving the people you had behind, and having to start all over again. Moving can be pretty heavy and depending on how others view it it can be an exciting journey or it can be a very horrible experience or some people can end up getting home sick like I did.

By Smilte Karciauskaite

Chakras are energy centers within our bodies that play a significant role in our overall well-being. The word "chakra" comes from Sanskrit, meaning "wheel," and refers to the spinning energy points located along the spine, from the base to the crown of the head.

There are seven primary chakras, each associated with different aspects of our physical, emotional, and spiritual health:

1. Root Chakra

2. Sacral Chakra

3. Solar Plexus Chakra

4. Heart Chakra

5. Throat Chakra

6. Third Eye Chakra

7. Crown Chakra

Each chakra has a unique influence on our life experiences. For instance, the Root Chakra is linked to our sense of security, while the Heart Chakra embodies love and compassion. When these energy centers are balanced, we may feel healthy, energetic, and emotionally stable. On the other hand, when they are blocked or out of alignment, it can lead to various physical, emotional, and mental challenges, such as stress, anxiety, and even a negative physical impact on the body.

That's why balancing chakras is crucial for achieving overall harmony in our lives. A balanced chakra system can contribute to:

• Physical Health: Each chakra is tied to specific bodily functions; a blockage can manifest symptoms in corresponding areas.

• Emotional Stability: Balanced chakras help regulate emotions, reducing stress and improving mood.

• Mental Clarity: A clear chakra system enhances focus, creativity, and decision-making abilities.

• Spiritual Growth: Open chakras foster a deeper connection to self and the universe.

In the coming weeks, we will dive deeper into each chakra, exploring the specific functions, how to identify imbalances, and techniques for balancing them effectively. Stay tuned for these articles that will empower you to learn more about the importance of chakras and how they can positively influence your life.

By Taylor Fritz

Tues November 19, 2024

Humans are the only living creatures that cry emotional tears, no other animals do. There are three kinds of tears: basal, reflex, and emotional tears. 

Basal tears' job is to keep the eyes moist. They are released in tiny amounts throughout the day, when they evaporate, the surface of the eye drops in temperature and signals for more basal tears. Reflex tears are meant to protect the eye from irritants, like pollen and dust. Reflex and emotional tears release more liquid from special tear glands under your eyebrows. 

Human infants cannot cry for the first few weeks of their lives. Experts believe the act of  scrunching up of the face to unleash a cry can put pressure on the eyes, simulating the tear gland. This could be why when people yawn, laugh, and vomit; tears can occur.

Tears are also quieter than wailing leading experts to believe it is an evolutionary response. Tears can more subtly alert someone of distress, without giving the person away to predators. For more information visit: nytimes. 

By Wayde Beechy

Tue November 11, 2024

If you live in America, you've probably heard of Black Friday. If you somehow haven't, it's the day after Thanksgiving, and it's basically a day where all stores across the country have sales on most of its merchandise. With the new innovations of online shopping and same day delivery, etc. the question remains, will Black Friday still be relevant this year and years to come?

Black Friday was originally made for holiday shoppers and tourists, so that they could get the best deals on gifts for the Christmas season. This day was very helpful for these holiday shoppers, and it soon became hectic. If you decide to go shopping on this day, you will most likely see tons of other people shopping, and trying to get these deals. This day is chaotic, but it is still an American tradition loved by most.

With this day being so big and being classified as a holiday, I would be very surprised if this holiday died out, considering these things. While there may be Cyber Monday, which is less popular. I am almost certain that Black Friday will still be prominent.

By Kayden Pane

Tue October 8, 2024

There is a lot of talk about the lunches here at PHS. One day it’s the “soggy” chicken tacos, and the next day it’s the “tasteless” mashed potatoes. But interestingly enough, those same people who say they hate the lunch will end up buying double or even triple lunches! So what’s the deal? Is the school lunch actually as bad as people say? After conducting a survey of approximately 70 people (to provide a decent sample size) in Mr. Diaz’s class, and interviewing a few more people, results show that perhaps these lunches are pretty decent.

Now, it is important to note that most of the results come from seniors, which is both beneficial to this research and a potential problem. As seniors, we have experienced lunch for the longest, and can give the most accurate feedback regarding the lunch. However, the survey was not necessarily “how do seniors feel about the lunch,” so the data could potentially be skewed because it was not introduced to underclassmen. Now, the data comes out as this: most people honestly don’t completely despise the lunches in every way. A majority of people would rate the lunch as a five out of ten, which means that while it may not be great, it is definitely still edible. Another decent portion of the responses would vote it at about three or four out of ten, which means that it’s leaning more toward the terrible territory. There was a very surprising turnout near the top end of the graph, where a few people voted the lunch as eights, nines, and even a few tens. It should be noted that these few votes collectively were still less than those who voted to give the lunches a three or four out of ten. 

In conclusion, it can be inferred that the school lunch isn’t honestly as hated as people say. It is definitely edible, with a few lunches in specific being not good at all and another handful being more edible than others. The school lunch is definitely not anyone’s first choice of food, but it’s honestly not the worst possible source of food. As they say, don’t knock it ‘til you try it!

By Isabel Cortes

Thur Sep 26 2024

    October is right around the corner. We all know what that means, spooky season! Many people, including myself, often look for events to go to, during this festive season. Although, many are unsure where to look. If you're one of those people you came to the right place.

Let's start off with the spooky events, such as haunted houses, Fright Fest, and ghost tours. Six Flags, one of the most well-known amusement parks in the world has been hosting Fright Fest for more than three decades now, beginning in late September and ending in November. As soon as late September hits, everything is covered with Halloween decor, haunted mazes all around the park, and ‘monsters’ come out at night.

Speaking of monsters, another spooky or scary activity is haunted houses. Haunted houses have been, and hopefully will always be, a big event in October. Surprisingly, there are actually only 2,500 haunted house attractions worldwide! Lucky for us we have many located in Chicago and the Chicagoland area. Some haunted house attractions near or in Chicago are:

• 13th floor and Hellsgate Haunted House 

• Basement of the Dead Haunted House Chicago

• Windy City Ghosts

• The Old Joliet Haunted Prison 

• Midnight Terror Haunted House - "#1 Must See Haunted House in Illinois"

• TIMBERS POINTE CEMETERY

• Disturbia Haunted House Chicago

• The Basement Attractions

• Scream Scene.

There are many more, although some are simply decorated for Halloween and there's no haunting involved. Such as TIMBERS POINTE CEMETERY, a house, may not be haunted but sure looks haunted. Perfect if you just want to see a very well-decorated house for Halloween instead of getting scared. 

For those of you who love a good scary story, this attraction is for you. Chicago has many ghost tours, ghost hunts, and ghost stories to share with you. You can look for more info on these activities on American Ghost Walks. Ghost tours and ghost hunts found in Chicago include:

• Lincoln Park Hauntings Chicago Ghost Tour & Ghost Hunt

• Naperville Hauntings Ghost Tours

• Aurora Hauntings Ghost Walk

• Woodstock Ghost Walk

• The Original Chicago Hauntings Ghost Tour

• The Devil in the White City Bus Tour

• The Resurrection Mary 4-Hour Bus Tour and Pub Stop

• Prairie Avenue Ghost Hunt

• Ghosts Tour Pub Crawl

If none of these interest you, don’t worry! There are plenty of more choices to choose from on the website. 

Enough of spooky events. Sometimes you just want to have some Halloween fun without getting scared. Luckily for the people who feel that way, pumpkin patches exist! Jack’s Pumpkin Pop-up is Chicago's largest Halloween festival. It opens at the beginning of fall and closes on November 4th. Two acres of fall fun, Jack’s Pumpkin Pop-up consists of 10,000+ pumpkins, a corn maze, food trucks, photo ops, axe throwing, fortune tellers, and gem mining. All ages are allowed to go, perfect for families. The only downside is the food is quite pricey.  

For some people, this may not be their cup of tea. It may be too crowded, too pricey, too loud, or dangerous. That’s understandable, so here is a list of pumpkin patches that are more on the chill side. 

• Konow's Corn Maze

• Odyssey Fun Farm

• Benoit Pumpkin Farm

• Johansen Farms Children's Zoo & Pumpkin Farm

• Puckerville Farms

• Tom’s and Zach’s Pumpkin Patch

   If none of these events are for you, check out, Choose Chicago. There are a ton of great activities to choose from. October is right around the corner so be ready to buy your tickets soon for these events. Hope you all have a great fall!

By Smilte Karciauskaite

Wed September 27,2024 

   Energy is all around us. It comes in different frequencies and plays a big part in how we live our lives, shaping our thoughts, emotions, and physical well-being. Everything in the universe has its own frequency, which is like a special vibration. Just like a string on a guitar vibrates to make sound, everything around us, even our bodies, vibrates in its unique way.

    These vibrations are more than just numbers; they can significantly affect how we feel and think. For example, the frequency of 528 Hz is often called the "Miracle Frequency" or the "Love Frequency," and it is known for helping with healing and relaxation. On the other side, lower frequencies like 174 Hz can help reduce pain and stress. Frequencies tied to negative emotions, such as shame and fear, vibrate at lower levels and can harm our overall well-being.

    Humans can sense sounds that range from very low to very high. Think about it like this: it’s similar to how we can hear a dog bark or a bird chirp. We can feel and respond to different kinds of energy around us, just like we can hear different sounds. Each of us has a unique energy that affects how we connect with others and our surroundings. When we focus on positive thoughts and feelings, we raise our energy level, which helps attract more good things into our lives.

     In the universe, energy is both stable and ever-changing; it can’t be created or destroyed, only changed. By understanding the energy surrounding us, we can better connect with its power and influence our realities in meaningful ways.

    When we realize that "everything is energy," we unlock the secrets to living in harmony with ourselves and others. This understanding can lead to healing, personal growth, and a stronger connection to the world around us. So, let’s take some time to think about the energy in our lives and how we can use it to create a happier, more fulfilling life.

For more information visit Medium 

By Taylor Fritz

In Tennessee, veterans are being helped by horses. The U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs is using the method of equine therapy, which has been a proven rehabilitation method. 

The horses are helping the veterans overcome their past trauma from wars. The main idea for the program was to have veterans brought in from the Tennessee Valley VA and for them to learn about the behavior of horses. They learn about these behaviors through interactions with their assigned horse. This also helps the veterans with learning about themselves because of horses' high emotional sensitivity to whomever is taking care of them. For the veterans to be able to work with the horses they had to be in a state of calm otherwise the situation becomes unsafe because of the horses high sensitivity.

Horses are able to embody their handler or rider and the veteran's emotions are then physically reflected back to them by the horses. Having this, the veterans are able to better view, understand, and work through their behaviors. Lee Farris said, “The program is set up to safely assist and encourage veterans to succeed in overcoming some of the fear we might have of large animals or horses but also to build our self-confidence and learn how to trust others and ourselves again.”

During the first couple weeks the veterans learn how to groom, care for, and get to know their horse. The program is ten weeks long and the veterans, at the end of the program, should be able to guide their horses and lead them through obstacles. For more details visit Horses and Veterans 

By Smilte Karciauskaite

Wed September 19,2024 

As October arrives, Halloween fills the air with spooky decorations and fun costumes. In Lithuania, a lively celebration that is similar to Halloween is called Užgavėnės that takes place on Shrove Tuesday, seven weeks prior to Easter. The name Užgavėnės means “time before Lent,” and it’s all about celebrating the end of winter.

