Mr. Nelson Teaches Confidence Through Art

Note: The above image is an edited photo of Mr. Nelson, made by a student as part of a halloween project in fall 2021. Art shapes McCaskey in so many ways, whether that be performance arts such as theater and music, or visual arts like drawing and painting. Mr. Nelson is one of the few visual art teachers at McCaskey. He teaches Drawing and Painting … Continue reading Mr. Nelson Teaches Confidence Through Art

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

We Need Sensory Rooms

You are holding back tears in a classroom, triggered by some unknowingly hurtful statement made by the teacher.  You’re mad at the teacher, despite her not knowing she was causing you pain. You want to fight, or leave; that is if you could get unstuck from the prick of survival response, your brain snagged like a loose thread on the oversized sweater you wish you … Continue reading We Need Sensory Rooms

WMCC: The Story of a Morning Show

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

It’s Almost Time for McCaskey Winter Sports

As October comes to a close, so are McCaskey’s fall sports.  Although a few teams such as boy’s soccer are going into playoffs, it’s time to look ahead to the winter sports season. Last year, winter sports occurred under heavy pandemic restrictions, so teams are looking forward to an increased sense of normality this season.  The McCaskey girls wrestling team is especially excited, McCaskey having … Continue reading It’s Almost Time for McCaskey Winter Sports

Saying Goodbye to McCaskey’s Senior Cheerleaders

Image Credit: MSC Photographer  McCaskey cheerleaders are the school’s pride and joy when it comes to getting our crowd fired up and having school spirit.  Sadly, McCaskey will have 12 senior cheerleaders leaving us this year. A few of them gave their thoughts and experiences on what it’s like being a McCaskey cheerleader. As students who represent McCaskey in and out of school, cheerleaders know … Continue reading Saying Goodbye to McCaskey’s Senior Cheerleaders

September 2021: McCaskey Perseveres

On Tuesday, August 24, 2021, the entire McCaskey student body came back to school. The conditions were far from ideal: the Coronavirus pandemic, once thought by administrators, teachers and students alike to be a two-week stint, was far from gone. Cases of the virus had been steadily increasing amidst the new and more dangerous Delta variant, and a world that had been mostly maskless just … Continue reading September 2021: McCaskey Perseveres

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

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

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