News

Should Peotone High School Get New Chromebooks? 

By Brayden Adams

I hear a lot of students complaining about the Chromebooks provided to us by the school district, which got me wondering what actually goes into purchasing Chromebooks for an entire district, and if we will be seeing new Chromebooks any time soon. While it can’t happen right now, it would be great to see this happen in the coming years, and in an attempt to understand this more, I reached out to Mr. Cann, Director of Instructional Technology for the district,  for some more insight from the tech department serving the district.

Student complaints include that the computers are too slow or that every website the students open crashes because the computer does not have enough power to keep the website running. This can affect how much work they can do. Now some students are ruining the computers by installing games or something big that would hurt the computer. But the students who do care and take care of the computers still complain about them not working/crashing. Reasons for this can vary greatly, but issues such as these are things our tech department is actively working to avoid.

So why won’t the school get some new computers? Well, according to Mr. Cann, “Moving forward, we look to get on a more consistent and patterned replacement plan rather than the bulk purchasing made possible by the grants, but actual budgets are not yet set in stone.” With that said, the school is not just going to purchase computers without a plan, so they have to wait until they have that plan ready and the money ready to purchase the new computers. As a department, they are fully aware of what’s necessary for a 1:1 school district, ensuring they are choosing the best devices they can. 

Finally, what can students do? Simply, take care of the device. Almost every day, they have 5-10 Chromebooks that need repair, which is way too high for the school at the moment. The school is trying to lower the damage to the Chromebooks, and the student handbook lays out expectations for caring for Chromebooks. Tech repairs “over 500” Chromebooks a year, according to Mr. Cann, and these are avoidable. 

Until time, plans, and budget allow, students will continue to use the Chromebooks assigned to them, which are meticulously updated, cleaned, and repaired each summer by Mr. Bunte in the tech department. Students must also remember that these are school devices, meaning they are for schoolwork. Consider what you can do to maintain your device and keep it working efficiently for the time you have it.

Starving For A Snack Vending Machine

By Alex Chenoweth

The student body craves the addition of snack vending machines along with the beverage vending machines in our school. A poll sent to the student body revealed that a majority of students desire a way to get extra energy throughout the day and into the evening. Of the total respondents, 97.8 % expressed the desire to add snack vending machines to the school. 

Students perform better academically when they are not hungry. Many students are in the building for several hours of the day and would benefit from having accessible snacks throughout those hours. Not only would the students feel less hungry, but teachers could also see an increase in academic performance.

An interview with administration revealed their support of adding snack vending machines to the school. In support of snack vending machines, Mr Strough, the athletic director, said, “I personally would. I think the only sticking point is there are certain rules they have to follow… but whatever we could do within those guidelines, I would support.”

Assistant Principal, Mrs. Jakubek, fervently echoed the support of snack vending machines, also acknowledging the healthy food guidelines that would have to be followed. Stating we “...can’t have [snacks] heavy in fat, heavy in sodium.” Mrs. Jakubek also went on to explain she would not want the students to have access to the snack vending machines during the school day, but would welcome access to the snack vending machines after school hours. 

Will snack vending machines for the students soon be a reality in our school?

Lincoln Way West Student Dies After Fall

By Addison Mueller

16-year-old Anthony Reed Jr. fell 100 feet from an abandoned building in Joliet, Illinois, around 1 a.m. on August 30th. He was with four other boys when the incident occurred. Reed had fallen through an opening in the structure and dropped 100 feet to his death. The four other boys were taken to the police department in Joliet, but later released after they were interviewed. According to police, Reed was declared dead at the scene. 

“Our community is once again facing the heartbreaking loss of a child, and there are simply no words that can adequately express the sorrow we feel,” says Manhattan mayor Mike Andrieansen. “My heart goes out to the Reed family and everyone who knew and loved their child.”  A fundraiser for his family was made, and it raised $16,000 in just under a day.

Lincoln-Way District 210 will be providing counseling services to students and staff. Many local businesses have honored Reed and vocalized their support to the community. This death has caused a tremendous impact on the Frankfort and Manhattan area, and many more surrounding places.

