Billions of years ago, the Earth was made up of nothing but a little dirt here and there. The theory of evolution suggests that “evolution is a process of change in all forms over generations” and “biological populations evolve through genetic changes that correspond to the changes in the or…
The big question today is how do students feel about being in all weather conditions around the school year, how do they feel about portables and how do they feel about Hoover in general?
Marlon Brando’s performance in 1972’s “The Godfather” has been named one of the greatest in cinematic history, so it’s no wonder he was nominated for Best Actor at the 1973 Oscars ceremony. He was the favorite to win, but instead of attending and accepting his award, he boycotted the event a…
Growing up in rural West Virginia meant I didn’t even know that being gay was a possibility when I was a child. The media I consumed and the people around me showed only one option when it came to relationships, let alone gender identity. I knew plenty about unhealthy relationships, resentfu…
This year, two weeks of my summer was spent at the UNESCO Center For Peace summer camp, an international camp featuring a STEAM and a model United Nations program, with the overall platform of solving global issues.
On June 10, I got the opportunity to go with Cross Lanes United Methodist youth group on a mission trip to Coastal Carolina. It was a mix of three boys, seven girls, led by our youth leaders Jeremy and Heather.
West Virginia has the highest drug usage out of every state in the United States of America, according to a recent study by WalletHub. These illegal habits often begin before citizens even earn their high school diploma.
Recently I had the honor of competing in the Miss West Virginia Outstanding Teen competition. While I didn’t walk away with a crown, I had the privilege of walking away with something else, something valuable. I walked away with progress, significant progress from last year.
As a rising senior in high school, I’ve realized how quickly college is approaching. This past week, my family took both my brother and me to see three colleges in West Virginia. While I am excited for college and will do as much as I can to get into the best college possible, I would be lyi…
I had written an entire article about the state of our nation — focusing on a couple different facets of it that we face. The article was turned in and revised and set to run when the ruling the Supreme Court handed down on Friday threw a wrench in what I had written.
Through the unfolding of events in the second part of “In Cold Blood,” written by Truman Capote, Perry Smith is consistently fleshed out and brought to life in the minds of Capote’s readers in a way that compels them to see Smith in a sympathetic light. This decision by Capote gave rise to a…
As teenagers, managing stress is a task that we are faced with daily. From school work, to social drama, to anything else that may be going on in our lives, it can get overwhelming very quickly.
“You need to know yourself,” is probably the most simple advice that leads to a day full of headaches.
Within the non-fiction novel, “In Cold Blood,” written by Truman Capote, an exploration on the murders of the book’s main characters, the Clutter family, is offered.
Frederick Douglass was born into slavery in Maryland. It was through his own determination and tenacity in gaining literacy, coupled with escaping slavery, that changed the course of his life. Through his autobiography, readers of the past, present and future are bound to be appalled by the …
The Mexican American War from 1846 to 1848 was a victory for the United States over Mexico. With this victory, the American borders greatly expanded. The aftermath of the Mexican American War led to increased political tensions between the North and South over the expansion of slavery into t…
As our high school years run out, and college creeps closer and closer, a lot of students have realized that they don’t have much to put on their resume. Many students use the excuse of the pandemic upending their lives, but some of students have found ways to take advantage of the opportuni…
April is Autism Awareness Month. It isn’t an easy month to be autistic.
When the first COVID-19 cases were reported, I was in the 8th grade and didn’t truly understand the situation. I believed, like most of my peers, that the new disease was a distant threat, and that this whole situation would blow over in a couple of months, like other diseases in the past, (…
Reading is one of the most important things in a writer’s life, so it can be assumed that most writers enjoy reading, but for a while that was not the case in my life.
Issues relating to one’s faith in a higher being oftentimes equates with the worship and commitment to the particular ideology. Within Arthur Miller’s book, “The Crucible,” numerous juxtapositions were highlighted to individual readers concerning the Puritans’ belief in God as well as their …
It has been almost two years since this whole COVID-19 situation began. Since then, wearing masks has become a normal part of society, and we have seen more vaccination debates spring up in lieu of the push for COVID vaccinations.