During this festival, people create and wear playful, scary masks to “scare away” winter. They dress as devils, witches, goats and playful spirits, creating an enchanting atmosphere while dancing joyfully in the streets. A key part of Užgavėnės features two main characters: Lašininis (“porky man”) who represents winter, and Kanapinis (“Hempen Man”) who represents spring. As they playfully fight, everyone laughs and cheers. When Kanapinis wins, it shows that spring is on its way.

One exciting tradition involves a handmade straw dummy that is similar to a scarecrow named Morė, which symbolizes winter. At the end of the festival, Morė is burnt in a big bonfire. As it burns, people sing traditional songs, hoping that all the past troubles and hardships will go up in flames with Morė. The burning of the dummy signals that winter is finally leaving.

Another delicious tradition is the special dish made during this holiday: pancakes with many toppings. Children roam from house to house, asking for pancakes or treats, just like trick-or-treating on Halloween.

Both Halloween and Užgavėnės have fun costumes, community engagement, and playful spirits. Yet, Halloween leans more towards the spooky and frightening, while Užgavėnės focuses on joy and the coming of spring. Together, these celebrations show how people love to enjoy life and celebrate the changing seasons with traditions and fun.

For more information visit Užgavėnės.

By Azucena Mejia 

Thurs September 19, 2024

Pop star Justin Timberlake was arrested on June 18th for driving under the influence in a village in New York. And also has to pay a $500 fine. As well as having his license suspended. 

Officers say that they saw Timberlake run a stop sign and veered out of his lane. He was driving a 2025 BMW at around 12:30 am in Sag Harbor. That was around the time he was stopped by an officer. And the officer determined he was intoxicated. He pleaded guilty in his DWI case. Judge Carl Irace, who had suspended his license, asked Timberlake if he was willing to do volunteer hours of his choosing. He agreed in his words “I’d be willing to” and agreed to 25 to 40 hours of community service hours. 

Timberlake then told reporters that he tries to hold himself “to a very high standard.” He also said “Even if you had one drink, don’t get behind the wheel of a car.” His attorney Raymond Tierney praised him for taking accountability and using his platform to raise awareness about drunk driving. The attorney said that Timberlake had one drink in a two-hour span at the American hotel. Apperentaly, “he was cooperative, he was polite, he was respectful” during the whole case hearing.

The officer who arrested Timberlake stated that “eyes were bloodshot and glassy, a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage was emanating from his breath,..” And that he had also failed his sobriety test. For more coverage of this news, follow at Justin Timberlake Arrested

By Kayden Pane

By Smilte Karciauskaite

Wed September 11,2024 

Anybody could relate to situations when you must do something really important, and stress gets the best of you. Like Ashleigh Brilliant said “I try to take it one day at a time, but sometimes several days attack me at once.” It happens. That's life, but it's not impossible to learn how to not let yourself get swayed. Today, you will find out what stress is and learn easy tricks to help you manage stress so that it won't take crucial moments away from you. 

Stress is the natural reaction your body has when changes or challenges occur. When you think about it more, most of the time, stress happens when something is not going well or you have to do something you are not really confident about. You are scared of the unknown. Stress is like a safe system that makes you aware of the unknown. 

The early years of life build the foundation for stress management strategies. They greatly influence how children approach the world and cope with challenges later. So, how we respond to stress when we grow up is based on the plan we make after seeing the world and deciding if it's a safe place in the first four years of our lives.

   The brain's limbic system plays a crucial role in the processes of stress. It evaluates whether a situation poses a threat, determining if the body will respond with eustress (positive and adaptive changes) or distress (harmful and disruptive responses). When faced with distress, our instincts may trigger an "escape, fight, freeze" response, which, if regular, can lead to physical and psychological illnesses. 

   As teens deal with a lot of stress, carving time for enjoyment and relaxation becomes critical. Just as adults require moments of joy to recharge, teens benefit from activities. Engaging with hobbies like performing arts or simply being creative allows them to experience eustress—a source of motivation and productivity. Recognizing that some teens crave constant engagement while others seek quiet time for themselves to recharge is essential in finding the right balance between activities and relaxation.

 "Results only happen if you start to change something yourself," says Professor Eugenijus Laurinaitis from the Vilnius University Faculty of Medicine. We cannot always control external circumstances, but we have the power to change our reactions to these challenges. 

Memory involves three critical components: memorization, storage, and reproduction, with the latter often proving to be the most challenging. Understanding this process can help students prepare more effectively by relieving the pressure they may feel surrounding exams.

Exam = game, because we play with memory, so thinking that way should help to set your mindset in a game-like state. There are also simple techniques you can try to do on the spot. It's called the 555 rule: breathe in for 5 seconds, hold that breath for 5 seconds, and then exhale for another 5 seconds. Or, if you feel like eating, eat some dark chocolate. Study from Loma Linda University Health in California says that eating dark chocolate can change your brainwave frequency, providing benefits in memory improvement and stress reduction.

For more information visit:

Cleveland Clinics 

American Psychology Association 

Healthline 

Calm 

By Roman Jelinek

Roman Jelinek

Mar 1, 2024

AI has mostly taken over today's society, new apps, sources, and websites have been released with new and improved AI Features and capabilities, but something interesting has come into the AI world - AI-created images. 

Now, AI has been around for many years, but the new and improved systems are getting a little scary. New features such as an AI create images of oneself, all you need to do is submit or take a picture of yourself, put a description such as - “Put me in a purple suit with a white tie” and the AI will magically create multiple images with your face on a new image. 

Another new thing people are doing is using AI to generate/edit scenery pictures. For example, if you took a picture of your house, you could use the AI world to edit, or completely remix the photo into something else. This includes changing colors, lighting, and even shapes. 

While having this new technology in today's world can sometimes be useful, we also have to be careful as it generally can lead to misleading information and pictures. 

By Roman Jelinek

Thur February 29, 2024

By Roman Jelinek

Fri January 3, 2024

As it starts to snow more and more in the winter, many schools now have the opportunity to have e-learning days. An e-learning day is when students and teachers attend school online through a video platform such as Zoom or Google Classroom. Why do we attend e-learning days and what is the outcome? 

Having e-learning days is very controversial. The main reason why many schools these days is that they won’t have to make up the remaining days in June. Many schools have tried e-learning days and the many outcomes haven’t been great. Schools and teachers have seen a decline in students' grades and an incline in absences and failed assignments. 

I believe that schools should always try and have in-person learning days year-round because students have a better chance of attending school and improving their grades. As a straight-A student, I know for a fact that in-person learning days have helped me improve my grades and helped me have a better learning experience.

 The expectation when setting up an e-learning day, is that all students and teachers attend an at home video call and learn from them. As students sit on a computer for three or four hours a day, they often bore themselves and get distracted. By attending in-school sessions students have fellow classmates to interact with, and according to online sources, 77% of students around the world have said that they can focus better in school when they are in an environment with others. 

Having e-learning can be tough for many students, there are good and bad outcomes. I think that implying one or two e-learning days per school year due to unexpected weather conditions is ok, and is better than attending extra days at the end of the semester. 

By Nick LaPapa

Tue December 13, 2022

It is that time of year of hustle and bustle. Before all the shopping, cooking, cookies, candy canes and guests, typically most of us start to decorate our homes for the holidays. One of the first decorations many of us may put up is our Christmas trees. Years ago there was not an option between artificial or real trees but now families have a choice. A recent survey taken among Peotone High School students favored artificial trees over real trees.

Real trees can bring a special experience for families. Families can plan a trip to cut down their very own tree to bring home. Or they can go and pick a pre-cut special tree out to bring home.The wonderful smell of fresh pine will fill your house once inside. Remembering to water it can be a task nobody likes.  However the experience of hand picking your tree, decorating it and opening presents around it is special.  

Artificial trees bring a great convenience seeing they are stored in your home and reused for many years. They also save on spending as you will not have to purchase a new tree every year. Assembling the tree and decorating can be a family occasion for some. Not having to water the tree may also be appealing. Some people that do ot like the smell of pine, have animals or possibly are allergic, may prefer these artificial trees. 

Either real or artificial they both bring beauty to our homes and typically start our holiday decorating.  With twice the amount of students preferring artificial trees over real trees, one may want to try having both kinds of trees.  A different kind of tree will bring a new experience and create a special holiday tradition. The option is yours to do the choosing. Whichever you choose this holiday season will bring memories that will last a lifetime. 

By Nat Forsythe 

Tue February 21, 2023

Disbelieving parents saying that depression and mental illness is a myth is nothing new. This mindset will never make it to the trash, but the wellbeing of teenagers, especially teenage girls, is going downhill. 

According to a new report posted by the CDC, teenage girls are experiencing record high levels of sadness and violence. 57% of teen girls reported feeling “persistently sad or hopeless” which is the highest this number has been in over a decade and this number is only expected to rise in future years. About 30% of teenage girls said they considered suicide at least once in 2021, this is a big jump from the number being 19% just ten years before. Even though teen girls are not the only ones struggling, the numbers for teen girls are the only ones changing so often. LGBTQ+ and teens with same sex partners also reported record high levels of “sadness” and hopelessness, at 69% and 78% respectively. 

Despite what adults have been saying for decades, this is not just sadness and this cannot be fixed by punishing your kids. Parents need to take time to sit down and understand what their child needs and is going through. 

If you wish to read more on this topic and how mental illness is affecting people,  Axios has a great article, which contributed to my desire to explore this subject.

By Dexter Arens

Thurs April 20, 2023

On April 18th there was a breach in White House security as a small toddler crawled through a 5-and-a-half-inch gap between the fence posts. The Secret Service quickly retrieved the child and brought him back to his parents. They briefly questioned the parents after deeming they weren’t purposefully doing it and they let them go. According to the President’s schedule, apparently the complex he was in was briefly locked down due to safety concerns. Although the White House’s fence was just recently replaced with a bigger fence, the breach still occurred with relative ease.

Throughout the years The White House has been broken into many times. One man crawled over the fence and made it to the doors with a three inch blade before he was caught and detained. Another man simply walked in and roamed around the place for around 15 minutes before he was found and arrested. These break-ins were the cause for concern leading to the replacement of the old fence.

Along with those smaller break-ins, a much larger scale break-in happened at the Capitol building with a bunch of rioters storming the building over their belief of the election being rigged in favor of the current president, Joe Biden. Even with all of these break-ins The White House and Capitol buildings are considered some of the most secure places in America.

By Leo Bohland

Fri April 21, 2023

Peotone is a growing community with a population increase of 0.64% per year. While the average household income is over $90,000 per year, there is still almost 5% of the population who live in poverty. Take also into consideration the number of elderly people who struggle with fixed incomes and inability to put food on the table. It is this population that is supported by the local and community food pantry. 

Community Presbyterian in Peotone and Manteno run the Helping Hands Food Pantry to help those struggling with food disparity. The pantry is open to everyone, regardless of socioeconomic status or income. The pantry is open twice a month for people to come in and receive food and hygiene supplies or the pantry will prepackage a box of food and deliver it to the person or family in need. 

The food pantry is supported by contributions made by the community as well as assistance from other sources. The local Boy Scout Troop 315 and the Girl Scouts have charity pick up at least twice a year, collecting food and supplies to help stock the pantry. Donations are accepted from anyone and their website lists the most needed items.

