3…2…1… Second Time’s the Charm!

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!

Burning Glass: A Word from the Editor

Early this year, Mrs. Brumbach, Mr. Coonan, and a rag tag group of students scrambled to get a poster up for the club fair, hoping to revive an old McCaskey magazine to its full potential. With nothing more than an idea of what they wanted, they tackled the task of creating a literary and art magazine from scratch. In a few days, Fig Industries and … Continue reading Burning Glass: A Word from the Editor

Rep. Bryan Cutler and Educational Racism

Last Thursday, I attended a student Zoom meeting to discuss education policy with Speaker of the Pennsylvania State House, Bryan Cutler. Tiyya Geiger and I represented McCaskey, and two Pequea Valley students and one Solanco student were also in attendance.  Representative Cutler represents the 100th Legislative District in the PA House, which encompasses part of Lancaster County. Even though his district does not include Lancaster … Continue reading Rep. Bryan Cutler and Educational Racism

“SWEAT,” by Lynn Nottage, Through My Eyes

I was given the opportunity to watch the Fulton Theatre’s rendition of Sweat, a play written by Lynn Nottage. Although we weren’t presented with the original cast, the Fulton’s production was able to portray the character’ thoughts and feelings in a way that captivated the audience.    Ms. Gregory and Mr. White invited students from their American Literature classes to see the play with them … Continue reading “SWEAT,” by Lynn Nottage, Through My Eyes

How to Stay Motivated Through the End of the School Year

Image credit: Sujan Upreti As we all eagerly await the end of the school year and the long summer break that is ahead of us, not to mention the warm weather right around the corner, we all need to work to finish out the school year strong. That can seem like a real challenge to some people who may have mentally clocked out of school, … Continue reading How to Stay Motivated Through the End of the School Year

How School Impacts Mental Health

“Education is not a problem. Education is an opportunity.”  -President Lyndon B. Johnson.  In order to make this statement true, we need to work on fixing the major issues in the American education system. Twenty to forty percent of middle and high school students have symptoms of depression. After discussing how school impacts the mental health of my peers, I have come to the conclusion … Continue reading How School Impacts Mental Health

All Hail the Chief! (An Interview with Rose Carlson)

The idea to interview Rose Carlson came from a joke. “What if I interviewed my editor in chief? Could you believe it?” But the stranger the idea the more intrigued I became; I began to think that getting to know her might be a worthy endeavor for the both of us. One ten minute interview over and I had a new found respect for Carlson, … Continue reading All Hail the Chief! (An Interview with Rose Carlson)

Jadyn Torres on Music and the Strength of the McCaskey Community

Left to right: Julio Morales, Diego David, and Jadyn Torres before a performance of Newsies. (Image credit: Rose Carlson) The hundreds of community members who came to see McCaskey’s production of Newsies gave it nothing but glowing reviews. After two years of upheaval and pandemic-induced cancellations, the show was a jubilant symbol of our celebrated music program’s rebirth. Everyone was captivated by the performance of … Continue reading Jadyn Torres on Music and the Strength of the McCaskey Community

Melissa Blessing-Hartley, Caretaker of the JP IMC Safe Haven

Image credit: Rose Carlson For some, spending all day working in the library might be boring, but Ms. Blessing-Hartley, known to many simply as Ms. Blessing, loves her job. She is one of several friendly faces at the front desk of JP’s IMC.  Although many initially assume that she is a librarian, Ms. Blessing describes her role as the library’s para-professional. “The librarians are the … Continue reading Melissa Blessing-Hartley, Caretaker of the JP IMC Safe Haven

No Place Like Home: Angel Gonzalez’s Inevitable Return to McCaskey

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

Michael Eby-Good: Bridging the Gap Between Math and Art

Image credit: MSC Photographer Michael Eby-Good is one of the Art Systems Technicians at McCaskey Campus. He spends most of his day with staff helping to plan out the details of any events, and his last period assisting students in the Stage and Design Production class in the JP Auditorium. Like art does with communities, he acts as a glue, connecting a variety of people. … Continue reading Michael Eby-Good: Bridging the Gap Between Math and Art

Hope, Kindness, and Teaching: A Conversation with Mr. Hanson

Image credit: Tim Mercandetti As a student who tries to steer clear of the school administrators, my original feelings on interviewing one were somewhat mixed. The constant negative mindset I wrap myself in when arriving at school every day is not unique to Wyatt Potter, as much as I wish that were the case. It’s much easier to present yourself as an uncaring enigma than … Continue reading Hope, Kindness, and Teaching: A Conversation with Mr. Hanson