By: Evan Brennan and Jesse Del Gaudio 

9 Nov 2023

Our very own Red Land Girls Soccer Team had beautiful passing Tuesday night and effective communication leading to a 4-2 win against Villa Maria. “The fact that we scored 4 goals in 5 minutes was huge,” Coach Miller said. “I've never seen anything like it–it was really unbelievable.” 

This fantastic display was definitely the highlight of the game and produced strong emotions among the team and the crowd. The momentum after their first goal led to high levels of energy and motivation to fight on. Wing player Emma Shearer said, “That was the tying goal, and that really hyped us up to get another and finish out the game.” 

Their determination won’t just remain on that field though. Both Shearer and Coach Miller expressed their belief in the rest of their season and how excited they are to continue on. “I think we're really excited to play against the next opponent,” Shearer said.“We believe in ourselves and we have a chance to win.” 

Coach Miller said, “The girls are definitely excited for the challenge. When you are in States, you know that every team you play is going to be awesome, and I think they're ready.” 

Their fans agree. Afterall, they just upset the #1 team.

By: Saroj Gurung

With many seniors going to college, do they know what they are going into? Are they confident with their choice, and if not, are they taking advantage of college visits coming up to find out more? 

First off, what is a college visit? 

A college visit is a visit to a college campus, an opportunity to learn more about the college, how it feels, who might be your peers, etc. To learn more about multiple campuses is vital and that begs the question of, what to look out for? How do you arrange college visits? How do you make the most out of college visits?

According to College Board, to get the most out of college visits, “arrange a campus visit… all colleges have admissions offices that can help you plan your visit.” Plan your visit so that you are better prepared to ask questions, know what to look out for, and have a better understanding of the college. The Princeton Review, an education service company, said, “Talk to the current students– they may soon be your peers. If they have a problem or complaint, they will probably share it with you.” To know more about the college, you NEED to talk to the students that go/live at the campus, this will help get a better understanding of the college. A Red Land senior, Hunter Kuzak, said, “being able to go there physically changed my view on the University of Pittsburgh City Campus [main campus] and in general city campuses.” Visiting a college campus might make you realize if the college is a good fit for you or not. “It was different from my initial thoughts, it was more welcoming and calming and that’s what I liked about it.” Hunter on a visit to the University of Pittsburgh main campus. 

The Princeton Review also suggests wandering around the campus without a tour guide so that you have a better look at the campus’s less attractive features, reducing your shock if you go to the college. 

The last tip The Princeton Review gave was to take notes on your phone, stay overnight at the campus if they offer it, and don't rush into picking a college. Review everything you have learned about multiple colleges and pick what best fits you, you might be going to it for 2-4+ years. 

  “I just thought it looked fun, it looked like they had a really good community, and it looked like the students were having a really good time.” Karmalia Scott, another RL senior on why she is going to Elizabethtown College. 

A lot of seniors at RL have already decided to visit a college they plan on attending so that they are aware of how the campus feels, how it looks, dorms, etc. Logan Faesel, an RL senior, is planning on going to college so visiting a college is important to him. “I feel like a visit to a college is very necessary because you really get to look at what you want, and you get to see, is this a place I think I should be going to?” It should be important for him to like the environment he is going to for years. 

The take-away: If YOU plan on going to college, you should visit the colleges you are interested in. Arrange a date to visit and on the tour, take notes and ask questions with the tour guide and the students attending there. If the college offers some overnight programs, you should take them so that you get the full experience, and carefully choose the college you want to go to. RL seniors have already done the steps, and they are ready, they know what they want whether it be going to college, the military, or trade school, or getting a job immediately after High School. They are ready, but are you?

By: Alexus Browand

RL Admin work toward improved communication and inclusion of Cumberland-Perry Career and Technical students 

The emergency switch to remote learning and a delayed schedule in September due to bussing deficits left Cumberland Perry Area Career and Technical Center (CTC) students with a familiar feeling of being forgotten; however, principal Mrs. Herbert seems determined to close the communication gap. 