Another recent fundraising drive came on behalf of a program, Pack The Pantry With Produce, created by PES to raise a goal $2,000 to provide the pantry with an item it often lacks, fresh produce. As encouragement, if the students and families reached that goal, they got to duct tape the principal, Mrs. Zurales, to a wall. To date, they have raised close to $4,000. For round one of delivery, Ms. Spisak and Ms. Brunzie’s class went first and helped unload 86 bags of fresh apples provided by Berkots.

By Staff Writer (?)

The topic of artificial intelligence (AI) has become increasingly popular in recent years, with advancements in technology and the growth of machine learning. One area where AI has made significant strides is in the realm of paper writing. Many computer programs and AI algorithms have been developed to aid in the creation of written content. 

First, it is important to acknowledge the benefits of using AI to write a paper. One of the most significant benefits is the ability to save time and increase productivity.  By using a paper generator, it takes mere seconds to create an article that can then be customized to fit your needs. It also automatically finds mistakes in spelling and grammar and corrects them. AI can also take into consideration the age, culture and general population you are writing about and adjust accordingly. 

Even though it can generate a paper in a few keyboard clicks, it lacks the creativity of human writers, which can be seen in many AI written papers. 

What about AI taking over the world, or at least taking over jobs held by humans? It is possible, but people have to use these tools in an ethical and responsible manner. Using AI can help, but we must acknowledge the benefits and the limitations that it presents. The goal is to help improve quality and efficiency, not as a replacement for knowledge and hard work that human writers contribute. 

By: Avery Postma

Thur September 21, 2023

Over two hundred Peotone students, past and present, as well as residents gathered in front of Peotone High School in a service so moving, no eye was left dry.  Peotone High School Spanish teacher and Fellowship of Christian Athletes sponsor, Luisa Suarez, organized a candlelight vigil in support of the Cardenas family.  The Cardenas family lost their loved one Alex- a Peotone High School alumni from the class 2023-  in a deadly car accident on September 10.  

The vigil began with a prayer by Luisa Suarez and Steve Surine, a pastor from a church just minutes from the high school.  Alex’s older brother and aunt were invited up to speak, each telling stories of Alex’s life, one that although cut short, was filled with joy and thanking everyone for the support that had been shown to the family.  

Many of his other family members got up to speak throughout the evening, including Alex’s two younger brothers.  These young boys managed to bring smiles and even a few laughs to the faces of everyone there, through funny stories and heartwarming memories. One brother recalled that Alex was constantly sleeping in and that he always had to check on him over and over to wake up.  A remark that made the whole group chuckle.  Alex’s other brother said that Alex was a legend and that he wouldn’t be who he is today if not for Alex.

Throughout the vigil, many Peotone students, alumni, and friends came up to the small stage set up to recount memories and shed light on the person that Alex was in his time with all of them.  Each of these friends and many teammates from the school sports that Alex not only participated in, but excelled in: football and wrestling, told everyone in attendance about Alex’s profound character and spirit of joy.  The widespread theme throughout these tellings was of Alex’s fun spirit and positive attitude.  Alex was never afraid to have a good laugh and was always the life of the party.  

This evening of memories served as a reminder to all Peotone community members the importance of family and the value of the time you are given, as well as an opportunity to think back on heartwarming memories and to show support to this hurting family.  

This candle light vigil is a reminder of how close knit the community and family of Peotone is and just how important this family is to so many.  Alex Cardenas was someone that will never be forgotten and will continue to be a source of many smiles to come. 

By Christin Turner

Tue October 3, 2023

The British museum is known for having many different collections from all  around the world. The museum has over 5 million items in its collection, the oldest being around 1.8 million years old. The museum was founded in 1753 and started out with only 80,000 items; this collection soon began to grow. 

In August of 2023, the museum reported that 2,000 items worth around 1 million pounds (1,206,145USD) had been stolen from the museum. The museum had been asking the public for help to locate these items. The items that were stolen went as far back as the 15th century BC, this included some jewelry and gemstones. There was also a Greek gold chain dating back to 3 BC and other Roman and Greek gems. 

Some of the artifacts have been seen being sold on eBay; one item was a Roman artifact that was being sold for only 40 pounds (48.30USD). So far only one employee has been fired, for the accusation of stealing the artifacts, but it is still not proven.

One thing that people are mad about is that Greece, China, and other countries have asked the museum to give the artifacts made in their country back. Now that these items were stolen, they are even more upset that the Museum was not taking proper care of them, leading to losing very important artifacts. 

People are accusing the British Museum that they are the real thieves in this position. Another reason why people are so mad is that back in 2021, someone reported seeing the articates but no one did anything about it. This ended up making the museum’s previous director resign from his role last month.

By Avery Postma

Tues October 3, 2023

This past weekend while scooping ice cream for a group of adults who had come into the sweet treat shop where I work, I was asked a question that caught me off guard. A man asked me if the very building we stood in was haunted or if I had heard any crazy stories. I told him that our friendly ghost Irwin was something commonly joked about around work, but that obviously these were just jokes.

The man continued on. “Oh, you don’t believe in ghosts?” he said without even a hint of a joke. “Well you know the house down the street is haunted…”

Kevin Ziegler is a Frankfort, Illinois resident who lives in a house known to many in the surrounding area to be haunted. Ziegler had always been fascinated by the house on the corner of Sauk Trail and Center Road even at a young age, and when he moved into the house, he immediately began to notice strange things.

Ziegler met a man, Sam, at the annual Frankfort Fall Fest, who told him that his wife had grown up in the haunted house. He said that the house was indeed haunted by two ghosts: a ten year old Sarah, and a twelve year old Sadie. Both of these girls had died in the house and the man claimed that they both still abide there. Sam said that both girls died in the same room, a third floor bedroom. 

One of Ziegler’s friends, while on a video call with Ziegler, claims to have seen a young girl step into the view of the camera when Ziegler stepped out of the room for a moment. Kevin Zeigler also has said that one night, one of his neighbors came to his door to inform him that a young girl’s legs were dangling out of a third floor window and was worried about her falling. Zeigler and some of his guests have heard voices in the house and say that screaming has been heard coming from upstairs on the supposed day of Sadie’s death, October 22nd. 

A long time friend of Ziegler, Christina, said, “I believe they exist.” Christina also claims to have heard the ghosts singing and laughing during her time spent inside the house.

Although many signs of paranormal activity continually occur in the house, Kevin Ziegler says that he doesn’t believe that they are dangerous. He says, “Never have I ever been frightened of them.” Zeigler says that he prefers to think of his house as spiritually occupied instead of haunted.

This spooky season, take the time to consider all of the real life scary stories that hit as close to home as only a few miles down the road.

By Mikayla Peters 

Tues 10 October 2023

Hughes Van Ellis, “Uncle Redd,” has finally passed on at the age 102. Ellis was one of the last three known survivors of the Tulsa Race Massacre from 1921. Passing on Monday night, in Denver, Colorado. 

“He died waiting on Justice,”  Grandnephew, Ike Howard, told CNN News.

Ellis tragically was forced to flee his home at only a few months old with his older sister, and mother. Watching their homes burn to the ground and their people die in the hands of white mobs. 

More than 300 people died and more than 1,000 homes were burned and destroyed according to the Tulsa Historical Society and Museum. This Massacre controlled by white mobs eventually began to descend to an area called “Black Wall Street."

“I lost 102 years. I don’t want nobody else to lose that,” he said. After losing several opportunities and his home due to one of the most violent acts of racial discrimination known to our history. He later on in his life became a advocate, speaking on the Tulsa Massacre up until his passing.

Ellis, his sister, and Lessie Benningfield Randle have been in a multiple year long fight with the City of Tulsa and other City officials to make efforts of reparations for any destruction caused more then a century ago. Though in July, an Oklahoma judge dismissed the lawsuit that was held the City of Tulsa.

Though Hughes “Uncle Redd” Van Ellis has passed he will not be forgotten as he is a critical part of our American History. Showing great bravery during the massacre and now as he was able to bring up such dark times of his life to share with our country.

By Mikayla Peters

Tue October 24, 2023

Schools has evolved a great deal throughout the years when it comes to English. Giving students across the nation the chance to explore several points of view within books.  Unfortunately around 2021 a book banning wave spread throughout the nation. Now, in 2023 it has reached to Peotone, IL. Several books were brought up to the board, for several reasons, as an attempt to remove them from the curriculum.

What resulted was a battle of sorts between the board and the English department for these books to remain in, or be added to, the content to be taught. 75.58% of authors are white authors making an estimation of 35%  of authors of color. 

When it comes to high school English classes, students are most certain familiar with the standards, books like Tom Sawyer, Romeo and Juliet, Of Mice and Men, Fahrenheit 451, and several others. All of these are written by white men, but there are numerous of other books that display great messages that are written by people of color. Books like The Color Purple, Love, Hate, and Other Filters, I Know Why the Caged  Bird Sings, Harlem, and a plethora of other books that have strong message all written by people of color.

 Take the book The Color Purple, by Alice Walker. It is a book written from 1982. It's about a girl who is physically and sexually abused at the age of fourteen. This novel symbolizes freedom, courage, and transformation. Within only a year of being published, it won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction and National book Award for Fiction. Later, in 1985 it was turned into a film that earned five awards, one being a golden globe award. The novel shows a variety of real world struggles that should be heard and seen. 

Other books like I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, by Maya Angelou, was written in 1969. An autobiography of her life from ages 3-16, speaking about her traumatic childhood, racism, and rape that she experienced during her life. Throughout her lifetime she won 54 major awards and honors. One of her most known awards is the presidential award of freedom. 

Though inspiring books like those don't stop in there. The two aforementioned books are classics, and often taught, but perhaps what gets ignored, or the most attention in recent debates are some more contemporary novels.

A recent book, Love, Hate, and Other Filters,  is another great example of a educational book by a women of color.  This book was written in 2018 by a  women named Samira Ahmed, an Indian-American Muslim. Love, Hate, and Other Filters, is her first published book that shares the message of love, and finding your own path in live regardless of your background. It was inspired by verbal assault she had experienced. Soon after writing her first book she goes on to write six more books within the span of four years.

Women like them have painted color in books, giving different perspectives then just the standard 75.58% of authors. They have shared stories, struggles, and accomplishments within the books they write, offering inspiration to other people of color to share their own stories and experiences like they have. It's not for the fame, but for the acknowledgement of what people live with on a daily basis.  Novels like these would be a great addition to schools, benefitting both students and staff.

By Avery Postma

Thur November 2, 2023

On Saturday October 28, American actor Matthew Perry passed away at the age of 54. The Los Angeles fire department found Perry “unconscious in a stand-alone jacuzzi,” said a spokesperson for the LA Fire Department in a statement to CNN. 

Perry is most known for his appearance in Friends (1994- 2004) alongside co-stars Jennifer Aniston, Lisa Kudrow, David Schwimmer, Courtney Cox, and Matt LeBlanc along with many other films. 

Currently, it is still unclear the cause of Matthew Perry’s death. It has been said that he drowned, but research teams are still searching for the ultimate cause of his drowning. According to CNN news, “An autopsy has been conducted, but examiners are awaiting the results of toxicology reports in order to determine Perry’s cause of death.”

In 2022, Perry discussed his recovery from addiction in his memoir titled Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing. He battled addiction during the filming of the beloved television show, Friends, and because of this many people are wondering if this was a contributing factor to his death.

Three days after Matthew Perry’s death, his Friends co-stars issued a joint statement to address his passing, saying, "We are all so utterly devastated by the loss of Matthew. We were more than just cast mates. We are a family. There is so much to say, but right now we're going to take a moment to grieve and process this unfathomable loss."

