Category: Campus Life

Arts & Culture, Campus Life

The Unifying Power of the McCaskey Spring Children’s Play

The concepts of empathy, understanding, and learning from mistakes were key elements of the 2021 McCaskey East Spring Children’s Play – both inside the magical world created by the show’s actors and production team, and the occasionally more frightening one outside of it.  Ms. Nolt, the show’s director and a media studies teacher at East, came up with the idea of having four different set … Continue reading The Unifying Power of the McCaskey Spring Children’s Play

Unknown's avatarRose CarlsonLeave a comment
Campus Life

Guest Editorial: My Life as a Junior Firefighter

My name is Brandon Balbuena Rincon, and I’m a ninth grader at McCaskey and a Junior Firefighter for the Lafayette Fire Company. When I first started firefighting the Monday after Thanksgiving in 2020, I had a huge misconception about the job and tasks I would be performing. But as time progressed, I gained perspective and knowledge.  Currently in the United States, the need for firefighters … Continue reading Guest Editorial: My Life as a Junior Firefighter

Unknown's avatarEditorial Staff
Campus Life, News

What Happened to “Hairspray”?

On Friday, February 19th, district superintendent Dr. Damaris Rau cancelled the production of Hairspray, the scheduled McCaskey spring musical. But while this ostensibly came out of the blue, it was the culmination of a whirlwind student campaign to raise concerns about the racial dynamics of the work.  Auditions for the musical took place on Tuesday, February 16th. The following day, the callbacks list was posted, … Continue reading What Happened to “Hairspray”?

Unknown's avatarFrances BroganLeave a comment
Campus Life

Dr. Rau: All About Equity

School district superintendent Dr. Damaris Rau is a self-proclaimed advocate for equity. A child of the foster care system and a graduate of St. John’s University,  Rau went from working as a teacher and administrator in the Bronx public school system during the Crack epidemic to working at a school in Greenwich, Connecticut, a town which is widely recognized as one of the richest places … Continue reading Dr. Rau: All About Equity

Unknown's avatarRose CarlsonLeave a comment
Campus Life, Opinion

My Life as a Teenage Forex Trader

What is Forex?       When some people hear the term Forex Trading, they usually think of stock. But that’s not what Forex is. Forex is a foreign exchange market where you can buy, sell, and exchange the prices of currencies. In other words, Forex (FX) is the trading of currencies from one country to another, which compete against each other to make a bigger profit from … Continue reading My Life as a Teenage Forex Trader

Unknown's avatarEssence WintersLeave a comment
Campus Life, Opinion

Swimming for McCaskey as a Freshman during COVID-19

On Tuesday January 12, the McCaskey swim team had our first meet of the season. As a freshman and a beginner in the sport, I was nervous. The idea of being on a swim team never crossed my mind until I was convinced to join, but it has been a truly great experience. Because this is my first year on the swim team, I have … Continue reading Swimming for McCaskey as a Freshman during COVID-19

Unknown's avatarMarlo HouserLeave a comment
Campus Life

It’s Official: We’re Going Back

The School district of Lancaster board meeting on Tuesday, January 12, lasted for nearly five hours.  The overwhelming majority of public comments, from teachers, parents, and administrators, and students alike, voiced the opinion that kids need to be back in school for academic, social, and economic reasons. Many invoked the theme of equity: if other schools are in-person, what does it say about us if … Continue reading It’s Official: We’re Going Back

Unknown's avatarRose Carlson1 Comment
Campus Life

Lack of Motivation: Virtual Learning’s Biggest Hurdle

In the state of Pennsylvania alone, over 12,000 people have died due to COVID-19. The nation’s death toll has exceeded 300,000.  Since March 13, schools across the country have been forced to operate in completely virtual environments, bearing the brunt of responsibility while a majority of businesses and establishments are permitted to fully reopen. Many McCaskey students have not set foot in the building since … Continue reading Lack of Motivation: Virtual Learning’s Biggest Hurdle

Unknown's avatarRose Carlson1 Comment
Campus Life, News

School board: Elementary Schools return to virtual for remainder of 2nd marking period

“These are some of the most difficult decisions that I’ve ever had to make in my life,” said Board President Dr. Edie Gallagher at the November 17 School District of Lancaster board meeting. “We receive tons of letters from parents who want their kids to be in school, and from parents who don’t want their kids to be in school. And from teachers who think … Continue reading School board: Elementary Schools return to virtual for remainder of 2nd marking period

Unknown's avatarRose CarlsonLeave a comment
Campus Life, News

McCaskey Students Present Before City Council

“We are a dedicated group of young adults working to improve our community and learning how to be successful citizens; teaching that all people, no matter how young, have roles to play in leading the community.” These words, spoken by McCaskey Junior Destiny Ponce at the November 10 Lancaster City Council meeting, perfectly sum up the mission and purpose of the McCaskey Neighborhood Leaders Academy. … Continue reading McCaskey Students Present Before City Council

Unknown's avatarRose CarlsonLeave a comment
Campus Life

Coping with Covid: the Beginning of a New School Year at McCaskey

The 2020-21 McCaskey school year began with an all-virtual environment. At 8:00 on September 2, High school students across the city opened up their iPads and logged onto their homeroom classes.  Teachers, some at home, some in front of their blackboards at school, worked to provide an experience which loosely resembled that of normal school.  The district’s blend of synchronous zoom learning and asynchronous independent … Continue reading Coping with Covid: the Beginning of a New School Year at McCaskey

Unknown's avatarRose CarlsonLeave a comment
Campus Life

McCaskey Neighborhood Leader’s Academy Meets on Zoom

The Neighborhood Leaders Academy, or NLA, is a group of McCaskey students working with the Mayor’s office of Neighborhood Engagement to bring Lancaster neighborhoods together. Since the beginning of the year, we have been meeting monthly at city hall, the Police Station, and McCaskey Campus to figure out ways to help Lancaster residents.  But the outbreak of Coronavirus has drastically changed when and where the … Continue reading McCaskey Neighborhood Leader’s Academy Meets on Zoom

Unknown's avatarRose CarlsonLeave a comment
Campus Life, Opinion

It’s Normal to be Unproductive During Quarantine

American is in crisis, and so are its teenagers.  We are used to having our entire lives planned out. Our public education system’s cult of productivity instills in us a sense of urgency about whatever is coming next. High school is all about getting to college. College is all about becoming a successful member of the workforce. We choose our extracurriculars not for pleasure, but … Continue reading It’s Normal to be Unproductive During Quarantine

Unknown's avatarFrances Brogan
Campus Life

Student Spotlight: Georgia Cox

For this week’s student spotlight, I got the chance to interview Georgia Cox, a junior at McCaskey who is currently making history alongside all of the seniors of 2020. Georgia and her mom have been going out, door to door, to all of the senior class members to take pictures of them. In her own words she, “wants to document history and give a gift … Continue reading Student Spotlight: Georgia Cox

Unknown's avatarKarla GonzalezLeave a comment