“Our CTC students are at the forefront of a lot of our/my decisions,” said Mrs. Herbert. “We have 149 students that attend CTC. That is a significant portion of our student body.” She further explained that the Zoom format that the district utilize in September–our weather-related Zoom–was the schedule most familiar to families across the district, kindergarten through high school (approx 7500+ students). 

“Was it perfect? No,” said Mrs. Herbert, “but did it lead to great discussions on how to improve? Absolutely. It is something that we agreed needed to be redesigned, but at the time we did not have an alternative Zoom schedule for this scenario, and hadn’t employed one since Covid when both CTC and WSSD were remote.” In this format, some students were marked absent from class because they were still on the bus while classes were live. 

“I was marked absent for one of my classes,” said CTC student Alicia Felker. 

Keystone Testing, another major schedule disruption, also demands more attention and communication between administration and CTC students. Last year, students who attended vo-tech got off of the bus and reported to the auditorium. “I remember sitting in the auditorium for almost two hours due to a schedule change,'' said Felker.

Many CTC students, like culinary student Abby Clouser, would like more opportunities for clubs and electives at Red Land. “We tend to be left out of clubs, and classes are limited because few work with our schedule,” said Clouser. Mrs. Herbert responded by explaining that administrators have been considering alternate schedules to be able to provide just that. 

“We have also explored variations of a school schedule, all with the mindset of creating an opportunity for our CTC students to have more options of electives and a way to incorporate clubs/activities during the day,” said Red Land principal Mrs. Herbert.

For now, CTC students do have many opportunities, like after-school clubs, music, and the chance to explore a chosen career field, and perhaps with a few changes, their opportunities could grow.

The girls field hockey team takes on Villa Maria Academy Tuesday, Nov 7 in the first round of States.  

After a tough 0-3 loss to Hershey on Saturday, the girls know what they need to do. 

“We can’t be afraid,” said Trinity Morgret, “We need to shoot more.” 

The girls are excited to make history, as this will be their first run at a State Championship. 

“I feel like this team is so deserving and we have worked so hard all season, and I couldn’t be happier,” said Emma Livingston. “The goals that we set in the beginning of the season– we wanted to make it to districts again and also go to States– I think setting those goals motivated us and pushed us throughout the season.” 

Addendum: 8 Nov.

Congratulations to the girls on a historic season. Despite a tough loss yesterday. The girls worked well together and kept the score to 0-0 through the first half. 

"It was very exciting to get to be part of a team that made history by going to States. It was such an honor to get on the team, and we had a lot of fun all season," said Sophia Langan. "We had a very good coach, and we worked very hard to get to where we did this season." 

With a 1-0 win over the Hershey Trojans last Thursday night, the Red Land girls soccer team placed 3rd in Districts and moves on to States this coming Tuesday, Nov 7. 

A strong defense and a cross from Emma Shearer, which the Trojans fumbled into their own goal, gave the Lady Pates their lead. 

“Coming off a loss to Northern in the District Semi-Finals, we struggled to regroup and get ready for the next game,” said goalie Hannah Cline. “But, towards the second half, we started to play our game.” 

The competitive atmosphere resulted in 2 yellow cards being handed out to Hershey, one to the coach and one to a player, who momentarily took out several RL players, who demonstrated their toughness and clinched their postseason placement. 

The Pates feel like they’re ready for next week. “In practice, we’re really focusing on creating goals for ourselves and creating goals that we accomplish as a team,” said Cline. 

We wish the team the best of luck as they travel to Philadelphia on Tuesday.

By: Evan Brennan

Americans have been hearing threats of a shutdown since the beginning of fall, people are wondering “What happens to me if my government’s funding is cut off?” Here is the basic rundown of what a shutdown is and its purpose.

A government shutdown means there is a halt to the funding of government agencies. A shutdown occurs when the U.S. Congress does not enact all 12 of the annual appropriation bills. Shutdowns were created along with the Congressional Budget Act, this act requires congress to sign off in majority agreement on the 12 appropriations bills to allow agencies to continue being funded. When Congress does not sign off on at least one of these in the allocated time, the government enters what we call a partial shutdown. These shutdowns are usually very short term, only consisting of around three days total and rarely during the business week. The longest and most impactful shutdown we’ve ever had was the 2018-2019 shutdown that lasted 34 days. 

