Our values shape what is being taught in school because communities can have an influence on schools’ engagement, responsibility, or real-world problem solving. Also, values such as love, kindness, and happiness play a major role in shaping the high school experience. When these qualities are present, schools can become a more supportive community that encourages learning, confidence, and personal growth.

“Love” in high school does not only come from romantic feelings but also from care and support from teachers, friendships among students, and encouragement from staff. When students begin to feel more supported and valued, they are more likely to participate in class activities, ask for help, and even take academic risks. It can be shown through empathy, respect, and understanding.

Every student comes from a different walk of life and different backgrounds, facing unique challenges. When schools promote humanity, students learn to respect differences and treat one another with dignity. This creates a sense of belonging and reduces conflict, allowing students to focus on their learning instead of having the fear that they are going to be judged or excluded.Happiness also contributes to a positive high school environment. Students who feel happy at school are more engaged, focused, and willing to attend regularly. Happiness can come from friendships, extracurricular activities, supportive teachers, and a positive school culture.

When schools encourage balance between academics and well-being, students are more likely to succeed inside and outside the classroom. Kindness is one of the most powerful influences in high school. Simple acts such as helping a classmate, offering encouragement, and even standing up against bullying can make a huge difference. Kindness builds trust and allows for cooperation, helping students build strong relationships. A kind environment reduces stress and creates a safer, more welcoming atmosphere for everyone.

Love, humanity, happiness, and kindness are essential to a successful high school experience. These values help students feel supported, respected, and motivated to learn. When high schools prioritize these qualities, not only do they improve academic outcomes, but they also prepare students to become compassionate and responsible members of society. “I definitely feel safer and more successful when teachers and other administrators are showing kindness and love,” Jurnee states.

With its instant responses and infinite knowledge, AI definitely feels like a genie, detached from any physical rules and ready to fulfill your wishes. However, artificial intelligence, unlike things like data storage in the cloud, AI requires physical data centers that use and process energy to run every question you ask, analyze every image you send, and comfort you every time you have a relationship issue. The energy used to run these massive data centers mostly comes from fossil fuels and the very water we drink. Major AI developers–often used by students– such as ChatGPT and Grok are privatized companies that rely on the water citizens pay for in order to run. As a result, these massive data centers parch the land they are built on dry, driving residents of often low-income and minority communities away from their homes. In addition, the rapid release of fossil fuel emissions contribute to the already worsening climate. This unfortunate result is easily represented by the recent weather change in Texas, with weather reaching an all-time high of 80 degrees in December!

Artificial Intelligence is not only wreaking havoc on our environment, but on the minds of students as well. Relying on AI teaches us to quit thinking in favor of easy solutions, destroying critical thinking and media literacy skills. Its immediate response inhibits gratification, leading us to be unable to sit still to watch a movie or read an article. This especially affects the younger generation, leading us to be unsatisfied with the rest of our lives when solutions are not immediately presented. Some on social media even joke or boast about using AI to write their essays, do their assignments, and essentially dictate their entire academic career, normalizing what should be a greatly dishonorable and easily avoidable act. When relying on AI to get you through a class, your grade may look sufficient, but if your brain hasn’t caught up, what’s the purpose?

Although some suggest Artificial Intelligence can have productive and beneficial effects when applied properly, its usage should be carefully considered and avoided within academic spheres, in order to lessen its effects and avoid normalizing the deterioration of our society and environment.

We, as everyday citizens, are held captive by our paychecks, working for a meager amount of money just to feed ourselves and keep a roof over our head. All the while the billionaires we work to death for live luxuriously, partying in expensive yachts, taking trips on private jets, doing all these frivolous things, while depending on the working class to keep their companies afloat.

If the world is dependent on ordinary citizens to keep things moving, why is it that the people at the top treat us with so little respect?

In 2024, Amazon made $638 billion. The average Amazon warehouse worker makes a minimum of $15 an hour. According to a study by the University of Illinois Chicago, 53% of Amazon warehouse employees report food insecurity, 41% of workers report being injured while working at an Amazon warehouse, and 69% have had to take unpaid time off due to pain or exhaustion from working at the company just during the month of April 2024.