This loss is one that strikes many people across America and many other countries.

By Mikayla Peters 

Thurs December 14, 2023

Any Christmas enthusiast knows that a staple of holiday cheer is the gingerbread house. It is the icing on the cake, or well, in our circumstance gingerbread house.  You may not like the taste of gingerbread, and I’d have to agree, as it has a unique taste but there's  plenty of other flavor options so there's no reason not to make one. 

For the purpose of this article, draw your focus to a classic gingerbread house. Not a store bought one though, a homemade from scratch gingerbread house. Here is your step by step recipe for a homemade gingerbread house. (Recipes credits to Sallybakingaddiction.com)

To start you’ll need your base of the house, the gingerbread itself. Gingerbread mixture will consist of a list of ingredients. You’ll need;

• 3 cups all-purpose flour

• ¼ teaspoon baking soda

• 2 teaspoons ground ginger 

• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

• ½ teaspoon ground all-spice

• ¼ teaspoon salt 

• 6 tablespoons unsalted soften butter 

•  ¾ of light or down brown sugar

• 1 large egg at room temperature 

• ½ cup of unsulphured or dark molasses 

• 1 tablespoon water

• Icing and assorted candies

Seems like a lot, but it is all worth it in the end. These ingredients are mainly used for the gingerbread base. 

The first step of creating your gingerbread house is finding a stencil either online or from Sallysbakingaddiction.com/gingerbread-house/. Then after finding your stencil set it aside for step six. 

Onto step two, creating the gingerbread dough. Start by mixing the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, all- spice, and salt into one bowl and set it aside. Next is Step 3,  start take another bowl preferably larger for the butter and brown sugar. 

Use a hand-held mixer or a machine mixer to beat the brown sugar and butter together. Then add your egg, molasses, and water on high speed till completely combined together. Once all the liquid ingredients are mixed together you add all your dry ingredients to your liquids and do one final mix.

Step 4 & 5, the not so exciting part, divide you dough into half with a recommended size of 4-5 inch diameter. Wrap them up snug and tight into plastic wrap and let sit for 2 hours or up to 3 days. After waiting your desired time, preheat the oven to 350 Fahrenheit. While you wait for the oven to preheat set out 2-3 baking sheets with parchment paper on top. 

Step 6, time to start making your dough look like a little home. Once your chilled dough is out take some flour and lightly sprinkle it practically everywhere in sight, attempting to prevent the dough from sticking. It may stick when rolling the dough but that is completely okay. Now that your dough has flour on it roll it out flat to a ¼ inch thick. Take the print out stencils from step 1 and use them to cut out your sides and roof from the gingerbread. 

After finishing cutting out your gingerbread dust a layer of flour on the underneath of the dough before placing it on a sheet. 

Bake the house shapes for 18-20 minutes. If you have smaller pieces like a chimney bake those parts for 12-13 pieces. Wait till golden brown is seen on the edges before taking it out. When you see the golden edges take the pieces out and let sit and cool completely.

Assembly time! Using a royal icing packet of your choice pipe the icing along the edges and stick each part of the base together . Use anything that can help prop up the base to hold its own while assembling. Once you feel confident in your mini home, let it sit for and hour to let the royal icing set. 

As you're waiting for the icing to set, it's time to make the butter cream for the exterior décor. Beat the shortening and butter together until creamy using your mixer or handheld mixer. Once combined to a creamy texture, add the confectioners sugar, milk, and vanilla extract and mix again till it becomes thick. If you find the frosting to be too thick add small splashes of milk until you reach your desired consistency. 

Saving the best for last, decorate you gingerbread house to your heart's desire. Make it as simple or complex as you want. Let the house represent you and your holiday spirit! Make sure to eat it too. It may be a long process and a lot of work but it keeps you busy on those cold winter days at home and is a great activity to do with your family and friends. Enjoy!

Roman Jelinek 

Thur November 9, 2023

The month of November holds great importance for many reasons. The fall season gives us time to reflect on the entire year and enjoy the upcoming celebrations. 

The celebration of Thanksgiving is held in many countries and serves as a time to be thankful for what we have and will receive. During the month of November we can express our gratitude for what we already have and people we love. This month also serves as a transition point betweens seasons. As the cold weather approaches, we see a change in seasons as the leaves start to fall, and snow begins to arrive.

Awareness is also important this month. Important causes such as Movember, are dedicated to awareness for Men’s health. Movember is expressed through Men around the world growing their Mustaches out to raise awareness to health issues such as Men’s suicide and multiple types of cancer.  This changes the face of men's health and strives to keep men around the world healthy and safe. 

National Novel Writing Month encourages many writers to take on the challenge of writing a full novel in a time span of 30 days. This organization promotes creative writing across the world. Participants are challenged to write a manuscript with at least 50,000 words. 

November serves as a time for many people to reflect and gives many a chance to make any impact. Whether its raising awareness for men’s health, completing a novel, or another issue worth noting, November makes for a significant month on the calendar.

By Roman Jelinek

Thur November 2, 2023

In a world with a constant want for perfection, it is important to know that not everything will create a work of art. However “bad” experiences can hold and offer new learning experiences. How can we benefit from our mistakes? And what effect do these mistakes have on us? 

One good outcome from a bad experience is learning from our mistakes. By learning about where we went wrong, we can gain insight that contributes to solving the problem. We need to identify our weaknesses in order to learn more about them. Learning about what mistake you made can help you build a structure, which allows you to build upon it. 

Going beyond your so-called “boundary” provides you with an opportunity to explore outside your comfort zone. Taking risks and exploring new ways of doing stuff can teach you new ways of doing stuff. These experiments may not always have the outcome you expect, but help you discover new ideas and expand how you see things. 

Focusing on creating perfection may cause us to oversee the real joy of failure. The process of failure, and fixing the problem, teaches us discipline and how we can manage ourselves. We are able to express new ideas and thoughts that can eventually lead us to solving the issue. By showing our imperfections we can find the motive to keep trying. 

Thirsty for greatness is something that today's world thrives on. It is important to remember that failing is a part of everyone's lives. Failing can lead us to an outcome that is greater than we think, and going beyond your limits can help you seek out the problems that are causing you this failure. Remember that failure is something that lurks in today's world, and only you can master it.

Roman Jelinek

Fri October 27, 2023

Human attachment has an impact on our lives and plays a huge role in, not only creating who we are, but who we become. How does human attachment affect us?

Being attached to another individual can make or break you, particularly during our early childhood and teen life. When you were growing up you created an attachment with your parents or caregivers that will never go away. You developed many traits with them such as trust and honesty, which formed the path of healthy development. 

Many of our early attachments with our parents or caregiver influenced how we developed or treated others. Individuals that have a good relationship with their parents or caregiver tend to have a secure relationship with their peers around them, but individuals with insecure attachments tend to struggle with trust and making healthy connections. 

Attachment to other humans can influence our self-worth. This contributes to a positive image of yourself and keeping your self-esteem healthy. We can have attachments that make us believe that we are loved and cared for, which can help us create a positive view on ourselves. Feeling unworthy and a low-self esteem can hint that you may have insecure attachments and are doubting yourself. 

Experiencing early attachment can also impact your well-being. We know that we form secure attachments, which introduces a development for healthy and emotional feelings. These feelings can be interrupted and pull us away from what really matters, which eventually can lead to depression and loneliness. To accept these feelings we need to keep a strong bond with those we love and maintain those relationships for a long period of time. 

Being attached to someone special is a step in our life that everyone goes through. The details of that can influence and affect our well-being, and the relationships we create throughout our lives. Understanding how to maintain and control attachment can help to create a more satisfying and fulfilling life. 

By Roman Jelinek 

Wed  October 11, 2023

World Mental Health Day was yesterday, October 10th, to raise awareness about mental health issues. This day promotes mental well-being worldwide. Organized by the World Federation for Mental Health, this significant date motivates people, communities and organizations to come together as one and address the struggles surrounding mental health. 

Mental health affects every detail in our lives. From relationships and purpose of life, mental health is an important aspect of our life. World Mental Health Day points to open conversations about mental health and make sure everyone feels safe and supported when in need of help. 

This day provides an opportunity to raise awareness to people in need and the importance of helping others. By promoting access to help and support systems we can assist people in need and prevent potential crises. There are many resources available in-person and online that can help with mental struggles. 

Events, campaigns and programs for World Mental Health day aim for public understanding and promote the belief that mental health is crucial, and that help services need to be accessible to everyone. By having these campaigns and programs we can hope to inspire and help those who are struggling. 

This day focuses on understanding other people who may be facing challenges. By teaching ourselves about health conditions, we can provide a safe and supportive environment for anyone who may need help. Small favors of kindness, such as offering assistance or talking with someone can make an impact on someone's well-being. 

World Mental Health Day plays a huge role in helping others. Creating a greater understanding of the daily challenges we face. By promoting awareness, finding support and holding campaigns we can work towards a place where mental health is equal to physical health. 

Please remember that mental health is everyone's worry and we all play a special role in creating a safe environment where everyone feels safe, supported and valued.

By Roman Jelinek

Tue October 3, 2023

In today’s world we often find ourselves struggling to keep up with the demands of life, it becomes normal to focus on ourselves, our mental health and well-being. Self-help is a great way to find our way around obstacles and rebuild ourselves. 

A good mindset is a key element. With a healthy mind comes healthy growth. Be brave, and accept challenges, celebrate your success, and see failure as an opportunity to learn from your mistakes. A clean mindset plants the base for growth and self-improvement. 

Taking time to reflect on your actions and mistakes is a great way of self-improvement. Reflecting on your actions can help you gain awareness of your strengths and weaknesses. Take time to journal and meditate, and to discuss your thoughts with a person you trust. This can improve self-awareness and provide information on what changes you need to make, as well as what you can improve upon. 

Identify, and set, long term desires and break them down into smaller goals. Setting goals gives you a layout and sense of purpose that will motivate you to take action in those goals and move towards self-improvement. Make your goals a priority and maintain the motivation to achieve those goals. 

Lastly, surround yourself with a positive environment. Seek out positive faces and trusting relationships. Distance yourself from any negative people or environments that can pull you away from having motivation. You have full control of who and what you allow into your bubble. 

Self-Improvement is a tough journey that can be walked. By having a healthy mindset, goals and building positivity are all ways that will help you achieve your full potential. Support the opportunity for growth and transition, and watch as you become the best you can be. Remember, you are the only one who holds the power to change your life.

By Christin Turner

September 21, 2023

It would be safe to say, for many high school students, homecoming is just a week to dress up for and then go to a dance. Not many realize all the hard work required for planning the dance and how many factors go into homecoming week: food, decorations, tables, parade, and many more that comes with the homecoming experiences.

As some know, the Peotone student council is in charge of planning homecoming, but what people don't see is the hard working hours that are put into homecoming. Student council has been working on homecoming since before school even started, picking out the theme and spirit week over the summer. During the summer they also planned on what food was going to be there, the music, and what decorations were needed.

Starting with decorating, this committee has been planning on what decorations they should have and how it should be decorated since the theme was picked out. As school started they have been getting materials and supplies to decorate our building. 

"Decorating may seem fun, but [it] really takes a lot of hard work and time," says a freshmen student council member. During school this committee has been helping in the mornings, after school, and during BDS (a study hall time during the school day). The tables at homecoming also have work put into them, this committee helps and plans out how the tables will look and makes sure they match the theme. Each table must have a centerpiece, table cloth, and some sort of candy or confetti to help add to the overall decorative look of the space. 