A Mother's Lie

By Brooklyn Oliver

In late August of 2026, Frankfort mother Corie Walsh was detained for killing her two-year-old son, Barrett Walsh. Police arrived at a 911 call where Walsh stated that her child just stopped breathing. When police couldn’t bring him back and realized it had been a while since he was last breathing, Walsh panicked and confessed that she killed him.

  Before police could do anything, Walsh ran inside and failed in an attempt to take her own life. Barrett was rushed to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Walsh had been critically mentally ill during that time, and she confessed that she was going to poison her husband. Her eight-month-old child was left unattended in the house on the upper level. She was so ill that she believed she had killed her other three children, but they were not harmed.

It was later revealed that Walsh was very invested in the Lindsay Clancy case, where a mother is accused of taking her three children’s lives. Some say her case is eerily similar to the Clancy case. Walsh has been charged with three counts of first-degree murder and is beginning her court process. 

Walsh’s court process has just begun, while people call her sickening and disgusting. The family mourns the loss of both their brother and their mother after being taken away from her due to her psychosis. Walsh will continue to attend trials and eventually be sent away to treat her severely ill mind. 

Why Do We Celebrate Homecoming?

By Shane Lynch

Homecoming is a major High School Football game for many schools across America in the Fall. But why is it celebrated? Well, it was a major college event starting in the 19th century that became a high school tradition.

This year, Peotone is celebrating Homecoming with a parade, a “Powder Puff” game, a “Mighty Muscles” game, a football game, and the Homecoming Dance. This year’s theme is Mardi Gras, which includes lots of color, masks, and costume parties. There are some great themes for Spirit Week as well, which is the week of Homecoming. This year also marks the 27th annual Powder Puff game, where the girls play flag football, and the boys, or “Buff-Puffs,” choreograph a cheerleading dance.

Homecoming is a celebration for boosting school morale, welcoming students back to school, and often is centered around a large banquet or dance. It began in the early 1900’s, with many colleges claiming to have started it. High schools began to copy these big college traditions, while altering them to be more community-based and local. Schools started holding parades, dances, royal courts, and spirit weeks. Today, Homecoming is still a major celebration, with thousands of high schools and colleges celebrating it.

Peotone seems very excited about Homecoming this year, and with it being earlier than usual this year, there is a lot of spirit! Hopefully, this year will be the biggest and most exciting Homecoming yet!

Dolly Parton's Legacy Of Literacy

By Vanessa Lopez

In 1995, Dolly Parton created the Imagination Library in her hometown of Sevier County, Tennessee. Her goal was to make kids love to read, which is why the foundation mails free books to children from birth to age five.

When the Imagination Library began, Dolly Parton could not imagine how successful it would become. Her reason for creating the program was that the smartest person she knew, her father, could not read. She recognized the importance of literacy in the way that it improves the lives of people.

As of today, the organization has spread across the country and also operates in Canada, the UK, Australia, and the Republic of Ireland. This is just the beginning of its accomplishments because in 2011 audio and braille books were added to the program. Following this, in 2023, an option for books in English and Spanish was also introduced. The same year, the 200 millionth book was gifted.

These achievements are proof of the positive impact that charities can have. We should look forward to what charities will become capable of, especially the Imagination Library.

Umbrellas For Outdoor Lunch?

By Bianca Martin

Is an outdoor lunch table really an outdoor lunch table if no one can actually enjoy it? It has been pretty hot this September, and sitting outside during lunch on those hot tables isn’t comfortable. Umbrellas would solve this problem. No more hot tables and burning sun getting in the way of you enjoying your lunch with your friends and some fresh air. 

I made a survey for this piece asking fellow students what they thought about getting umbrellas for the lunch tables. They thought it was a good idea overall; some students said yes, but that it won’t always have a purpose. Also, students had some concerns about all year round, when it gets colder or when it storms. Overall, all of the students' opinions matter on this topic, and I’m glad we all got to say what was on our minds.

Although there are concerns about the umbrellas, I still believe they would be a good addition to the outdoor lunch tables. Even though not a lot of students sit outside during lunch, it would still give the students who do want to sit outside a comfortable place to eat their lunch. Also, during the colder months, the school could take down the umbrellas and put them back up when the weather is nicer. Overall, I think umbrellas would be a nice touch to the lunch tables outside, and it makes the space a bit more enjoyable during those sunny days.