Amazon isn’t the only company at fault. Many large companies rely on the exploitation of the working class to make money.

In countries such as Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and South Africa, baby formula has two to six grams of added sugar in every portion. In countries like Europe, however, there is no added sugar. Why is this? Because Nestlé knows that if they get babies hooked on sugar, they’ve created a loyal customer who will continue to buy their high-sugar products for life. The only reason they don’t do this in Europe and other richer countries is because their legislation forbids it. These companies do not care about our health, they see us as sources of income, a resource to milk until dry.

The housing market is also affected by this for-profit economy. Nationwide, there are over 771,000 homeless people on any given night. In contrast, there are 16 million vacant homes, meaning there are about 28 vacant lots for every unhoused person. What’s preventing these people in need from obtaining shelter?

Corporate entities; buying up units, but holding them vacant to profit from real estate appreciation. These corporate landlords don’t make their money from rents, but from the fact that they treat real estate as a luxurious asset, making housing unattainable for people who need it. What’s worse is these entities have bought up a substantial amount of single-family homes, mobile homes, and apartment buildings to get more money from people who are already economically challenged. All the while they continue to increase rent, while neglecting their tenants and refusing to perform maintenance.

In so many ways we can see the harm that is being afflicted against the grassroot citizens in the name of profit for the people at the top. Why should our country’s wealth be concentrated to the richest one percent, instead of spread out against the general population? The answer is: it shouldn’t. This continuous disrespect of the working class is horrible and unethical, and the people must not sit idly and allow this to happen; we have to fight back. Give less to billionaire corporations by supporting small businesses. Consume consciously, and if you can; make, grow, sew, and build things yourself. Boycott and unionize against exploitative companies. Trade with others. Help out your community in any way you can, so that less will go to the ultra wealthy.

Suicide is a strong topic that makes people uncomfortable but it’s something that should be talked about. In individuals between the ages of 10-14, suicide was the second leading cause of death. 

It is believed that suicide is not a subject that is talked about openly because no one likes to think about their loved ones actually following through with the act. Most people tend to avoid the topic because they believe if suicide is mentioned then it promotes the idea, which is not true. 

This subject should be an open topic for conversation because it can actually allow someone to be able to express themselves. Expressing one’s feelings can help and give the person comfort knowing they are not alone and not needing to keep their feelings and thoughts bottled up. If people were able to talk freely about their feelings, they can seek out help if needed.

If you’re not comfortable talking to a friend, then you can also seek professional help. There is an anonymous “Suicide Hotline” or if you prefer there is a text line. The number to call the hotline is 988 and the textline number is 741-741. 

It’s so amazing that Suicide Prevention Month was created by putting a spotlight on a topic that was not very accepted in the past. This month promotes people to share their stories and help encourage others to keep navigating through life’s obstacles and looking forward to a brighter tomorrow. 

Always know you are not alone and there’s someone out there who loves and cares about you. 

The placement of these detectors was the right idea and it needs to continue in the near future.

With it, students won’t even try to sneak a weapon into the school because they know it can be automatically sensed. This will help the school become increasingly safer for everyone.

The detectors are also very quick and easy to use. When coming into the school all you have to do is remove your binders or anything that has metal from your backpack and hand it to the security officer. After you walk through the detector without setting off the alarm you will receive your stuff back and continue on to your destination. The probability that you will be late to class because of this process is pretty low because it moves at such a fast pace.

Keeping the detectors is something that shouldn’t even be up for debate because not only has anxiety decreased since they were brought in but it really has been efficient in detecting anything that could cause bodily harm. 

Directores such as Yorgos Lanthimos and Roger Deakens love to add depth to their characters, such is the case of “Puss in Boots.” All of the characters portrayed had realistic emotional needs, and they accurately depicted the good and bad of the “good guys” and their rivals. The main characters are easy to sympathize with due to how they react to both physical and emotional challenges, making them relatable even if they are not always able to act rationally.

The film is a combination of 2D and 3D animation, which is inspired by Sony’s “ Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.” The visual effects, cinematography and animation were very refreshing and vibrant. “Puss In Boots” features a powerful blend of these two mediums and creates an environment that is both vibrant and unsettling. While watching the movie, one might be reminded of Japanese manga or the Marvel comics.