This shutdown occurred on December 22nd 2018 when only five of the bills were signed, and the rest were withheld by the president in order to negotiate more funding for border security. Ultimately, on January 25th 2019 the shutdown ended as a result of a three week re-opening of the government to negotiate an adequate appropriation bill that would satisfy all sides. The shutdown ended up costing a total of five billion dollars due to the 380,000 furloughed workers and 430,000 who had to continue working without pay.

In the event of a shutdown the government has thorough contingency plans in place to ensure that law and order is still upheld and our society does not fall apart. The last people to be furloughed are those whose jobs are not funded by annual appropriations or are considered necessary for the function of the government. A good example of this would be any and all first responders, as they are essential to maintain the peace and well-being of citizens.

In actuality government shutdowns are not as impactful as the numbers show, according to Brookings institute, “A shutdown of a few days is a hassle—and undermines public confidence in the capacity of U.S. politicians to do the people’s business—but is unlikely to have a significant impact on the economy.” Shutdowns are more or less a tool used by those within the government to get funding for the things they believe are necessary when others do not agree with them. USA facts says, “The last government shutdown occurred in 2019 in part over disagreements regarding former President Donald Trump’s proposal to fund and build a wall between the US and Mexico.” 

By: Hannah Cline

FBLA, Future Business leaders of America, a student-run club that competes in different competitions from regionals to states. If you are interested in joining 

Or just want to learn more about the club, sign up down below. 

The school store, located in room 115 and stocked with a variety of snacks, drinks, and Red land apparel, is open. Recently, last school year, the school store installed a Square. This meant that students could use a card to pay for purchases. 

In a recent meeting with the Red Land FBLA chapter board, Advisor Mr. Champion said that, “[FBLA will be taking over the library’s coffee stand.” This new location will continue to bring in funds to support the entire chapter. The school store and coffee stand also serves as a pathway internship through the school, a great look for a college application or even a job application. 

Come support Red Land FBLA by making a purchase at the school store, in room 115, or at the coffee stand in the library.

Earning a 2nd place silver medal, The West Shore Marching Band finished their season with a score of 96.75 at the US Bands National Championships at Met Life Stadium on Saturday. 

The show, Lungs of the Earth, portrayed the life of the Amazon Rainforest, featuring three distinctive musical movements, life-like props, and soloist Micah Stewart on flute. 

“I liked the fast pace of the show this year,” said trumpet section leader Jesse Del Gaudio. “There was less choreography and more marching, which was more refined,” he said. 

Members noted the smoothness of rehearsal and the effectiveness of the staff. “The overall atmosphere was different this year,” said Del Gaudio. “The parts of the show just seemed to work. It didn’t seem like as much of a challenge– we did really well all season.” 

For many, the end of the show is bittersweet. After 20+ hours of rehearsal per week, the focus becomes both a close-knit network and a way of life. “I’ve been doing [marching band] for 5 years– I was just sad to know that I was leaving,” said trumpet player and senior Finn Norris.

The West Shore Band had much to be proud of this season, but most members note the value of the process rather than the judge's score. 

“It’s not about winning. It’s about community and what you learn along the way,” said Norris.

By: Allison DiGeronimo

Today is Election Day, which means 18-year-old students who are registered can participate, but they need an ID for the first time. Many states require voters to have some sort of official verification of a person to vote; however, Pennsylvania is not one of those states. 

According to https://www.vote.pa.gov/Pages/default.aspx, first-time voters may use many methods of identification, like a school ID, an employee ID, a U.S. passport, etc. If you don't have any of those identifications on you at the time, voters can use their name and address. The website also states that first-time voters can also use a current utility bill, current bank statement, or current paycheck.

By: Evan Brennan- Jan 5, 2024

My father has often told me, “God gave you two ears and one mouth, so be quiet and listen.” now, I’m saying it to you. From a young age, both my father and my mother raised me to be a respectful person, but as I’ve gotten older I realize they really just were teaching me to be a person of mindfulness, and authenticity. 