For the food at homecoming, people have to make sure that the foods are fun and everyone would like them. They also have to find people to get this food. Most school dances have drinks and small snacks, but this also requires ice tubs for water and juice to be kept cold, as well as the tables to be set up and the snacks being set out.

Next, the parade committee helps  with setting up the order line, and helping all different sports, clubs, businesses, and others get a float. Some examples of floats that will be seen are the football float, cheer float,and volleyball float. They also help with getting convertibles, police department, and fire trucks to come during the parade.

For the publicity of homecoming this committee helps make the flyers for around the school and also makes the banner. This committee stays after school to help with everything to make sure everyone knows about homecoming and makes sure the banner everyone sees looks nice and matches the theme.

The fun things during homecoming such as, powder puff, mighty muscles, and junior olympics all have planning out. Like what sports to play at the junior olympics, such as tug of war and musical chairs. The activity week committee plans these activities out and makes sure they are fun for homecoming.

Finally, there is the clean up. After all the fun has been had, the Student Council also has to make sure that they clean up after homecoming and find people to help.

When you are planning your outfits for spirit days, decorating the halls with your class, cheering your respective classes at the junior olympics, riding in the parade or just watching, cheering at the football game, and dancing the night away, remember how much time went into to every last detail and maybe thank a student council member.

By Dulce Reyes

Thur May 25, 2023

As this school year concludes, I wanted to write about my experience writing for The Devil’s Advocate and the purpose it serves to the community. Writing for the school newspaper made me realize how important it is for every student to use their voice and speak up. Using your voice isn’t always talking, it can be actions as well as your words. 

As a freshman that has taken the Journalism/Communications class, I’ve learned about a crucial element of every school system: student advocacy. This is crucial in every school setting. The education system is made to serve us as students and help us achieve academic success, but this success can’t be achieved without a proper and adequate school environment. This is why it's important as students to speak up about what really matters to us, especially in our school setting. It is also important to speak up about events that impact all of us as individuals and as a community. 

Journalism gives a privilege and opportunity to use your voice. If you have this opportunity, take advantage of it and inspire others to do so. “Giving students a chance to show what they think matters and hopefully inspire others to do the same,” said Mr. Price, PHS Journalism and Communication’s teacher and editor, when asked about his goals for the class. As teacher and editor of the school newspaper and news site, Mr. Price has majorly encouraged students to write and inform others about significant events that matter to them. 

Students should always advocate, and their voice should be heard, and the Devil’s Advocate gives every student that opportunity. 

The Devil’s Advocate works to provide news to the school community. If you know someone from the devil’s advocate, discuss with them the topics that most matter to you and that you would like to read about in the newspaper. We don’t only advocate for ourselves, we advocate for the community and everyone at PHS as well. 

By Marissa Velasco

Tue May 16, 2023

For all the book lovers, readers, and dreamers, have you ever walked into a Barnes & Noble, or any other bookstore, and immediately felt the need to find the closest bathroom. Thanks to the Mariko Aoki phenomenon, spontaneously needing to poop can be triggered by walking inside a bookstore. 

In February of 1985, a Japanese woman named Mariko Aoki wrote an essay which confessed the bizarre recurring sensation of needing to poop while looking for books. While no research has been conducted since 2012, some highlights from some Japanese studies are that as many as 1 in 10 people in Japan have to poop when they enter a bookstore. The phenomenon is 2-4 times more common for women and the phenomenon is uncommon among “sporty males,” which can be assumed to be athletes. The data comes from the Mariko Aoki wikipedia page since the phenomenon is not mentioned in any sort of medical textbook, so we are not sure how accurate it is. 

Potential causes for this phenomenon can be scientific facts to full-blown conspiracy theories and little of everything in between, let’s go over some of both. The gut-brain axis sounds much more complicated than what it actually is. Experiencing the gut-brain axis can feel like nervous or excited butterflies in the stomach. Some people who get nervous feel the urge to go to the bathroom and this can also happen in places where you are unsure of where the toilet is, which is a reasonable fear if you have irritable bowel syndrome or a history of “shart” attacks. This gut-brain axis can also be triggered when you’re overwhelmed with tons of information like museums, shopping centers, and of course bookstores. Who knew too much information could make you poop? 

Some people suggest the smell of paper and ink triggers their pooping but those smells specifically cannot correlate bodily functions like an onion and crying. If one has a habit of reading while on the toilet, your body can link the smell of paper and ink and the sensation of having to poop together to create bookstore bowel movements. 

The most believable of the scientific side of paper poops is the posture that is created while in those settings. As one goes searching for the perfect book to bring home, one needs to squat and bend and twist when looking through the books. The consistent squatting and getting up causes the urge to poop. Ever heard of a Squatty Potty? Then you know exactly what I mean. 

Now here come the conspiracy theories, the most wild and entertaining theory is that the publishing industry is working with the toilet paper industry. According to theorists, book publishers and printers infuse chemicals into paper that produce a laxative effect when inhaled, causing a demand for toilet paper. In the long run, reader or not, bookstore bowel movements, paper poops, or whatever you want to name it is very real. 

By Makayla Smith

Being the oldest sibling comes with a unique set of challenges that often go unnoticed. While being the first-born may come with certain advantages, it can also be a difficult position to be in.

The oldest sibling always has it hardest. They are the trial and error subject for their parents. Most of the responsibility is put on their back as they grow older. They are always expected to try their hardest and be perfect, while their younger siblings can surf on by. The pressure to succeed academically and professionally can be hard to manage. They have to succeed and be the perfect role model for their younger siblings.

Most of the time the oldest child has the least amount of freedom. Parents tend to be more lenient with their other kids. The first kid is the one parents are always trying the hardest to perfect. This often puts pressure on the child. They tend to grow up quicker as they take on many adult responsibilities. 

Being the oldest sibling comes with a unique set of challenges that can be difficult to navigate. While there are certainly advantages to being the first-born, it is important to recognize and acknowledge the struggles that come with the position. By doing so, we can better understand and support our older siblings, and create a more positive family dynamic.

By Makayla Smith

Thurs April 20, 2023

Taking a gap year is frowned on by many people, once you're off a year, who's to say that you will ever go back. However there is an abundant amount of people who need a year off from the stress and anxiety of a new school. Going away can be scary for many students, especially those with extreme anxiety issues. Leaving family, friends, and your hometown can be daunting, the fear of what the future can bring, terrifying. 

A gap year can have numerous benefits for students. Students can gain skills and real life experiences while allowing them to gain the confidence and focus on what they want to do in the future. Countless students go into their freshman year unprepared, and without a major declared. After taking a year off students can finally be confident in what they want their future to look like for themselves.

However, there is always the chance students will realize how nice not being held back by a school is. In studies it has been shown that many students that take a year off in between schools never end up graduating. It is easy to get used to working without worrying about classes and it is quite peaceful. Sometimes the natural laziness of human beings sets in and there is no turning back. 

By Christin Turner

Thur February 29, 2024

By Christin Turner

Fri November 10, 2023

Earlier this month NASA found a record breaking black hole. The black hole that was found is the oldest black hole ever recorded. It is said that it was created 470 million years after the universe was created, which is estimated at 13.7 billion years ago. This would make it 13.2 billion years old. 

Trying to find this black hole was not easy, NASA said that it was found in a galaxy cluster which was located around 3.5 billion light years away, but they found out that the galaxy was actually more distant than the cluster, with it actually being 13. 2 billion light years away. As it was described, scientists said looking at this Black Hole is like looking straight in the past. 

With this new black hole NASA can learn about the formation of black holes and change what we think about them, and capture growth that no one has ever seen. Not only is it really old, it is also huge. The mass is 140 million times the mass of our sun.

Overall this black hole can help astronomers learn more about space and learn about it than ever before.

By Mikayla Peters

Thanksgiving is a holiday to remember, gathering around the table with loved ones to share your thanks to each other. Enjoying the time with one another preparing the food, setting the table, drinking apple cider and eating pumpkin pie. All of these events help make the holiday season so bright and cheerful.

Though the biggest holiday to celebrate of all is Black Friday. The time where the sales are endless, and the spending is astronomical. Big chain stores like Target, Walmart, Kohl’s, Macy's and so many more  participate in Black Friday. People of all ages take the Friday after thanksgiving to go on a hunt for their desired items. This day maybe used for a variety of reasons: Christmas gifts, household appliances, or just leisurely shopping because the deals are great. Black Friday is not for the weak though. Many Americans wake up early morning to prepare for the ‘apocalypse’ that Black Friday brings. Waking up early, waiting in long lines, is all apart of Black Friday sure, but we can’t forget that Black Friday is only one day out of the three days of the shopping extravaganza.  

Accompanying Black Friday is Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday. Small business Saturday is day two of the event.  After a long Friday of shopping for the big chain stores, Saturday is the day to visit your local small shops and give them support as well. Saturday is not as busy and chaotic as Friday, but the importance of it is the same. For many small business it is a great way to advertise and get their name out there. Though these small shops may be small, they are mighty, as many shops use this day to show their authentic style and items. Using Saturday to showcase all the great work they have put into the items that they sell. 

On the third day is a Cyber Monday. Of course many online stores like Amazon, Apple, Nordstrom, Samsung, etc. use Black Friday for their sales as well, but for those who don’t or want to continue their great deals, Cyber Monday is how they keep carrying it on. Monday is the final day of all the great sales, it is the day for Online business or business that also have a website to keep the sales going for those who don’t want to go out in the jungle of Black Friday. The safer option some might say, calm and easily an efficient way to get all the great deals from your very own home. 

These deal of the year have made Christmas shopping so much more efficient and exciting, especially when Christmas is fast approaching with only a couple days left of November.  From big chain stores to the small local shops, or even online shopping is always better with great deals on everything. 

Roman Jelinek

Thurs December 14, 2023

Hasbro, the famous toy and game company, has announced that it will cut 1,100 workplace jobs worldwide. The decision came about as a result of the company struggling to keep up with the market changes.

These major job cuts will affect about 20% of its workers. Hasbro’s sales and marketing teams were the most affected. The company stated that they are taking some time to reconstruct and focus on e-commerce and digital initiatives. 

Hasbro also had a major decline in their sales and it continues on. Sales started to roll downhill back in 2020, when the company's revenue was down by 4%. Many voices were heard saying, “People just don’t like board games anymore, everything is played online." Therefore, the use of cell phones and online games had impacted the Hasbro company for the past few year. Active phone users tend to play online games  more and say that  board games are fun, but just aren't a need in the world anymore. 

Hasbro CEO, Brian Goldner states that the company is moving forward and taking these steps to ensure their long term success. He reported that this was necessary for the business and that they needed some form of break to ensure they have a successful journey on. He emphasized how it is very important to adapt to the rapidly changing market today and to invest in digital capabilities. The company says that they do not know how long these cuts will last. They will be providing all employees that were cut with severance packages and support anyone that was affected greatly by this mishap. 

The Decision to cut jobs seemed pretty easy for Hasbro to make, however the companies focus on changing where they range in the market today and what they invest their money in may help the company succeed in coming years. 

Christin Turner

Fri, February 9th

In Rome, hundreds of scrolls have been damaged with dirt, ash, and even aging. Archeologists have not been able to decipher the scrolls, but now they have some help. 