I’m not the only one who thinks it’s a fantastic movie. Slant Magazine says, “Given that big-studio children’s animation often feels like it was created by a robot, it’s refreshing to see a kid’s cartoon like ‘The Last Wish’ and  that’s filled with too many ideas rather than too few.”

“Avatar 2” has generated $1.928 billion globally, overtaking “Spider-Man: No Way Home” $1.91 billion as the sixth-highest-grossing release in box office history. 

To date, “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” has grossed $114 million in the United States. Not only the movie good for a 1 hour and 40 minutes of entertainment, but it’s also good for making money for DreamWorks.

I saw the show on the second night, Oct. 27, and it was amazing and very funny. The show was directed by the Blue Curtain director Patrick Holcomb. 

The production takes you on a journey and shows you what the Hufflepuffs’ life was like throughout the seven years of magic school. Each year, something new happens to the Hufflepuffs, but they all work together to get through the battles. 

The show was really enjoyable because it was like a parody of “Harry Potter” and also because I’m a fellow Hufflepuff myself. One thing that was clever about the play was it had a trio [Wayne, Oliver and Megan] similar to the one in the Harry Potter films [Harry, Hermoine and Ron]. My favorite part of the play was when I found out at the end that the narrator of the production [played by Da’Ziah Knox] was actually the daughter of Oliver and Megan [played by Isaiah Robinson and Amanda Nikel]. 

The set of the play was nice and the acting was amazing. The amount of effort Blue Curtain put into this production was incredible. 

I would honestly love to watch the show again. Now I understand why the director said “if you love Harry Potter you’ll love it, and if you hate Harry Potter you’ll still love it.” This production is one of my favorite plays I’ve seen so far in my life. 

The movie “Nope” by Jordan Peele was released July 22, 2022 and featured a star studded cast including  Keke Palmer (Emerald Haywood), Daniel Kaluuya (OJ Haywood), Steven Yeun (Ricky “Jupe” Park), Brandon Perea (Angel Torres), and other  stars. 

For me, my favorite point in this story would have to be the gordy attack moment. I just felt like it added more insight into what the film was about as a whole.

[Spoiler Alert] So, basically the scene goes like this: The crew is filming an episode of a popular ’90s sitcom when Gordy, who is the monkey on the show, grows more angry with each person who tries to give him a gift for his birthday until finally he loses it. He attacks the cast and crew of the show although viewers don’t really see this part; it can be inferred by the sound of screams. Viewers can see Gordy attack the sister and dad of the show violently while the young boy of the show, Ricky, hides underneath the table watching the whole thing go down. After Gordy finishes attacking the dad and sister he looks around and sees Ricky underneath the table so he slowly walks towards him  and  reaches his hand out signaling  a fistbump to ricky. Scaredly, Ricky slowly puts his hand out to fist bump Ricky but before they can touch the police come in and shoot Gordy to death.

The acting of the young boy who plays Ricky  in that scene is  impeccable. You can see the fear in his eyes and body language which pills the audience in even further. I was also impressed with the special effects they used to make Gordy and the outerworld alien  seem life-like. Watching them definitely had me on the edge of my seat. Not only that, but I really enjoyed the dynamic between OJ and Emerald Haywood. OJ was more laid back whereas Emerald was more outgoing, but they still cared for each other and helped each other out when they realized they were in danger.  Overall, I think the main point of the film was highly emphasized. We, as humans, tend to exploit and take advantage of people/animals/and things unnecessarily, and this can lead to major consequences.

I absolutely enjoyed the film, I felt like it was pretty different from your average alien movie, it explored exploitation and other real life scenarios in a metaphoric setting. 

[Spoiler Alert] I like the part towards the end when OJ and Emerald, along with Angel and Micheal (played by Antlers Holst), try to capture the outerworld alien on tape in hopes of selling it for millions of dollars. However, things don’t go as planned when a stranger on a motorcycle pulls up to try and get a picture of the alien first although soon enough as he drives toward the alien location, and against all warnings, he  catches the attention of the creature causing the alien to eat him and things pretty much go left from there. 

