I do not know what you, the reader of this article, need to hear about my high school experience. I don’t even know if you want to hear about any of it. I could tell you that when I came to McCaskey, I thought there was one right way to be a person, and that way was warped by my own insecurities and fears. I … Continue reading Well, Goodbye.
On Thursday, April 13, two vehicles left from McCaskey High School to go to Washington Elementary. One was a truck, which contained speakers, two collapsible screens, five giant wooden walls with wheels on the bottom, a sound board, two projectors, a box full of pirate and cowboy costumes, a box full of maps, telescopes, other props, two large monitors, and three fold up tables. The … Continue reading Spring Play 2023: On Tour
Just before the 2022-23 school year began, McCaskey parents were sent an email which outlined new guidelines for cell phone use in the classroom. It contained the following paragraph: After consulting with our middle and high school principals, we established consistent guidelines for cell phone use among secondary students. Cell phones are to be off and put away during school hours, “out of sight and … Continue reading What Happened to the McCaskey Cell Phone Policy?
On Thursday, January 26, four people were non-fatally shot at the McDonald’s just next to McCaskey campus. “I didn’t really believe it at first,” said McCaskey sophomore Mini Brigatti, who was in a car in the McDonald’s drive-through when the shooting happened. “The whole thing felt like a movie… I was super scared, and when I heard the first shot my heart dropped so fast. … Continue reading Shooting at McDonald’s near McCaskey Impacts Students
Rene Ruhigita came to the US in the spring of 2019. His family flew from Burundi, Africa, to Ethiopia, and from there to Alabama and then Washington D.C., before coming to Lancaster. The move “wasn’t a surprise,” Rene said. “I’ve been a refugee all my life, and I knew that I’m going to be leaving the country, but we just didn’t know which country we … Continue reading From Burundi to Lancaster: Rene Ruhigita’s Story
I picked this article topic because I thought it would take the least amount of time and effort. And yet, here I am, a few hours to the deadline, with a page almost as empty as the list of tasks that I have actually accomplished this weekend. In this rough draft document, there is a page where I have typed the following: d;jkafsdafsjkldsfkjl;fdsjkldfsa;jklsdfajsadf;jklfsd;jkladsfjkl;dsafj;kafsdlsdfajkladfsj;dkldfjk;ldfaj;lkdafsj;kdsfljk;fdsjl;kdfaj;ldfasjlkdfasjk;ldfsjkfdsj;lfadsjkldfasjkl;fdasjl;kdfajkldfajl;dfasjl;kdfasjldfasjkl;dfasjk;ldfsajl;kdfsajdsfajl;adfsj;klfdsajkl; I think … Continue reading On Senioritis
Room A124 has, for a long time, been the place where students go to serve in-school suspensions. But it’s not called the ISS room anymore, and it’s got a new teacher: Frank Albrecht, more commonly known as Brother Albrecht. “I don’t think Dr. Reese was taking a gamble of putting me down here, but he was thinking outside of the box,” said Albrecht. His … Continue reading Reflection in Suspension: Brother Albrecht’s Impact on ISS at McCaskey
McCaskey High School currently has an attendance rate just above 90%. Of absences, most are unexcused. And over 50% of them come from freshmen, said Kathy Lutz, an Assistant Principal at the high school. “When ninth graders come in, they don’t understand that this is the real deal here,” said Thomas Toczek, a guidance counselor at East. “You have to get credits to move on … Continue reading McCaskey Has an Attendance Problem
Image Credit: Gabrielle Mappone “Listen to the scientists, climate change is real, and you can do anything when you put your mind to it.” That’s the basic gist of the 2022 McCaskey Spring Children’s play, as McCaskey senior Tacura Tobler puts it. The play, titled 3…2…1…. Second To None!, is set in the slowly converging worlds of Planet Zoe and Planet Earth in the year … Continue reading 3…2…1… Second Time’s the Charm!
Philip Noyce’s 2014 film adaptation of Lois Lowry’s The Giver is a rush of color, beauty, and sound. It is both a depiction of pain and a celebration of life. The Giver takes place in a society devoid of color, emotion, and inequality—conditions which are put in place in order to create maximum human comfort and efficiency for its people. There are no wars, no … Continue reading “The Giver” reminds us of everything that makes life worth living
Image credit: Tim Mercandetti When he was a senior at JP McCaskey High School, Angel Gonzalez made a promise to himself. “I said, ‘you know what, the goal is not to come back, it’s to go off to something else.’” Angel shared. “And then I came right back – and I think it was perfect.” Angel’s biggest dream in high school was to become a … Continue reading No Place Like Home: Angel Gonzalez’s Inevitable Return to McCaskey
During the week of March 14, McCaskey’s performing arts department, under the direction of Reynolds Middle School Teacher Kristin Wolanin, will be presenting Disney’s Newsies. “Preparing this show has been such an amazing experience,” said senior Jadyn Torres, who plays the lead role of Jack Kelly along with Zachary White. “Our cast is filled with the most insanely talented kids and I’m so excited for … Continue reading And the World Will Know: “Newsies” Brings Musical Theater Back to McCaskey
Recently, McCaskey High School began playing the pledge of allegiance every morning on its announcements. “It mocks our ancestor’s cries and screams: their terror,” shared Essence Winters. “What justice has America shown?” she asked. “Black people still haven’t received reparations.” “Not saying it is disrespectful to those who have died. We should honor it, value it, and be fair to it,” said Sujan Upreti. These … Continue reading We Should Talk About the Pledge
From 7:50 to 8:49 on every full day of school, 20 McCaskey students produce, write, film, edit, and livestream the WMCC Tornado Alert Morning Show, which features everything from campus sports news and information about upcoming events to current events reports and special videos. “It’s a lot,” said Tacura Tobler, a senior who’s been in the class for a year and a half. Since late … Continue reading WMCC: The Story of a Morning Show
Students have vastly different approaches and experiences when it comes to the SAT. Some are really invested in studying. Some are able to hire professional tutors, which can cost anywhere from $30 to $150 per hour. Still others students may be overwhelmed by work, school, and other commitments or situations which make it difficult for them to devote any time to studying or even thinking … Continue reading Let’s Be Real about SAT Scores
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