Throughout my life, I’ve found it is easy for anyone to speak what is on their mind or just be polite and go through the motions of their day. What is harder to do is be the one who takes a moment, listens to what someone has to say, and generates a genuine and purposeful response. As I’ve become more aware of these harder roads to take, I’ve tried to apply them to my own life, so I researched these practices. I discovered we find it easy to fall into an almost robotic state where we go through the motions, as if we’re actors in a role, and to counteract, this we should let others share their thoughts with us, actively listen, and switch up our routines. These practices can be summed up with the terms mindfulness and authenticity.

People love to talk, especially about themselves, and that’s perfectly normal, which is why it’s a good idea to pause for a moment every now and then and let someone else share their thoughts. After all, it is called a conversation and not a monologue. People naturally feel the need to vent their thoughts and feelings, but by letting someone do so, we might just learn something from listening to them. Additionally, when we allow someone to vent or share with us, we give them the chance to feel like they matter, and they can be heard. Verywellmind says, “Finding someone to talk to not only provides connection, comfort, and understanding but also offers opportunities to talk about shared experiences as well as prevent feelings of loneliness and isolation.” It’s important to consider how others think and what they have to deal with internally and outside of the time we see them. People could be neglected, abused, or have experienced trauma, so whenever we’re speaking to someone try to relax and listen to what they have to share.

By: Sydnie Lau

In 2019-2021 fentanyl-related adolescent overdoses tripled, with nearly a quarter of those deaths involving counterfeit pills that weren’t prescribed by a doctor, according to NPR New Schools around the United States, including Red Land,  have had to respond to the fentanyl use and the dangers that accompany it. 

Fentanyl comes in many different forms and can be found in many different substances, such as nasal spray, eye drops, and other powder products. In fact, students can be exposed to it at any time without even knowing it. Its presence in various forms results in both its abuse and 150 deaths daily.  

Kids are now able to access fentanyl and other potent drugs, via social media and counterfeit pills, says NPR News, adding that the mental health crisis from the Covid-19 pandemic, has increased drug use and therefore fentanyl overdoses.NPR News adds that the federal legislation is aimed towards supporting schools in dealing with fentanyl, which includes one proposed bill that gives money to schools to stock naloxone and train teachers and nurses in updated drug education.

Both Red Land’s school resource office, Officer Lotier, and school nurse, Ms. Cook have had to become educated in dealing with Fentanyl. 

“I did not expect to be dealing with drug use from such young people when I first became a police officer”, said Officer Lotier. “Over the years, I learned that drug use among young people is more common than expected.” 

Nurse Cook sees the relationship between young brains and teenage behaviors. “The human brain is not fully developed until age 25”, said Nurse Cook. “During the teenage years the Limbic system experiences significant changes. This impacts decision making, impulse control, emotions and risk taking behaviors.” 

Both Faculty members express how important being more educated is to help support Red Land, along with being more aware and to look for signs in the classroom to prevent drug abuse early.  

  Officer Lotier responded “We need to continue to be diligent with looking for signs of drug use among the students.” 

 Ms. Cook also responded “I think providing education to students and staff regarding anxiety, depression, and substance use may be beneficial. Educating the community on the link between mental health and substance use, and the use for "self-medicating" purposes may deter people from taking drugs to lessen their pain. The goal would be to encourage those that are hurting to seek healthier coping mechanisms such as counseling, and talking with parents/guardians, or a trusted adult, as well as consulting their primary care provider.”  Ms. Cook adding her thoughts behind better options to helping kids in our school, and neighboring schools is definitely something that needs to be talked about more and pursued to lower the risks that young kids are taking everyday. 

Red Land and other schools' faculty are becoming more aware of what paying more attention to detail can do, to better protect the student bodies and other faculty. With these positives added to Red Land. More training and education is now offered to faculty, and other parties to be on top of fentanyl’s continuously changing developments. 

Officer Lotier adds “ There is Narcan available in numerous areas of the school to assist with a person who is overdosing.  Many staff members are trained in administering Narcan.

 I believe that these steps have helped.” 

