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The ‘Big Ask’ is a Big Task
by Laci Nease, ReporterThe ‘Big Ask’ is a Big Task
When did asking someone to prom evolve from a simple inquiry to the creation of signs and purchases of expensive gifts just to ask a very simple question? Despite the fact that many students have followed the trend for many years, I believe promposals are not worth the hype. Proposals have led people to assume that they must go above and beyond in order to get a "yes" and they also put great pressure on the person who is being asked to accept if it is done in public. Junior Brenda Smith says, “I think promposals are very cringey and definitely not worth the hype.”
Overall, promposals appear to have caused greater problems than before they did back when they first started. It can be difficult to live up to the expectations that others have established, especially with all the billboards, serenading, and other unusual promposals that have been devised. As a result, individuals may believe that their proposal isn't good enough to get a "yes" to prom. Consider how impolite it would be to turn down an invitation to prom if the person went out of their way to buy all of your favorite things and asked you in the sweetest possible way in front of others. So, when prom time comes around, keep your promposal short and focus on making it special for you and your date rather than impressing the entire school.
With a sense of humor, sophomore Malea Nadeo rejects fellow sophomore Ava Ciesielski's promposal. (Photo by Laci Nease)
Senior Cullen Shearer shows his adorably funny side with his unique promposal. (Photo by Faith Kane)
Promposals are NOT Problematic
by Faith Kane, ReporterPromposals are NOT Problematic
It is not a surprise that many girls in high school have had a daydream or two about what it would be like to be prom queen. It’s a right of passage in a teen’s life to be able to attend prom as a final celebration before graduation. For years, promposals have been the go-to way to ask a girl to prom; it’s essentially a tradition at this point. Many people say they are lame and outdated, but I disagree! People just need to get creative! Senior Cullen Shearer said, “I feel like if they are done right they could either be very sweet or very funny.”
Personally, I was thrilled to get a funny little promposal. It made the idea of going to prom all the more special to me. Promposals are definitely worth the awesome memories they create and can show the creative and quirky side of students. Besides, who doesn’t love seeing all the pictures of everyone's adorable signs? I, for one, hope promposals stick around for a long time.
Vending Machine: No More Snacks For You!
by Ella Bringe, Business Manager Vending Machine: No More Snacks For You!
If you have food at the beach, hungry seagulls are going to flock toward you. So, what exactly do people expect when they put a vending machine packed with tempting delights in a school full of hungry teenagers? The gathering crowds of students has caused the administration concern and influenced the decision to remove access to the machine. Now, the vending machine will be turned off during school hours for the rest of the year. Not only are students being denied something that they enjoy, but it’s also taking away a source of revenue for the band. Junior Caitlin Neill says, “I liked getting snacks during my study hall, and now I can’t do that.”
However, nothing the administration does is without a reason. Head Principal Mrs. Kathy Charlton says, “The vending machine causes too much disruption. Kids are leaving class to go there and coming back late.” The school provides free breakfast snacks in front of the office in the morning for the students who are hungry or don’t have time to eat before school. Face it, the vending machine will not be returning during school hours, so bring your own snacks or starve.
Junior Saydee Resnik expresses deep sadness about the loss of access to the vending machine. (Photo by Lindsay Simmons)
Sophomore Isabella DiGregorio is perfectly identifiable as she sports a beanie. (Photo by Isabella DiGregorio)
Are Beanies That Deep?
by Georgia Bailey, ReporterAre Beanies That Deep?
It has been made very clear that the school does not want students wearing hats whatsoever. The school handbook states that hats, caps, hoods, and etcetera are prohibited in the building; but are beanies really that big of a deal? The administration will argue that teens will hide their vapes and drugs in them, but if that’s the case, then why doesn’t the district ban socks? Shoes? Pockets? The only way headwear affects the system is if students cannot be identified because their face is obscured by a ball cap or a cowboy hat.
Beanies do not do anything that would be reason enough to dress code an individual. They do not provide facial coverage, so it is simple to identify students on security cameras. They also do not hit others while strolling down the hallway like a cowboy hat. They do absolutely nothing and cause no harm. They are just like any other piece of clothing, and you can identify who a person is perfectly fine. Sophomore Shaylee Cohen states, “We wore face masks covering most distinguishing features of our faces while hats like beanies only cover our foreheads. Beanies only cover the tops of our heads and should be allowed at school.”
So, Hempfield Administration, are the beanies really that deep? Head Principal Mrs. Kathy Charlton defends the dress code, saying, “Once you start with beanies, you have to let every kind of headwear be allowed. It starts to become unclear as to what is acceptable and what is not… hair is also a good indicator to identify a student.”
