By Gabriel Brogan Flex. At the beginning of the 2023-2024 school year, it was all anyone could talk about. Why was it implemented? Why the rotating days? Where do I have to go, and when? Why is it so short? Now, it’s April. The end of the year doesn’t look so far off, but Flex is still a frequent topic of conversation among students and … Continue reading The future of flex at McCaskey
By Gabriel Brogan Extracurriculars are an important part of student life at McCaskey. Hundreds of students play one or more sports throughout the year, and 17% are involved in a club, according to Mrs. Slick, our activities director. Sports and clubs are a great way to meet people with similar interests, and are a major motivator of good attendance. Additionally, extracurriculars keep students’ grades … Continue reading Getting Involved: McCaskey Clubs and Activities You Should Know About
Journie Rodriguez is a powerhouse in girls wrestling. In her weight class, Journie is the number one girls-wrestler in the state and ranked 17th nationally – she’s also a captain for McCaskey’s varsity girls wrestling team. Upon first glance, she may be easy to underestimate. You may not suspect a bubbly, 5’0 girl in a male dominated sport to have such power, but once you … Continue reading Journie Rodriguez and the Rise of McCaskey’s Girls Wrestling Team
By Elisabeth Palacios The McCaskey musical of the 2023-24 school year is the updated version of Anything Goes written by Cole Porter. The story takes place during the 1930s-1940s, overseas aboard the “S.S American.” It follows charismatic nightclub singer Reno Sweeney (Annika Locke), pining businessman Billy Crocker (Jared Groff), and sly gangster “Moonface” Martin (Keagen Laureano-Roman) accompanied by his conspicuous partner-in-crime, Erma Latour (Celia Keener). … Continue reading Don’t Miss McCaskey’s Rendition of the Classic Musical Anything Goes
By Steven Lavender-Gray Mental health will probably always be an issue that needs to be addressed in high schools. As we’ve seen over the past few years, more teenagers are struggling with mental health issues such as anxiety and depression. But what are some practical steps teens can take to improve their mental health? Here’s what the research says: 1. Spend less time on your … Continue reading Five Things Teens Can Do to Improve Mental Health
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
By Caroline Ponticelli Mr. Houseman is not just an ordinary teacher. His dedication to teaching and passion for his students makes him an exceptional educator. This is Mr. Houseman’s first year at the high school, but he taught for many years at Wheatland Middle School prior to coming to McCaskey. Before he got into teaching, he covered crime and politics in broadcast television. It gave … Continue reading Meet Mr. Houseman
By Cal Clapper Emails are a vital tool to connect people in the professional and academic worlds, but McCaskey student emails are inaccessible. Having an email address allows students to quickly and professionally contact teachers, employers, and colleges; and access information about possible internships or opportunities that could be open to them. Every McCaskey student has a school email linked to their ID number and … Continue reading The Case for School Email Access
By Logan Bjerklie There are so many words you can use to describe Hector. Bright, funny, and charismatic don’t even start to describe who Hector is as a person, let alone the goal that he wants to accomplish in high school. “I want to show other people they can [be a positive influence in somebody’s life], it doesn’t just have to be doing something funny, … Continue reading Meet Hector Martinez
By Ariana Martinez Those who frequent McCaskey’s libraries know the generous and amiable Mrs. Cashdollar. You can find Jaymie Cashdollar, one of our kind-hearted librarians, in the library of JP and East. It doesn’t matter if you’re looking for books, studying, or just hoping to build a puzzle. She can often be found at the front desk ready to make your experience in the library … Continue reading Meet Mrs. Cashdollar
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
By Ada Kessler It was a warm June day when I first met John Johnston, McCaskey’s new band director. With a smile on his face, he was eager to begin McCaskey’s 2023 marching band season. Johnston was introduced to McCaskey’s band during the last away game of the 2022-2023 football season at Wilson High School. At the time, he worked at Wilson Middle School and … Continue reading Meet Mr. Johnston
By Nemari Morales Fighting an unjust government isn’t on your typical middle schooler’s roster, but for Moustafa Hamed, a 12th-grade electronics student at McCaskey, a nightmare became a reality. Moustafa was just 13 years old when his mother, Reem Desouky, was accused of running a Facebook page that criticized Egypt’s president. Desouky was immediately arrested on charges including “promoting a terrorist group and publishing false … Continue reading Meet Moustafa Hamed
by Sidney Brant McCaskey students take an obligatory chemistry course as sophomores. By the end of the school year, two camps of people emerge–those who forget 6.02 X 1023 and go on with their lives, and those who are left desperate for more knowledge to explain the deceivingly complex processes that compose our entire existence. From the latter emerges a fringe group of students, loyal … Continue reading Meet Mr. Phillips-Cary
By Cal Clapper I first met Mrs. Peters when she was student teaching last year. Her warm, calm, presence and contagious laugh makes the ceramics room a sanctuary for her students. Taking over for the previous ceramics teacher Ms. Fasen, Mrs. Peters began teaching at McCaskey at the beginning of this year. Only a few months in, she is already beloved by many students, but … Continue reading Meet Mrs. Peters
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