  Ms. Cook responded “Some interventions utilized by the district to reduce and prevent drug use in school include the installation of an overdose response box in the main lobby, free educational seminars for parents and guardians provided by the Brynes center (Drugs 101), the hiring of a School resource officer, as well as a police officer, and the use of K-9 search dogs.  The overdose response box is located in the main lobby with access to the opioid-reversal medication, Naloxone or Narcan. I think these interventions are helpful in reducing drug use in school.”   Both mentioned the addition of a more accessible kit for overdose which helps reverse the effects of fentanyl. 

Lastly, when asking Officer Lotier and Ms. Cook,  "Do you have to take any certifications or courses when having to deal with drugs, more specifically fentanyl?” Mr. Lotier responded “As a police officer I receive annual training on trends across law enforcement.  The last few years fentanyl use and safety concerns have been a big focus in those training sessions.” 

With that, will the percentage of drugs by fatality of children go down or rise?  Time will tell in this hope for extreme changes on how easily available drugs can be to anyone at any age in schools and communities around them.

By: Jesse DelGaudio

As you read this article, an island of ice nearly the size of Oahu is slowly drifting away from Antarctica. In 2021, it became the largest iceberg in the world. It will drift into warmer water, depositing an estimated 1 Trillion pounds (8.33333333x10²³ gallons) of water directly into the ocean, all while ravaging Antarctic ecosystems, and raising the sea level. Experts say the activity is not uncommon for icebergs of similar size, and there have been dozens of similar incidents in recent history. So why is this such a big deal?

The big concern is not about the iceberg or climate change. Rather, the concern is for the rising sea levels. Pacific islands, such as those in the Solomon Islands, are in danger. Many have even been fully submerged, and many more are soon to follow. Previous examples of so-called “Ice islands” melting have contributed greatly to the issue. According to Betsy Reed in The Guardian, countries such as Tuvalu could even lose their status due to the rising sea levels, as they will no longer have physical territory. Despite their efforts to digitize the nation’s government, the nation is estimated to be underwater by 2050.

NPR states that A23a is just a part of another iceberg, which shows how massive these icebergs can be. Iceberg A23a broke off of the Filchner Ice Shelf in the winter of 1986, along with two others: Iceberg A22, and A24. Five years later in 1991, A23a split off from iceberg A23 and was grounded to the seafloor. The iceberg has begun to drift again, after shaking loose in recent years A23a was home to a Soviet research station called Druzhnaya 1, and valuable materials were salvaged from the station in 1987.

The National Geographic Encyclopedic Entry describes icebergs as large chunks of ice that break off from glaciers in a process known as calving. Calving happens when the movement and melting of a glacier causes a piece to chip off. This is what happened to Iceberg A-76, A23a, and dozens before. The color of the iceberg can tell us what part of the glacier it came from. White glaciers are full of bubbles, meaning they likely came from the top of the shelf. Blue icebergs are dense and likely were closer to the site where calving took place, and so on. It is also important to note that icebergs aren't usually grounded on the ocean floor, most icebergs come from a glacier shelf that hangs over the ocean floor. 

According to NPR, the course that A23a will take is unknown. In the past, other icebergs originating from the Weddell Sea tended to drift towards South Georgia and the Sandwich Islands, where most icebergs would have already melted by the time they arrived. However, with A23a being so large, it could potentially travel further. Some icebergs have even traveled through the Pacific, off the coast of Chile, while disrupting the seafloor and its ecosystems in the process.

By: Noah Cash

The FTC sues Amazon for illegal operation of a monopoly.

Recently, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) v. Amazon case has gotten a major update, according to Reason Magazine, in the form of a meeting Amazon had with lawyers and the lawsuit being partially unredacted (parts of the lawsuit are no longer hidden.) In the lawsuit, the FTC accused Amazon for illegally operating a monopoly by pushing sellers onto their own platform instead of other platforms they could’ve been using.

Amazon doesn’t believe that this case will be damaging to their platform, according to David Zapolsky, Amazons lawyer, as cited in Reason Magazine. They view that it’s a situation where they’re a big company and people are disgruntled with their expansive reach within the online market. According to research cited in the Associated Press, the FTC has potentially damaging claims against Amazon though, such as Amazon using an algorithm named Project Nessie to artificially lower their prices and make prices appear higher on other platforms to earn more money (over 1 billion dollars). The algorithm does this by making their initial prices lower than other websites, but then tacking on an additional fee at the checkout to create greater revenue for their own company, according to Reason Magazine.