Archaeologists have found around 1000 scrolls that had been carbonized during the eruption in Pompeii or other disasters. Many have tried to read and unlock the secrets of the scrolls, but every time they try to open it, it has broken into many pieces. Some were still intact from a monk who had slowly unrolled them over many decades. The scrolls that were unrolled using this technique, found text written in Greek. Other than the select few that got unrolled by the monk, the ones that broke were completely unreadable and all the others were not dared to be open, assuming they would also break. The archeologist needed a solution to read these ancient scripts without ruining hundreds of years of history.

The archaeologist held a competition that whoever could solve the problem of reading the remaining closed scrolls would win $1 million. One team “virtually unwrapped” the scrolls, using AI and computer technology to see what the scrolls said. The team used an X-ray-type machine that was able to scan the scroll, then the team went in with advanced AI that was able to find the ink. With this new technology, we can see what ancient Rome and Greece were writing about and learn more about its history itself. Using these methods not only help 

By Avery Postma

Thurs March 14, 2024

In history, attending college was viewed as the primary way to achieve success, specifically financial success. In more recent years though it seems that this view is changing. 

The cost of attending college is higher than ever before, and overall enrollment is declining. Between 2010 and 2021, U.S. undergraduate enrollment fell from approximately 11.5 million to 9.5 million (according to federal data). 

Since 2008 the average tuition and fee cost has increased by 73%. At this time inflation was at about 43%. An average of twenty- four colleges are expected to shut down each year moving forward. 

Much of the recent decline in college enrollment and increase in tuition expenses can be tied to the birthrates of the current college-aged generation as opposed to the previous generation, which had a very large birth rate. This is not the only reason though, many Americans are seemingly beginning to believe that a college education is not worth the amount of money that it costs to attain that degree. Many high school students are looking to the trades or military as college alternatives, which is driving even Ivy League schools' acceptance rates to all-time lows. 

There are no signs of a change in this trend for the foreseeable future, but at some point, colleges will likely have to reduce tuition prices to keep attendance up. 

By Christin Turner

By Avery Postma

Fri March 22, 2024

By Mikayla Peters

Mar 20, Wednesday 2024

In the recent news, astronomers have been expecting a new star to arise in the sky during March and September. This particular star is predicted to be a once-in-a-lifetime-celestial sight according to NASA.

Astronomers predict that the star will arrive in the following months. The star is called a nova. A nova, is a brief explosion from a collapsed star, known as a white dwarf. Often, novas are experienced ten times per year. It is similar to a supernova but less explosive and massive, and supernovas are prone to happen over millions of years.

The nova event is supposed to occur in the Milky Way’s Corona Borealis, located around the Hercules Constellation.  Though it is not as big as a supernova explosion, it doesn’t fail to brighten the skies immensely. 

Though novas go unnoticed by a plethora of people on Earth, novas are still an interesting part of our surrounding spaces. They hold large amounts of light, and watching a nova can be extremely educational. Taking the time to learn about that is highly recommended.

By Mikayla Peters

Wednesday, April 10, 2024 

School Shootings have been a problem for years. It has created a mass threat to schools, and parents wonder every day if their children will come home safely. A mother and father from Michigan, though, are on the other end of this school shooting. 

Parents, Jennifer and James Crumbly, are facing charges due to not interfering with the acts of their son, Ethan Crumbly. They were both just convicted and sentenced to 10–15 years in prison for what was deemed their role in the shooting carried out by their son. The parents were accused of not properly securing the newly purchased gun. In effect of that, their son, Ethan, took it to school, calling it his “Beauty.” Ethan suffered from deteriorating mental health symptoms that the parents were oblivious to. This was one of the causes of the shooting.

The parents have been convicted of involuntary manslaughter due to the children that had been lost by family members like Craig Shilling, father of Justin Shilling, and Nicole Beausoleil, mother of Madisyn Baldwin. Both at the hearing of the Crumbly, announcing statements like, “The blood of our children is on your hands, too” and “While you were purchasing a gun for your son and leaving it unlocked, I was helping her finish her college essays.” 

These are only two of the handful that spoke at the court. They have lost their children due to two oblivious parents leaving something so dangerous lying freely. Though there has been justice for the children’s families, it will not be the same. Take a moment to be grateful for the safety in schools that have been given.  

Roman Jelinek 

Fri April 26, 2024

Every year on April 22nd, people from all around the world come together to honor and celebrate our united home - the planet we call Earth. This celebration happens every year and celebrates the beauty and the natural world, and the commitment we make to protect it. 

Across the many continents, the earth’s spirit is one of respect and renewal. From a rural city to a small town park, people gather to plant, clean, and learn how to live in a more sustainable way. Teaching the lesson on how to conserve and treat our environment in a great manner is something that needs to be showcased. Organic farming and eco-friendly ways are two examples of how we can conserve and help the environment. 

The whole point of Earth Day is to appreciate the landscape around us. From forests, oceans, grasslands, and so on it is a day to celebrate the great wonders that life gives us. The trees you see all around you, are ones that help us breathe, and the water from the many oceans, lakes, and streams provide us with water. The varieties of plants and bushes provide us with fruit and the ground soil with many other necessities. 

Earth Day lets everyone in the world pause and appreciate the beauty around us. We are humans who are dedicated to helping the environment around us and keeping the world a safe place for many people to follow.

By Avery Postma
Mon April 29, 2024

On April 28 law enforcement officers came together to catch a group of rogue zebras in Washington state. The zebras escaped when their owner was attempting to get them into a trailer to take them to Montana. Four zebras were out on the loose causing traffic to stop and some pedestrians to fall into panic. 

Local law enforcement officers were able to corral three of them near the eastern outskirts of Seattle, but one is still loose. One pedestrian said, “some cars tried to get into the neighborhoods to fence them in. They just started hanging out in the grass in somebody’s yard across the street.”

One local who assisted to confine the zebra posted video footage on Facebook and said, “I can now add zebra wrangler to my resume.”

It took the officers over an hour and half to catch the runaways and details are still missing on the fourth zebra. 

The local Animal Control is asking locals to report the missing zebra if spotted.

By Mikayla Peters

Wed, May 8, 2024 

Humans often think of the unthinkable, we think about what it’d be like if we saw a ghost or diving deep into the Pacific Ocean. Imagining ourselves in intense situations of the world's environment is something people have thought about often. NASA has taken that wonder and made a virtual experience.

NASA has created a virtual experience of different forms, of entering a black hole using a supercomputer and cameras. The movie starts 400 million miles away, quickly the hole consumes the vision of the movie. As you get closer, the sky slowly becomes distorted and lightens your vision. The closer the camera gets to the horizon, space-time becomes distorted, like the sky does. The camera slows, and then it seems to freeze at the moment of approaching the black hole. Astronomers would call black holes “Frozen Stars” because of this. Once entering the horizon of the black hole, you experience the process of “Spaghettification.” The black hole takes your body and compresses you down while at the same time stretching thin, thus the reason for the name "Spaghettification."

Though it seems to be fun to experience, the feeling of doing the impossible like diving into a black hole, it is honestly an unpleasant feeling to go through and will create destruction. So maybe going diving in the ocean is a better idea than diving into a black hole.

By Jenna Mustafa

Like many high school students, academics become our number one priority. The balancing of sports, clubs, and academics is sometimes difficult for 15-18 year olds to handle. However, some students prioritize academics above all else, so much so, that it becomes validation for some. Getting good grades, compliments on assignments, and awards for your achievements in school is what many teenagers thrive on. But when is the pressure of being perfect in school enough to break a person?

It is a known fact that students who crave academic validation often prioritize academics over their own mental health. The pressure of being a “perfect” student can lead to anxiety and depression in later years. It seems, at times, adults can lose sight of the workload some high schoolers have. Many have jobs, sport games and practices, and other extracurricular activities that require their attendance to be late at night. Oftentimes, students who participate in these kinds of activities are also the students who excel at school. However, when is the pressure just too much for these children? 

Students who suffer from pressure in academics or perfectionism, often focus too much on school that they soon lose interest in activities they once found joy in. Although grades may not be a big thing to stress about for some students, and getting a C or B is their biggest success, other students believe that a C or B is the same thing as an F. Self-esteem is also a big factor to academic validation. Some believe that school is the only thing that they are good at and that if they get good grades it will reflect onto their confidence. The reason why some people desire the need for academic validation is that fear of failure or rejection, to the point where they pour themselves into their studies without thinking about how they are hurting their mental health in return.

This validation that many students strive for is not worth it in the end. The cost of your mental health is not worth those perfect grades and the unnecessary pressure. High school is supposed to be a time in everyone’s life where they have fun while they can until they are off to college. One bad grade is not the equivalent to being a failure. Taking in your high school years and having fun while you still can is better than any validation you can get from academics.  

By Roman Jelinek

Thurs May 9, 2024

In a recent study, many scientists have reported back that sea life that lives deep in the depths of the ocean may have been the first animals to ever grow.  540 million years ago, these animals started to use light as a method to signal and communicate. These creatures live in the deepest parts of the ocean, so typically it is always pitch black, so using these various light signals was their only way of communication. Many creatures such as jellyfish, sharks, squids, and octopuses tend to have a shimmer caused by chemical reactions. These lights and shimmers are not only used to lure in prey for food but also to scare predators away. The anglerfish uses its light which is attached to its head to lure in prey. Other animals use this to find mates. Many types of coral species will light up when touched. Recently, scientists have used remote-controlled underwater robots to identify these bright species and capture pictures of them. 

By Maggie Begley

Wed February 22, 2023

The world is severely addicted to the internet, and it’s going to become a huge problem, more than it already is. Why are the most simple of tasks so incredibly boring and hard to accomplish? Why does it feel like the hours of relaxing slip away from us compared to the painstakingly long hours of work? Why am I struggling to write a single article for my journalism class? The answer lies in the devices we hold in front of our faces for hours on end. According to a 2022 survey, 48% of adults from the United States claimed to consider themselves addicted to their devices. Being bored is a thing of the past, however it’s one thing that definitely needs to stay around. 

These new generations of children are coming into schools with a steady flow of entertainment from their screens, and when they go without it, the reactions are startling. Speaking from experience, I have seen so many young kids severely dependent on technology and without it they have meltdowns. 80% of teachers in a study done through the EdWeek Research Center said that student behaviors have worsened with increased screen time. Our generation is one of the last to grow up (mostly) without technology shoved in our faces, however it definitely doesn’t exclude us from the addiction as a whole, I mean I could seriously defend the generation that has two separate videos go on at once. 

Lastly, I think it’s important to acknowledge the good and the bad when it comes to the all powerful internet. Without the internet there were so many opportunities for knowledge that we were incapable of reaching, however the internet has its time and place and that should always be kept in mind. 

By Roman Jelinek

Fri May 17, 2024
A beloved member of the community of a Vermont university has recently been given the honorary degree of “Doctor of Litter-ature.”  The degree went to a cat named Max. Vermont State, in Castleton, is bestowing honor upon its feline friend, not for his napping or playing around, but for his friendliness to the student there. 

Max lives in a house with his human family on the main street entrance to the campus. Max has been socializing on the college's campus for four years now, interacting and cuddling with the many students. These students enjoy picking Max up and taking selfies with him. Max even likes to tour the school with locals and sit in class with them. Although Max has been at the college for four years, he won’t be graduating and his degree will be delivered later.  

By Evan Lonard

Fri May 24, 2024

Is Red Lobster gone for good? The company made a decision to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. This caused them to “temporarily close stores,”  and it has been found that many stores have been auctioning off their kitchen equipment. 28 states are being affected and 99 stores for now. 

