An alarming rise in K-12 hate crimes
Shreya Khurjekar, Copy Editor
March 26, 2019
Filed under Opinion
Hate infiltrated Pleasant Valley in November. With those events fresh in the minds of most PV students, reading the national news has many feeling déjà vu. Students from Orange County, Calif. gained national attention after posting anti-Semitic pictures on several social media platforms on March 4. The stud...
School nurses and librarians: necessary, not optional
Sarah Danielson, Copy Editor
March 19, 2019
A bill that would eliminate the requirement for Iowa schools to hire full-time nurses and librarians was introduced in the Iowa Legislator by Iowa Senate Republicans at the end of February. Although this bill was not passed after considerable opposition, its very introduction in the Senate is wor...
A not so effective elected government
Trevor Glaum, Business Manager
March 19, 2019
Filed under The Elephant in the Room
Midterm elections brought in a new Congress without a unified party majority in both houses. The House of Representatives switched to a democratic majority, which has caused a lack of progress in the legislative branch. Two primary events in the federal government this year have been the shutdown and ...
Using sports to enhance the high school experience
Jeremy Ramsey, Sports Editor
March 18, 2019
Filed under Opinion
In high school, there are many opportunities for students to express themselves, one of which is becoming involved in sports. Being apart of athletics has a positive impact on students’ overall experience in high school. High school students are always forced to succumb to the countless expectat...
New generation of students needs improved detentions
Lilly Parker, Copy Editor
March 6, 2019
Filed under Opinion
Pleasant Valley High School’s detention system is not improving students’ behavior or setting them up for success in the future. Creating a new, effective way to punish misbehaving students will benefit the entire school. Right now, when a student receives detention, their punishment is sitting in...
Freshmen fresh to AP classes
Brenner Stickney, Business Manager
March 6, 2019
Filed under Opinion
Next year, there will be a change coming to the classes offered; Freshman will be given the chance to take AP Human Geography. This brings up the debate of whether or not freshmen should have this option or not. Currently, AP Human Geography is taught by David Hult. It is a single second-semeste...
The impracticality of the Green New Deal
Nathan Wong, Opinion Editor
February 27, 2019
Filed under The Elephant in the Room
On Feb. 7, newly elected representative for the 14th congressional district of New York, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, introduced an environmental and economic resolution called the Green New Deal. The main goals of the bill are to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions and lower the income inequity to provide every ...
All About the Clout
Alyssa Paulson, Photo Manager
February 25, 2019
Filed under Opinion
The Headstrong Fund Challenge swept over social media recently. With a large range of athletes posting photos and nominating others to do the same. Most of these athletes, however, had missed the main point of the challenge. The initial idea was for students to post a picture of them playing their ...
Muddying the waters: Drake Relays dilutes the prestige of “Iowa’s finest athletes”
Abby Riley, Sports Editor
February 19, 2019
Filed under Opinion
The Drake Relays is one of the most prestigious track and field events in the country. Iowa’s finest track athletes dedicate countless hours to their training in the hopes they will one day be invited to the “blue oval,” where they will earn the iconic blue staining on their spikes. With a reputation...
From candy to cards: PV’s Valentine’s Day
Annie Warner, Copy Editor
February 18, 2019
Filed under Opinion
As of June 27, 2018, the Pleasant Valley School District has made some changes to the snacks students are allowed to bring, eat, and share in the classroom, greatly affecting Valentine’s Day traditions in elementary schools. In the past, every Valentine’s Day, kids would create an individual, decora...
Curriculum in need of diversification
Trinity Malmen, Staff Contributor
February 17, 2019
Filed under Opinion
As the population of minorities grows, both students and teachers at Pleasant Valley High School are questioning the almost non-existent representation of minorities in Pleasant Valley’s curriculum. Pleasant Valley High School focuses on the inclusivity of all of its students, yet there are areas...
Spartan Nation’s lack of motivation
Lilly Parker, Copy Editor
February 14, 2019
Filed under Opinion
With each passing day in the second semester, Pleasant Valley seniors are experiencing lower and lower motivation levels due to the anticipation of graduation and college. Senioritis is spreading around the halls of PV like a plague, and, at one point or another, affects almost every twelfth-grade stude...