Amazon has also been deleting messages sent through an application that Amazon uses to communicate within itself privately. The FTC explicitly told Amazon not to delete these messages. Ex-CEO Jeff Bezos reportedly told executives to add more “junk ads,” useless ads that exist solely to earn Amazon more money, according to the Associated Press. Amazon has also been forcing every single item through their own distribution system opposed to other distribution companies such as FedEx,  UPS, and the USPS, according to The Associated Press.

All of these claims against Amazon are potential nails in the coffin of the marketplace giant, and will without a doubt affect the current prices of items for sale on the site, including items that buyers frequently purchase.

By: Hunter Kuzak

Have you ever laid down in bed and pulled out your phone, only to find yourself an hour shy of sleep because you’ve been scrolling social media? According to the National Institute of Health, one-third of Americans don’t get enough sleep to function during the day. The phone contributes to that greatly, but so do the decisions and motions you make throughout the day. 

Everybody knows that regular exercise is important for a healthy life, but it also has an impact on sleep. According to Johns Hopkins Medical, it raises the core temperature, raising the amount of deep sleep a person may get. If you want to fall asleep, consider doing cooldown exercises, such as static stretches or calisthenic holds every night to create that jump in core temperature and blood circulation. This increases the rate at which melatonin can circulate through the body, making you tired.

Along with exercise, eating at regular times plays a role in quality sleep. The National Sleep Foundation recommends you eat at fixed times during the day and reduce snacking. By doing this, the body knows at which points it should expect food. If the body expects food at 3 in the morning, it will wake, which negatively affects sleep and causes midnight snacking.

Exercise and eating habits involve substantive life changes, but there are some smaller, easier to follow habits that can effectively improve sleep. For example, a warm shower before bed releases tension in your muscles and helps relax your body. Also, doing what makes you happy and calm aids sleep. Perhaps most importantly, consume less negative content, such as news, to reduce anxiety. Instead read a book. Stories are a great way to calm your mind.
Finally, They are also great alternatives to phones at bedtime. Probably the most challenging thing for some people to part with is their phone. Try and stay off the phone for at least 30 minutes to an hour before bedtime, and create a calm sleeping area that is dark and cool to relax in. By following these tips, you will feel well-rested throughout the day and will finally be able to part with the usual mid-morning coffee or energy drink.

By: Kierden Freeburn

Winter and our long-anticipated holiday break is officially here. 

Although the actual Winter season doesn’t start until December 21st, many have started celebrating the spirit of Christmas, and some even shamelessly have since the day after Halloween.

From the decor to the outdoor activities, the festivities leading up to, and happening through the Winter are unarguably some of the most joyful. 

Some of the most popular Winter/Christmas-time festivities to do at home include putting up the Christmas lights outdoors, building gingerbread houses, decorating the Christmas tree, baking cookies, enjoying the winter weather, and watching holiday movies with family.
Outside of the house, there is so much more fun that occurs. At Hersheypark, the amusement park displays a large Christmas light display and even opens some rides for visitors to enjoy. They call it “Christmas Candylane”, and it's available from November 10th to January 1st. 

Another activity around the area is to visit almost any Christmas tree farm around, even if you don’t plan on purchasing an actual tree. Although families have started using artificial trees instead of the traditional farm tree, they are still able to go out and enjoy a day at a farm.

At these tree farms, the activities can range from hay rides, tractor rides, shopping at little gift shops, purchasing apple cider or hot chocolate, purchasing homemade foods, music, and at some, there are even train rides. 

If you are a person who would much rather enjoy more physical activities, then you can celebrate the season by ice skating at Twin Ponds or the York Ice Arena—admission prices for both range from $10-$15. 

https://sunshinewhispers.com/hersheypark-christmas-candylane/

On December 29th at the York Ice Arena, there is a special event where you can enjoy a show with princesses and royals on ice. It is called the Magic And Ice Special Event, and it involves story-time, games, photo-ops, and dances with the audience. Afterward, the princesses will invite the crowd to join them on the ice for skating and some more opportunities for photos. 