Inevitable Demise of Snapchat
by Triston Norton, Entertainment Editor and Designer Inevitable Demise of Snapchat
Do friends really need to see you walking your dog, lying in bed, or busy at work? No! Snapchat is a monster, and it has taken the world by storm. Social media has revolutionized the way we capture life, and the premise of Snapchat is to create messages that will disappear once the exchange has taken place. In my opinion, it devalues our experience when we communicate with people, and with all that, it is a drama-filled distraction that keeps people glued to their phone and away from the real world.
Nearly everyone loves Snapchat, and we have to admit, it's a fun app for a while, but we shouldn’t follow trends blindly. Don't let Snapchat keep you from experiencing life to the fullest. Junior John Kissell deleted Snapchat and said, “Snapchat is definitely fun to use and it’s an easy way for you to talk to your friends, but it also distracts you from what is actually going on around you and almost puts you in a false reality.”
People would have way more fun if they lived in the moment rather than letting Snapchat rob them of life. While all your friends will remember that incredible time, you’ll never truly live in that moment because you're trying to get the perfect angle of it on Snapchat.
Junior John Kissell gave up Snapchat for Lent and doesn’t miss it. (Photo from Collin Hunter)
Sophomore Grace Cowherd does not enjoy studying for state mandated testing. (Photo by Isabella Depetris)
Students Stressing Over State Mandatory Tests
by Isabella Depetris, ReporterStudents Stressing Over State Mandatory Tests
State mandated testing is arriving quickly as we approach the end of the school year. Students are working to pass the dreaded Keystones. These tests are not worth the time, stress, preparation, or the school’s money. As a student, a test that we take one time at the end of the year is not an appropriate evaluation of what we learned all year or how well our teachers taught us. Freshman Andrew Lemasters said, "They're a waste of time, because the data from our regular tests and grades should be more than adequate to judge our overall student proficiency." Students shouldn't have one test. I determine intelligence especially since the results go over our manuscripts.
Tests are difficult for students who have short attention spans, are tired, or cannot recall knowledge from an entire year. These tests are two days long for three-hour increments which is exhausting. How do the people who created the tests expect students to remember everything that they learned from August? Also, students have various skill levels; some take honors while others struggle in regular classes. And, yet we are all required to take the same Keystone test. Students shouldn’t be expected to take the same test as academic students. Honors students obviously have a better advantage when test taking rolls around since honors courses move at a quicker pace and cover topics more deeply than academic classes. Another huge issue with the state mandatory testing is that it begins first thing in the morning when students are still half-asleep. I'm not looking forward to May because of these tests!
The Truth of Governor DeSantis’s 'Don’t Say Gay Bill'
by Marcus Vallano, Editor-in-ChiefThe Truth of Governor DeSantis’s 'Don’t Say Gay Bill'
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, recently signed new legislation into law called the Parental Rights in Education bill. While some individuals continue to refer to it as the “Don’t Say Gay Bill,” it is a misrepresentation of the bill’s intent. This fabricated term has been used by many forms of activists and corporate media; however, the bill actually doesn’t mention the term “gay” at all.
Many individuals who believe the media’s interpretation of the bill have organized high school walkouts, protests, etc. Among all of the hatred and lies, DeSantis repeats himself, “‘You actually look at the bill, and it says, ‘no sexual instruction in grades Pre-K through three.'’" The bill is against classroom instruction regarding any type of sexual orientation for this very young age-range of students. Nowhere in the bill reads anything along the lines of the inflammatory phrase, “Don’t Say Gay.” Furthermore, DeSantis says that the goal of this bill is to provide “protections for parents” and to enforce “parents rights” over the education of their children. This prevents a trend of “sexualizing children” that he claims is dominating over other states’ education.
“We know that teachers are not teaching sex ed in K through three grades but a lot of teachers are attempting to discuss inclusive families, particularly when they have kids in their classroom who have same-sex parents or have transgender parents,’’ said Ryan Thorsen, a researcher at Human Rights Watch who has studied Florida’s legislation. “This would really hamstring their ability to do that, particularly in K through three, and potentially silence discussions in other grades, depending on how teachers interpret the bill.”
Another section of the bill allows schools to notify “a parent about his or her student’s mental, emotional, or physical health or well-being, or a change in related services or monitoring,” This worries some LGBTQ advocates that schools will expose individuals to their parents before “coming out of the closet.” However, Senator Manny Diaz explained to the Senate that a counselor would not be required to contact a parent if a student approaches them to say “they are confused and they feel like they may be gay.” Instead, if there is a belief that the student is suicidal, or if there is a change in services for the student, “the provision to notify the parents would kick in,” Diaz said, “unless they feel that the student at home would be in danger from the reaction of the parent.”
Despite the numerous controversies, the Parental Rights in Education bill was officially signed by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis on March 28, 2022. The bill will go into effect on July 1, 2022.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed the controversial Parental Rights in Education Bill on March 28, 2022. (Photo by Douglas R. Clifford/Tampa Bay Times via AP)
A protest formed against the Parental Rights in Education Bill. (Photo by Martha Asencio-Rhine / Tampa Bay Times via AP)
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