Over the past few months, I have written extensively about our farm, my poppy (old man), and what it is like to grow up in rural Appalachia, isolated up on a mountain ridge. My Grammy, who follows everything I write, pointed out that I might have unintentionally failed to give credit to the …
As January comes to a close, most people are facing failed New Year’s resolutions. In fact, a study from MDPI found that about two-thirds of people abandon their goals within a month. And since it takes around two months to fully form a new habit, this goal-setting tradition doesn’t seem to …
Over the past couple of years, we have seen a dramatic increase of violence in American schools. While most of us have watched these tragedies from the comfort of our homes, some children in America have watched horrific things from a short distance. Experts are calling this phenomenon an ep…
In a world where globalization is occurring at a rapid pace and different groups of people (in terms of culture and language) are coming into contact, learning different languages has become more and more common. It has long been said that by learning a new language, we are knitting the bond…
The past two years have been less than ideal, but that should not jade our view going into the new year. Finding ways to make every day count even when there are those days that feel arbitrary and lazy is a great way that you can make sure to utilize this year correctly. From fitness to find…
President Joe Biden’s Build Back Better plan, a $1.75 trillion (in 10 year spending) plan designed to relieve economic stress and climate change specifically entails universal preschool, a federally funded paid family and sick leave program, earned income tax credit, enhanced child tax credi…
Kindness itself is a selfless act done for the benefit of others. As Amelia Earhart once said, “A single act of kindness throws out roots in all directions, and the roots spring up and make new trees.” I can agree with the utmost conviction with her.
Aconsistent feeling follows me as the weather gets cooler, as grass begins to frost, as leaves begin to fall, as snowflakes tickle the tops of the trees. A constant feeling and reminder that December is not trailing far behind.
It all started early last summer when my grandfather, Poppy, began hinting around that he wanted to buy a few cows. My Grammy and mom were completely against the idea, arguing that we have enough on our hands with the sheep and other farm animals, but my Poppy didn’t let their grumbling dete…
It has been six years since a student brought a gun to Philip Barbour High School and held a classroom full of kids and their teacher hostage. I can still see how it lives inside of everyone who has had to come into the building since then, attempting to find safety and comfort where it was …
College. What an experience it has been.
What is misogyny in the entertainment industry? Misogyny is defined as a fixed prejudice toward women, and there are plenty of examples of misogyny in the entertainment industry. From women’s song lyrics to award show attire, there is always something the media can critique.
It’s been a topic of debate whether or not transgender teenagers, kids and adults should be allowed to participate in sports. According to Gov. Jim Justice, the answer seems to be no, in spite of the fact that according to multiple sources, such as the HuffPost, he can’t point to one instanc…
My parents would warn, “Beware of the fall. You don’t know what lies there.” From youth, we are instilled with the fear of the fall. The potential threats that lie within the unknown darkness. It is enforced so far into our minds, that we forget it’s there. Until we are stuck within the mome…
Recently, my grandfather and I attended the Lee City Livestock Market in eastern Kentucky. We took a few of our young ewes and weathered rams to be sold. This was my first visit to the Lee City Market and only the second time to have joined my grandfather in taking sheep to be sold at auctio…
The 2020 presidential election showed the highest voter turnout in U.S. history, displaying Gen Z’s voting power for the future. Gen Z has shown to be the most progressive generation yet and given the rise of youth activism and social awareness, it’s no surprise.
Over the past couple of weeks, schools all across West Virginia have been opening their doors in hopes of a fresh start and a normal year.
Finding a balance in life is an art form that people spend their entire existence trying to find but are unable to. Striving to be able to take everything and not internally combust is something that everyone finds themselves looking to do.
Teenage mental health is so important. As much as people don’t like to admit it, most, if not all teens are struggling with mental health in some way or another. I deal with severe anxiety and depression on a daily basis. However, most adults I’ve met write off teenagers’ mental health issue…
Love falls behind a wall of society. Love can only be what others see fit. The prince shall save the troubled princess and happily ever after shall appear. However, not once have people stopped to question the reason behind the paradox of a prince being needed to save a princess from her tro…
A giant percentage of the Kanawha County student population — the ones who went online, including me — have just recently returned to regular school life. About as regular it can be, anyway.
When I tell someone I’m autistic, their first words are “I’m sorry.”
Dear fellow seniors,
The rollout of COVID-19 vaccines has been met with a mix of differing responses. As in any case of something controversial, there are those who support it and those who do not. Arguments can be made for and against the vaccine in a convincing manner. It truly comes down to a willingness to t…
At the end of each school year, students are required to complete 3 or 4 summative tests in order to accurately measure what we learned throughout the past school year and determine things such as class schedules. These tests are called the General Summative Assessment (GSA) and are given to…
On April 7, I decided that I wanted to do my part to end the pandemic by getting a COVID-19 vaccination. Looking forward to college, being vaccinated allows me to attend in-person classes and be free of quarantine after possible exposure.
I have never heard anyone deny the power that the internet has, but in a time when every aspect of life is through a screen, we must sit back and see just how powerful it is. With recent events, such as the short squeeze of stock by a Reddit campaign, it is undeniable to see that the interne…
COVID-19 has created a challenge for everyone, completely flipping lives upside down and changing the way that one approaches everything. It is clear to see that it has cast a dark shadow over the past year, and destroyed any semblance of a normal routine.