The one in Bourbonnais, IL has not been affected yet. In the future, there might be more closings but it is very unlikely that Red Lobster will disappear completely.  They have over 700 restaurants worldwide. The only ones being affected are in the U.S.

So for all the seafood and biscuit lovers, it is all safe for now but who knows how long and if more stores will close.  But maybe they can bounce back after losing over 11 million of a choice to make unlimited shrimp for $20. 

They already have plans to restructure leaner companies, smaller menus, and use their money better.

By Kristen Heintz

Thu February 16, 2023

The damsel in distress, the wise old man, and the chosen one are all common tropes present in all different forms of storytelling. With people more separate than ever these days, many seek relationships and friendships in a novel. Tiktok, Instagram and many social media apps have communities for sharing book recommendations and different tropes/situations to promote novels. 

Typically, any young romance novel reader has a favorite trope, “I think friends to lovers is the superior trope, not only is it the healthiest but it's so sweet,” said Senior Maggie Begley. These types of tropes typically revolve around the relationship between two characters or the characters and their circumstances. Not all of these tropes can be sweet, however. In fact, there is a cult following for darker romance novels that might have mental health ramifications.

For example, Twilight, by Stephanie Meyer (a pillar of YA romance), portrays Bella Swan having an unhealthy obsession with dark and moody vampire, Edward Cullen. Bella’s obsession is so great that she falls into a deep 6 month long depression after he leaves her. She is unable to function and keeps having literal hallucinations causing her to jump off a cliff. Somehow young people have found these situations between Edward and Bella romantic, and not indicative of greater issues.

It’s nothing new that people will be shaped by what the media shows them, especially young and impressionable people. Violence on the TV, absorbing hateful news. Impressionable youth who try to copy these behaviors could seriously injure others mental and physical health, and young people who believe this is romantic are more susceptible to abuse.

The Notebook, a film praised for its romance, depicts Noah asking the female lead Allie out on a date repeatedly as she says no. Instead of accepting the rejection and moving on, he scares Allie into saying yes by shaking the ferris wheel and dangling off the edge. Hollywood and the media in general have been very irresponsible by allowing these, ‘star-crossed lovers’ to become an aspiration for hopeless romantics. 

Lots of people fawn over young Christan Slater's killer good looks, but murdering is not very attractive to me. While he was starring in the 1988 film, Heathers, his character kills people who hurt his girlfriend. When said girlfriend ends things with him and plays dead, he tries to bomb his highschool in an act of societal defiance. Not only is there a lot of empathy for this fictional character online, but lots of young people talking about his attractiveness. 

These films, novels and different types of media are being negligent by sharing these love stories marketed to young people who might not know any better. Movies and the like are forms of escapism for many, but you cannot escape how much the toxicity is spreading into our entertainment. With Gen-Z’s current amount of media consumption growing, the need to recognize these toxic behaviors and set them aside from our real relationships is even more crucial. True love is respect and kindness, not just for you, but for everything you value. I’m not saying that enemies-to-lovers or bad boys aren't a trope you can’t enjoy anymore, but do so with boundaries between real life and fantasy.

By Azucena Mejia

Wed September 11, 2024

New Lenox Trustee posted fake facebook post and is now being sued by Will County’s clerk employee.  Ellen Moriarty filed a lawsuit on August 9th, 2024.  First court will be November 27, at the Will County courthouse in Joliet. 

Patricia or “Patty”created a post on facebook that defamed and incited harassment against her. In the article, it states that Patricia got that screenshot from Ellen from her personal facebook page, but Ellen claims that she never made that post. Moriarty also says that Deiters is probably the one behind operating the facebook page. 

The screenshot shows a line “Too bad he missed!! A heroic effort too bad he lost his life." This is referring to the attempted attack of Donald Trump. The lawsuit is accusing Deiters for creating the fake post as well as violating Illinois Civil Liability for Doxing Act, but Deiters attorney is saying that she got that photo from someone else. 

Moriarty’s attorney is stating that his client would never do anything like that and he doesn't understand why his client was targeted. The lawsuit is alleging that Deiters and Moriarty might have had complications. It also alleges that Deiters “has shown an open and public hostility towards Moriarty through various social media posts” according to the lawsuit. This is basically saying that Deiters has treated Moriarty badly on social media and Moriarty claims that she has had sleep issues and that she was paranoid and stressing over her and her family’s safety.  

Now DeVore, Deiters’ legal representative, is stating that he wants to find out and investigate who it was that posted that post because he wants to turn Moriarty’s, and her attorney’s, eyes to the real person that posted the photo.  The first court date is November 27 and will take place at Will County Courthouse in Joliet. For ongoing coverage of this case, follow at Will County Lawsuit

By Michael Brasel

Wed September 11, 2024

Environmental groups all over the world are testing water-based CDR (carbon-dioxide removal) devices in the oceans to fight climate change, by using a massive amount of money that became available in the fall of 2023. Climate change is a huge problem we need to deal with, and the oceans might be the key to start fixing it. 

Water-based CDR devices are able to remove 19 times the amount of CO2 compared to land-based CDR devices.

If you are unaware, CO2 is a greenhouse gas that heats up the planet, and with the excessive amounts we produce, causes ecosystems to collapse. There are several ideas for ocean-based CDRs, each with their pros and cons. One way is ocean iron fertilization. Phytoplankton are photosynthetic, like trees, and use up CO2. One nutrient they need a lot of is iron. Adding iron dust into the water would increase the amount of phytoplankton, which then in turn uses up more CO2. The main problem with this method is it could create dead zones, where large areas of the dead phytoplankton take up all the oxygen in the water. Another way would be to use direct ocean capture. This method uses electrochemistry to take CO2 directly out of the water and bury it deep in the ocean. There are two problems with this method though. It is very costly, and could pose a risk to marine life.

The one main problem with using ocean-based CDRs is the controversy that comes with talking about the coasts. In order for us to do these projects everyone has got to be on board. 

For more information, go to snexplores.org/article/stashing-more-co2-in-the-ocean-could-slow-climate-change

By Taylor Fritz

Wed September 11, 2024

Three people have died due to the West Nile virus in northern Illinois and Wisconsin, so far in 2024. There have also been 289 cases of West Nile Virus across the United States. The virus spreads through mosquitos, most people come in contact with the virus through mosquito bites.

In Illinois there have been cases in Cook, Dupage, and Will Counties. The virus has been known to be neuroinvasive, which can lead to brain and nervous system complications. The virus is usually more active in August to September, so it is advised to be careful and avoid mosquitos. The number of deaths from the virus is lower than it was in 2023, however that could change. 

In order to stay safe from the virus, the CDC has recommended wearing long sleeves and pants. Also people should use insect repellent when going outdoors. One should eliminate standing water, or change out the water every few days so mosquitos do not have breeding grounds. This includes bird baths, flower pots, and wading pools. Attempt to keep windows and doors locked as long as possible or at least at dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are most active.

Dr. Fauci, previous director of National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, was recently hospitalized because of the virus but is recovering. Most cases of West Nile are mild with flu-like symptoms or a rash. Older people or people with weak immune systems are the most at risk for the virus. Everyone could come in contact with the virus so be careful, and be aware when one goes outdoors around dusk and/or dawn. For more information on this virus and perhaps how to avoid it, visit: West Nile Virus

By Maggie Begley

Fri January 27, 2023

When recalling their childhood memories, for many girls my age, Barbie Movies come to mind. Often dismissed as just a silly movie franchise, I discovered on a recent rewatch (yes recent please don’t judge me) that there was something more to these comforting movies that thrived just below the surface.

Just like many Disney princess movies, many of these films (yes I’m using the word films in regards to a Barbie movie) centers around the protagonist and her love story. However, in the wise words of Jo March from the 2019 movie, Little Women, “Women, they have minds, and they have souls, as well as just hearts. And they've got ambition, and they've got talent, as well as just beauty. I'm so sick of people saying that love is just all a woman is fit for.” 

Love should not be the end all be all for these characters, and contrary to the belief of many that’s exactly what these movies are all about. From friendship, sisterhood, and overcoming struggles, the very core of these movies is self determination and confidence. Each movie is a tale of courage and overcoming the bad in the world, no matter how hard that may be. And although the stories are covered in a thick layer of glitter and pink, at its heart, Barbie movies are truly a fantastic way to show young children how to be.

By Emma Bettenhausen

Fri January 27, 2023

Social media has a huge impact on the youth of today. Surveys suggest that 90% of teens use social media and that approximately 75% have at least one active social media account.  Because social media platforms have such a wide variety of users, it can be detrimental for teens to have such easy access to the entire internet. 

While there can be benefits, it does not help promote body positivity. When young kids are joining social media platforms like TikTok or Instagram, it is not hard to find people who are making videos that are not real. Many lifestyle creators are setting unrealistic standards for things like what they eat in a day, their morning routines, etc. These videos can make young teens feel like they do not have the right products or like they are doing something wrong, when in reality, these creators are also lying about their morning routine. When these creators post fake things, it makes people think badly of themselves or that they are not worthy. Because faking your life has become so normalized, it makes it even harder to be able to understand when someone is telling the truth or faking something to get views. 

Another social media platform that doesn’t help with a positive image is YouTube. This platform makes it even harder for people to differentiate what is real and fake. When one creator who creates fake content gains followers, it influences more people to start making content like this, and it starts to create an ongoing cycle of more and more fake content. 

As this type of content gets more popular, it affects more people and makes them feel worse about themselves.

By Kayden Pane

Wed September 11, 2024

Having not been able to have a convention last year, the stadium roared with enthusiasm as Kamala received the Democratic Party’s nomination for president during her speech at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, on August 19-22nd. While there were other candidates running for president on the Democratic side, Kamala ended up being the only one with enough backing to be on the ballot. This was aided by the fact that most other presidential prospects ended up endorsing Harris, now that it’s coming closer to the election. During her speech, Kamala was very forward with her intentions with the future of the country, encouraging people to “write the next great chapter for the most extraordinary story ever told” by voting for her. Additionally, the vice president nominee, Tim Walz, was chosen for the democrats at this assembly. 

This rally overall was huge for the Democratic Party, as during the last election this all had to be done online due to COVID-19. For those who don’t know, the DNC is essentially a presidential nominating convention where delegates of the Democratic Party reported their votes for presidential nominee, and vice presidential nominee. It took place in the United Center in Chicago, and many important democratic figures came up to speak on their agenda for the United States and what the future will look like if they win the election.

Now, with the rally over, the next big thing that came up was the presidential debate between Trump and Harris. Harris decided to take an aggressive approach on Trump straight out of the gates, accusing people of leaving his rallies early because of his long-winded speeches. Additionally, while addressing crime, Harris went out of her way to make a remark about how Trump has been criminally charged. During the speech, Trump tied Harris to Biden’s methods of the economy, which has taken a notable downturn in the past few years. She denied that the economy would continue to being in this state, almost sidestepping the question by saying, “...what I do offer is a new generation of leadership for our country.” However,  Trump was recorded to have made several false remarks during the debate, making him look more like a fool during this debate. By the end of the debate, ABC News recorded that a little under half of registered and likely voters need to know more about Harris before casting their vote, as this was her first debate. A debate hardly wins an election for a candidate, but both parties proved to be more focused on making their opponent look like the enemy rather than pushing forward their own policies. It waits to be seen what the votes will look like come election time.