IMDB critics thought this scene was bad and the whole plot for the movie was disappointing compared to Peel’s previous work like “Get Out” and “Us.” I however thought the scene was funny and added that comedy touch to a movie that everyone loves

You can expect to see  a lot of metaphors throughout the film that contribute to the storyline. If you’re an alien movie lover then you will greatly appreciate the way Peele blends that concept in with the direction of the film. I believe this film matches the action genre more so than the horror genre because it’s a lot of moments that build up to each other and make it really intense.  

The only weakness I would point out would be how simple the ending was. I felt like it fell flat from what I was expecting, specifically the alien death scene. Nevertheless the movie still did well in the box office making a worldwide total of $171.4 million in the United States and Canada. 

Trick-or-treating has always been an enjoyable activity for many of us to participate in as kids and that doesn’t mean that the fun should stop there. 

As Halloween comes and goes every year, us older kids wonder if we’re too old to trick or treat. As a junior in high school, I’m here to prove that trick-or-treating has no age limit. 

As a kid, Halloween was always a fun excuse to get free candy from strangers and have it be perfectly fine for one day of the year. I remember as a kid not really caring for the costume, but for how I was going to be stuffing my face later on that night. 

Now that I’ve gotten older, many Halloween activities are at my display. I could go to a party, throw a party, or attend a haunted house, but nothing ever seems to beat the traditional trick-or-treating. 

I’ve noticed that more recently, I actually enjoy picking a costume and choosing how to express myself creatively just for one night. Though, because I am a teenager, trick-or- treating around children, I try to keep the costume age appropriate. For example, this year I was an angel. 

Trick or treating is more enjoyable with my friends. We all rush to each doorstep seeing who can get the biggest candy bars or the most chocolate before it’s all gone. I tend to feel like a little kid again because of the excitement it brings. 

Another pro to being a little older and still trick or treating is that I can effectively ration candy out for weeks. Which comes in handy when I’m craving something sweet. 

If you haven’t gone trick-or-treating in the past years, I hope that my experiences influence you to go next year. We all deserve the excitement of trick-or-treating no matter the age.

“Now that you know the devil, the devil knows you,” Father Quinn, played by Colin Salmon, said.  The weekend of Halloween has been notorious for releasing spine chilling horror movies for years.  However, this year’s most advertised movie, “Prey for the Devil,” was one of the biggest let downs I have ever experienced since watching the Fantasy Island remake in 2020.  As a person who regularly watches horror movies, I found that this one was greatly lacking in buildup and plot.

“Prey for the Devil” takes place in a world where demonic possessions are on the rise.  The Vatican’s response was to open several exorcism schools in order to teach new, young priests how to properly expel a demonic entity.  Though, as traditional Catholicism required, only men could become a priest.  Main character Sister Ann felt this was unfair, and, because she had a special gift in communicating with the demon plaguing those around her, she took it upon herself to be the first female exorcist in the Catholic timeline.  This, I believe, is an interesting plot if developed correctly. 

I expected the movie to go in several different directions. I was actually hoping that it did.  However, the film took upon the most basic of story lines that could be expected from any run-of-the-mill horror movie.  Nothing stood out, and a majority of the plot-twists were guessable.  I was able to figure out the ending to “Prey for the Devil” 30 minutes into the movie. I wish I was joking.  Moreover, I felt Sister Ann’s trauma, portrayed from the beginning of the film, had no development.  It showed only that Sister Ann knew of the demon, but nothing else was ever revealed.  

Sister Ann, played by Jacqueline Byers, and Natalie, played by Posy Taylor, did an outstanding job in bringing the movie to life.  If anything, their acting was one of the few salvageable traits of the film.  Some of the jumpscares were entertaining, and I feel the costumes and makeup were well done.  

The movie is PG-13, which came as a bit of a surprise.  There were a few images that I felt would’ve been extremely graphic for a younger audience, and several descriptions that were grotesque.  

Overall, the movie was mediocre at best.  It was entertaining for what it was, but certainly not very memorable.  I feel like a lot could’ve been done.