By: Eleni King Martin Being a student at McCaskey, you’ve most likely seen Dr. Reese somewhere. Whether it’s walking to class, eating at breakfast and lunch, or just being around campus, Dr. Reese seems to be everywhere. But, have you ever wondered what Dr Reese actually does or what he wants to do? Well, us too. After spending a day with Dr. Reese, my fellow … Continue reading Dr Reese: the Heart of McCaskey
By: Sofia Escudero Elisabeth Palacios is known as a kind hearted, hardworking student who is also thoughtfuland open minded, and plays an important role to the McCaskey community. As a senior inMcCaskey and the Vidette Editor, Elisabeth looks forward to spending her last year helping herpeers in McCaskey’s Vidette newspaper class. Most importantly helping her newspaper peersfind their own unique writing style. Around the McCaskey … Continue reading Student Profile: Elisabeth Palacios
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
Growing up with a sister who is close in age to me means we do a lot of things together. We hang out with the same group of friends, go shopping together, talk to each other about what goes on in our lives in great detail, and so on. It also means we know almost everything about each other, big or small. Putting all this … Continue reading The Benefits of Healthy Coping: Inside My Sister’s Head
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
Right as I stepped into Ms. Polanco’s quaint office she was absorbed in something else. She was moving in and out, going on her phone or one of her computers to do something and informing Mr. Reese of a visitor he was having. She’s been working here for seven years. She met her husband as students at McCaskey and graduated in 2001. Previous to this … Continue reading Attendance Matters: An Interview With Ms. Polanco
McCaskey students might seem normal to you. You may look at the student body and view a normal group of students. In my quest to find and befriend truly heroic individuals, I’ve stumbled upon a few truly Enlightened people, who use their profound intellectual fortitude to bring out the best in those around them. Xavier Smith is a Hegelian, Anti-moralist, pantheist alternative educator, who seeks … Continue reading Conversations with an Intellectual: the Xavier Smith Story
After an arduous trek to the D floor from the humanities hallway of JP, I come to room D115 to meet Mrs. Brumbach, a kindly middle-aged language arts teacher. She is standing outside her room already chatting with a student, so I head into her room and take a seat by her desk, on which is propped a light-up “Brumby Loves You” sign. Rachel Brumbach, … Continue reading Mrs. Brumbach Has the Best Job in the World
For McCaskey chemistry teacher Mr. M’Mugambi, America wasn’t always the dream. Growing up in Kenya, he never thought he would take his teaching career to America, but he is grateful that he did. As a recent college graduate teaching in a remote school, Mr. M’Mugambi took a chance when he heard the Philadelphia School District was recruiting teachers from Kenya. He applied as a joke—he … Continue reading Mr. M’Mugambi and the Beauty of Education
Shamani Norales is in her 12th grade year of high school at McCaskey, which comes with various challenges. “It’s not easy to try and balance everything all at once, especially having a life outside of school.” In her free time however, she’s found her escape from the stress of it all with fashion. “I really liked how unique clothes could be; it wasn’t anything you’d … Continue reading Shamani Norales: Passion for Fashion
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
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
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
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
For the longest time, I was adamant about not making any new friends, and keeping to myself. I don’t know what changed that, but it started with my interest in a person in my World Cultures class. I wasn’t really sure about how to approach this, so one day I just asked to sit next to them. Since that day, we’ve been friends ever since. … Continue reading Kai Rowe: The Power of Friendship and Food
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