Al Jazeera: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/9/11/did-harris-win-the-debate-or-did-trump-lose-it 

ABC News: https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/fact-checking-kamala-harris-donald-trumps-1st-presidential/story?id=113567997 

By Isabel Cortes

Sun September 8, 2024

  Previous proposals offered a cargo-only airport between Beecher and Peotone. Bringing opportunities and also despair. While thousands of jobs could become available and there will be over a billion-dollar economic impact, the impact on local agriculture can’t be ignored, although expected in July 2024, this airport has yet to come.

   The airport is yet to be built, but the disagreements have been taking place for decades. Judy Ogalla, first elected to the Will County board in 2012, who lives near Peotone, and Sen. Rachel Ventura are both opposed to the airport and have both pushed the board to oppose the project as well. Judy Ogalla believes that with the state owning so much land, it has prevented Beecher’s and Peotone’s growth. She believes the land should be used for agriculture research and education. While Ventura opposes it due to an increase of floods and higher maintenance costs for roads. 

    Although there are those who oppose it, there are also those who see the benefits in it. Such as Rep. Will Davis, who sponsored both bills to approve the airport. He stated in an interview his frustration with how slow the airport's progress is going. He believes this is a huge development for Illinois and will bring the state together. With this slow progress the political leaders have “failed to bring us all together”. “Why would we not want a thriving development like that in Illinois?” said Davis. He states in Harvey, IL and Oak Forest there is “excitement” about the project. While in Will County everyone seems to be more opposed. 

The land was purchased in 2014, along with extra land, just in case, for further development. And the bill that began this project was passed on May 17, 2023. The construction was set to start on February 14, 2024, yet for some reason it's going very slow. Why? It is due to widespread resistance. 

     Multiple places in Illinois that already have cargo airports, such as Gary and Rockford, rendering it unnecessary along with environmental groups arguing about the devastating impact on national parks, and prairies. Yet, despite the resistance, the politicians are in agreement with this idea, and won’t seem to let it die. 

By Michael Brasel

Fri September 19, 2024

In September of 2025, if nothing gets delayed, NASA will send Artemis II to the moon to eventually have people live and work off-world. Artemis II will be crewed and would be the first flight to the moon since Apollo 17 in 1972.

The goal of Artemis II is to ensure that the ship’s systems work as intended with a crew in space. They will then use what they learn from Artemis II’s test flight to help reduce risks with future missions with Artemis III and Artemis IV. The goal of the entire Artemis campaign is to establish long-term exploration of the moon, to land a more diverse group of people on the moon, and prepare for human exploration of Mars.

Artemis III is planned to launch in September of 2026, and is going to send both the first women and the first person of color to land on the moon. They would also be the first people to land at the South Pole of the moon. Artemis IV is planned to launch sometime in 2028, and to be the first mission to the planned Gateway lunar space station. The Gateway will be an international space station that would orbit the moon, unlike the ISS (International Space Station), which orbits the Earth. 

If you’re interested in more information about the Artemis program or the Gateway lunar space station, go to NASA.

By Azucena Mejía

Thurs September 19, 2024

On September 4, 2024 a tragic incident occurred at Apalachee High School. There was a mass shooting leaving 4 people killed and 9 injured. The suspect Colt Gray, 14,  is now being tried as an adult. 

Colt  missed nine days of school leading up to the event. Apparently at around 9:45 am, during his algebra class, Colt asked his teacher to leave the class and left with his belongings. Lyela Sayarath, a student at Apalachee High was sitting right next to him and said that she thought he was going to skip again, but moments later he was outside the classroom door. Lyela says that since the door locks automatically one of the students went to open the door for him but jumped back when she saw Colt holding a weapon. When they didn’t let him in, he went to the next door classroom and started shooting. 

Parents began receiving panicking texts from the children. Colt sent an alarming message to his mother, Marcee Gray, saying “I'm sorry mom,”  and at around 9:50 am his mother left a 10 minute phone call to the school telling them to check on his son. 

While cops were trying to find Gray the shooting had already started. Authorities had received the call of an active shooter at around 10:20 am and the school went into a hard lock-down. One of the officers had yelled “active shooter!” into the radio and dispatches were sent. Then two minutes later another officer said the suspects name “Colt” and by that time a student had already been deceased. At 10:30 am the suspect surrendered and was handcuffed and taken in. By mid-afternoon there was a text sent out saying “Haymon-Morris Midd: Law enforcement has now given the ok to lift the lock-down … Thank you.” At that time officers had been evacuating students outside the building.  

Now Colt Gray is being charged with 4 counts of felony murder and will be faced with additional charges. His father Colin Gray, 54,  is also charged with two counts of second degree murder and eight counts of cruelty to children. He had bought the weapon for Colt as a christmas present in December of 2023. For ongoing coverage of this case, follow at Apalachee High School Shooting

By Kayden Pane

Fri September 20, 2024

On Sunday, September 15th, there was a second apparent assassination attempt on the Republican Party’s presidential nominee Donald Trump. It occurred at the Trump International Golf Course, where the Secret Service said they noticed a rifle peeking out of the bushes aimed at Trump. They fired shots in the direction of the gun, and the suspect ended up fleeing. The gun he left behind was an SKS-style 7.62x39 caliber rifle with a scope. This type of rifle gave him a clear shot at Trump and could’ve been deadly if the Secret Service hadn’t noticed him. After being caught, the suspect was revealed to be Ryan Wesley Routh. 

After fleeing the golf course, it was described by a witness what car Routh had driven away in, which is how authorities were able to catch up to him. Ryan Wesley Routh was once registered as a Democrat two decades ago, but had switched his party to “unaffiliated” according to voter records. Routh appeared in court in West Palm Beach on Monday, and was brought in under the possession of a rifle as a felon and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number. It was revealed in court that he had a felony record, including owning a “weapon of mass destruction” after following what was a three-hour standoff with police in 2002. Routh was in possession of an automatic firearm at the time. He was convicted again in 2010 for possession of stolen goods. Ultimately, it was discovered that overall he had been arrested dozens of times over the years.

It was discovered that Routh had also published a book titled “Ukraine’s Unwinnable War,” where Routh spoke negatively about Trump’s decision to withdraw from the Iran Nuclear Deal. He claims that his previous support for Trump was a “terrible mistake.” Later in the book, he also stated, “Iran I apologize. You are free to assassinate Trump as well as me for that error in judgment and the dismantling of the deal.” This book provides a clear window into what the mindset of Routh is, and how this man should have probably already been on watch in case he acted out in such a way as what happened on Sunday.

By Michael Brasel

Fri September 20, 2024

Using our modern technology, we could detect if a primordial black hole were to fly by Mars. 

Primordial black holes are theoretical black holes that were created at the very beginning of the universe, where gasses were clustered up enough to form tiny black holes that are about the size of atoms. These black holes would have the mass of asteroids or even small moons. Primordial black holes could be the solution to dark matter, which is the matter that mathematically exists in the universe. Its gravitational effect is all we have to prove its existence. Dark matter couldn’t be made of atoms, due to the fact, that it doesn’t interact with light, or if it does, is an imperceptible amount. The reason it is so important is because it accounts for 80% of the matter in the universe.

If primordial black holes do exist, about every decade we would have one go through the solar system. Due to the amount of data we have on Mars’ orbit, we would be able to detect a small “wobble” in the planet’s orbit. Primordial black holes would be speeding through the solar system, which would help indicate whether it was an asteroid, or if it was actually a primordial black hole.

For more information go to Space News.

By Emma Bettenhausen and Makayla Smith

Tue December 13, 2022 

Hallmark movies are a big part of the Christmas season. Many people love them, however there is a large group of people who find them repetitive and too cheerful. The majority demographic for these movies are Millennial and Gen X women. There are many different reasons people seem to love these movies, but there are also many reasons why people hate them. The movies are meant to be filmed quickly, most Hallmark actors make multiple movies a year. When these actors are filming multiple fast paced movies at a time it does not really leave room for good acting. Most of these films all have the same plot which bores many of the watchers. Most of these low budget and production films do not make it very far. However, Hallmark movies are a Holiday staple for many families. 

By Isabel Cortes

Thur September 19, 2024

A new Smoothie Place, Tropical Smoothie, in Frankfort IL moved forward Monday July 2! “The location will open at 20245 S. La Grange Road, Suite 1A, in the Frankfort Commons II retail plaza.” Trustee Dan Rossi said. 

There are many Tropical Smoothie locations but none in frankfort. This will be the first one. The rest are located in Tinley Park, Lockport, Rolling Meadows, Richton Park, Orland Park, Oak Lawn, New Lenox, Joliet and Bolingbrook. Tropical Smoothie has been in business since 1993, with the first franchise opening in Florida. 

Finally being able to open a Tropical Smoothie location in Frankfort IL, after the Frankfort Village Board approved a special use permit. Being more than just tasty beverages their smoothies are made up of 45% of your daily vitamins. Perfect for those who are looking for a fun healthy drink!

The sign for the new shop is already outside of the building. There is not much information and no set date for when the smoothie shop will open. This is an exciting opening for many. 

By Azucena Mejía

Fri  September 26, 2024

On Thursday morning New York City Mayor Eric Adams' indictment was unsealed charging him with bribery, wire fraud, and accepting improper campaign contributions.

He is specifically charged with bribery, solicitation of illegal foreign campaign contributions. The alleged conduct states photos of fancy hotel rooms and other benefits the mayor allegedly took. The mayor's attorney Alex Spiro stated “We have known for some time that they would try to find a way to bring a case against Mayor Adams. But they keep doing it because they can’t help themselves. The spotlight is just too exciting. We will see them in court.” About a dozen agents were spotted at Gracie Mansion carrying bags as they entered the gate followed by NYPD officers.

They took the Mayor's phone again and created a spectacle again. He hasn’t been arrested and is looking forward to his court date. The mayor later released a statement saying “I always knew that if I stood my ground for New Yorkers that I would be a target and a target I became.” Adams has also said that as a former police officer, he has always followed the rules. He also states that he has never known of him to miss doing anything with the administration. And has repeatedly said that he isn't aware of any wrongdoings and that he would face the charges as in his words “rumors and innuendo.” 

Mayor Adams has become the first mayor in New York City history to be indicted while in office. But if he were to resign he would be replaced by the city’s public advocate, Jumanne Williams. However, New York City Gov. Kathy Hochul does have the power to remove Adams from office. For more coverage of this news, follow at Mayor Adams indictment

By Taylor Fritz

Wed September 18, 2024

In Tennessee, veterans are being helped by horses. The U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs is using the method of equine therapy, which has been a proven rehabilitation method. 

The horses are helping the veterans overcome their past trauma from wars. The main idea for the program was to have veterans brought in from the Tennessee Valley VA and for them to learn about the behavior of horses. They learn about these behaviors through interactions with their assigned horse. This also helps the veterans with learning about themselves because of horses' high emotional sensitivity to whomever is taking care of them. For the veterans to be able to work with the horses they had to be in a state of calm otherwise the situation becomes unsafe because of the horses high sensitivity.

Horses are able to embody their handler or rider and the veteran's emotions are then physically reflected back to them by the horses. Having this, the veterans are able to better view, understand, and work through their behaviors. Lee Farris said, “The program is set up to safely assist and encourage veterans to succeed in overcoming some of the fear we might have of large animals or horses but also to build our self-confidence and learn how to trust others and ourselves again.”

During the first couple weeks the veterans learn how to groom, care for, and get to know their horse. The program is ten weeks long and the veterans, at the end of the program, should be able to guide their horses and lead them through obstacles. For more details visit; Horses and Veterans Horses and Veterans