At Ski Roundtop, opening day is December 24th. For the entirety of the winter season, you can ski, snowboard, and even snow tube. There are even some special events that the resort will continue to host throughout the winter. The events range from glow nights, to a winter carnival, and even a party towards the end of the season. 

If you are into more rural activities, then you would enjoy the 2024 Annual Pennsylvania Farm Show. On January 6th, 2024 the 108th PA Farm Show officially kicks off, and lasts until January 13th. At the Farm Show, there are plenty of events to enjoy. From animal shows and petting zoos to cooking/baking contests and tractor shows, there is no limit to what you do while at the Farm Show. Arguably, most attend in order to have the well-known PA Farm Show Milkshake. This year, there are the normal chocolate and vanilla flavors, but the Pennsylvania Dairymen's Association is introducing a new salted caramel flavor. 

Pennsylvania around the winter season has a variety of activities and events for hopefully all to enjoy. Whether you decide to spend the season at home or go out in public, there is no doubt you will be entertained.

By: Evan Brennan

With Christmas only days away, the stress about what gifts you’ll purchase for others is looming. 

We’ve been raised to believe that giving to others is a good thing because it makes the person being gifted and yourself feel a sense of fulfillment and happiness. Sometimes with so much stress about what to get for this person and that person, this idea can start to seem like a fallacy. This is only because of stress and an improper mindset about purchasing gifts.

Allison Aubrey, of NPR, quoted researcher Michael Norton saying, “The act of giving actually does improve your happiness” and backed this up with evidence from experiments. Aubrey referred to an experiment consisting of 700 people. “The researchers randomly assigned participants to make either a purchase for themselves, or for a stranger. Afterwards, the participants reported how happy they felt. Turns out, giving to others led to a significant happiness boost, whereas spending on oneself didn't move the needle.” Even though gift buying can seem like a stressful task, it can be very beneficial for one's internal feelings of happiness and generosity.

A big contributing factor to the stress of purchasing gifts is not having a ritualistic process around this time of year to ensure you get all the gifts you need at the right time and worrying too much about what the person will think of your gift for them. Aubrey said, “If you're stressed about giving just the right thing, remember it's the gesture that counts more than the thing itself,” and “if you're annoyed by the holiday hustle, remind yourself that this is an opportunity to show love, gratitude and generosity to the most important people in your life.” Gift giving is more ancient than one may think, and it’s a gesture of good intention and care. It’s also a good idea to create a routine for purchasing gifts or buying a gift when you see or think of it to make the process easier and less stressful. Aubrey mentioned, “Gift giving is a habit that can get better with practice, so start early in the year, and if something you spot in July reminds you of a person, buy it then.” 

Gift-giving is fun and can bring people closer together, so make the best of your Christmas shopping and relax a little.

By: Jesse Del Gaudio

7 Nov 23

Throughout our school years, we have seen AI rapidly grow and develop. From Photomath to ChatGPT, we have watched as AI has become more efficient, prevalent, and useful. By integrating AI into our everyday lives, we have learned to utilize it effectively, making day-to-day tasks easier, and more convenient. We know the positives of AI, but what are the negatives?

“It’s tough to outweigh the pros and cons,” history teacher Mr. Stevenson says. “It can be a helpful tool, but people could also just use it to not think, and I think we need people to be thinking.” According to Business Insider, one in four teachers say they have caught students using AI, such as ChatGPT, to write articles and complete assignments for them. And it’s not just students that are doing this.

Now, big corporate entities such as Microsoft, Coca-Cola, Duolingo, and more are permitted to use ChatGPT (and other AI programs) in the workplace. And why wouldn’t they? According to Forbes Magazine, Microsoft has invested heavily into OpenAI, the company that created the original ChatGPT program, and now utilizes it to power their Bing search engine, making it more user-friendly. For big companies like Microsoft, integrating an AI program to replace human resources is just the easier option.

As AI becomes more relevant, we continue to observe its growing impact on our everyday lives. From the classroom to the workplace, we use AI in one way or another. Whether or not the effects are overly positive or negative is up to interpretation. However, there is no denying that there are both positives and negatives. AI is here to stay, and this is only the beginning.