New Years Resolutions at McCaskey

By Gabriel Brogan It’s a new year, and a new you. Or is it? There’s a lot of expectation around the new year, especially in the form of New Year’s resolutions. Many of us think we can suddenly turn a corner and improve ourselves with good habits and long-term goals, but the reality is fairly discouraging.  Unsurprisingly, most New Year’s resolutions fail. Many of us … Continue reading New Years Resolutions at McCaskey

Meet Mr. Wilson

By Gabriel Brogan On a Tuesday morning, I walk into Mr. Wilson’s unassuming lost wing classroom. Flags of several nations hang on the walls, joining a 2008 Obama poster and a joke about chickens crossing the road. While his room may seem typical for a history teacher, the man inside is anything but.  On that particular day, Mr. Wilson was dressed in this year’s red … Continue reading Meet Mr. Wilson

McCaskey nutrition: the pros and cons of the bread & cheese diet

by Gabriel Brogan Bread and cheese, cheese and bread, all the time. Anecdotally, I noticed this pattern among McCaskey’s school lunches, but wondered if my observation was just confirmation bias after a few extra-cheesy days in a row. Digging deeper into the SDOL website’s lunch menus section, I discovered that I was not mistaken. The amount of bread and cheese served and eaten by the … Continue reading McCaskey nutrition: the pros and cons of the bread & cheese diet

Andes Manta’s McCaskey Debut

By Gabriel Brogan Andes Manta, a band of four brothers specializing in traditional Ecuadorian folk music, recently hosted a workshop and concert here at McCaskey. The workshop was organized by McCaskey Spanish teacher Sñra. Savidge, who coordinated the event with local nonprofit, the Latin American Alliance, or LAA. While Savidge has worked with Andes Manta before, the workshop was the first to be held on … Continue reading Andes Manta’s McCaskey Debut

What if Tik Tok is Banned?

In 2020, the Trump administration threatened to ban TikTok if Chinese owners didn’t sell their shares. As we all know, this didn’t amount to a concrete ban of any sort, but the issue resurfaced when the Biden administration issued a similar threat in March. This time, however, government agencies were forced to delete TikTok from all government-associated devices. From the government’s perspective, the concern is … Continue reading What if Tik Tok is Banned?

We’re All Addicted to Our Phones-Now What?

The ‘cell phone’ or mobile phone using cellular data, was invented in 1973. However, the cell phone that we all know and love, the high speed mobile computer with internet access, was invented in 2007. The very first ‘smartphone.’ Today, 97% of America’s population owns a smartphone. Since their rapid rise in popularity over the course of the early 2010s, the smartphone has boasted convenience, … Continue reading We’re All Addicted to Our Phones-Now What?

Engagement and Courtesy: What Gen Z Has Sent to the Grave

Every day, like most students here, I traverse the halls and stairways of McCaskey East and JP. On one particular morning I was bumped into 6 times on my way to homeroom, and got only a single muttered “sorry.”  That same day, as I traveled from 6th to 7th period, my shoes were stepped on twice, I was walked into by a young gent on … Continue reading Engagement and Courtesy: What Gen Z Has Sent to the Grave

Mrs. Brumbach Has the Best Job in the World

After an arduous trek to the D floor from the humanities hallway of JP, I come to room D115 to meet Mrs. Brumbach, a kindly middle-aged language arts teacher. She is standing outside her room already chatting with a student, so I head into her room and take a seat by her desk, on which is propped a light-up “Brumby Loves You” sign. Rachel Brumbach, … Continue reading Mrs. Brumbach Has the Best Job in the World

Ye’s Downfall: How Kanye West Dug his Own Grave and Released the Floodgates of Antisemitism

Acclaimed rapper Kanye West, also known as “Ye,” has been on a spree of antisemitic and racist actions since early October. His numerous controversial comments during interviews and on social media have led to companies previously associated with West cutting their ties, as well as a surge in antisemitism on a national level.  West’s first outwardly racist statement in this most recent string was on … Continue reading Ye’s Downfall: How Kanye West Dug his Own Grave and Released the Floodgates of Antisemitism

Why Do We Have So Many Rules?

 A lot of rules we have to follow may seem like an annoying waste of time. Administrators in the halls can seem like they’re nitpicking or chastising students for no reason. It’s obvious that many rules exist for good for a purpose, like rules against illegal activity or hate speech in the classroom. The motive behind others however, may seem unclear.   Why do we have … Continue reading Why Do We Have So Many Rules?