The student news site of Pleasant Valley High School

Spartan Shield

The student news site of Pleasant Valley High School

Spartan Shield

The student news site of Pleasant Valley High School

Spartan Shield

Every year approximately 58% of all highschool seniors feel pressured to attend prestigious universities.

Rethinking success: The changing narrative of higher education 

Asritha Gunukula, Multimedia Manager March 1, 2024

Throughout high school, students are constantly told by the adults and media around them the importance of getting into a top university. While in the past this level of attention was reserved for exceptional...

Junior Sabrina Richards examines her scantron assessment

Measuring up: How the US education system’s performance falls short against international benchmarks

Ameya Menon, PV Only Editor February 15, 2024

When it comes to taking kids to soccer practice or art lessons, parents are ahead of the game. But when examining the entirety of the treatment of American children, the United States is far behind other...

Study of Study
Image by Randen Pederson from Superior

Beyond the books: The need for mental health days in high schools

Asritha Gunukula, Multimedia Manager February 14, 2024

When a student is physically ill, it is a given that they will stay home from school for the day as it is the responsible thing to do. However, when a student is mentally unable, suddenly they are considered...

Comedian Garry Shandling during the rehearsal of the 45th Emmy Awards, in September 1993.
© Photo by Alan Light // CC-BY-SA-2.0

When jokes cross the line: Navigating the boundaries of humor in award shows

Asritha Gunukula, Multimedia Manager February 5, 2024

From “The Slap Heard Around the World” to jokes on a celebrity’s antisemitism, award shows have turned from a moment to celebrate celebrity talent to a complete mockery of them. Is this moral? When...

From Rihannas billionaire status to Beyoncés billion dollar Renaissance Tour, the artistic reverence and economic success of women of color comes from the unrivaled support of their community.

Economics of community: The entertainment industry’s most sustainable business model is crafted by women of color

Margil Sanchez Carmona, Arts & Entertainment Editor January 5, 2024

Beyoncé’s BeyHive, Nicki Minaj’s Barbs, Rihanna’s Navy--arguably the most influential fan communities in the music industry.  All of these fan communities have one thing in common--they follow...

Junior Alika Cho watches TikTok influencer participate in the Fox eye trend. This influencer pulls her eyes back, a racist action that has haunted East Asians

The hypocrisy of beauty: Society’s resistance to accept cultural inclusiveness

Prerna Vanga, Assistant Edior-in-Chief January 4, 2024

There are no set rules for the standards of beauty. Trends and favored traits shift over the years, but one factor remains the same: there is absolutely a preferred race in beauty. Whether intentional...

A harvested and disregarded Iowa field is edited under graphics of a fossil fuel plant and a globe. Critical environmental and climate action must be taken internationally, acknoweldging that what is impacting areas of the United States is also impacting much more vulnerable nations of the developing world.

‘It needs to happen now’: Inefficient American climate policy is an international disservice

Margil Sanchez Carmona, Arts & Entertainment Editor January 4, 2024

“This is a death sentence,” said Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley at the COP28 climate summit in Dec. 2023. She had said the same thing at COP26 two years earlier--nations just didn’t listen. The...

Playing instruments such as piano allows for people to take a proper and healthy mental health break.

Living a healthy mental life: the cognitive benefits of playing and instrument

Timothy Ku, Business Manager January 4, 2024

Maintaining peace of mind, proper mental health, and keeping calm and composed are all integral components of living a healthy lifestyle. With modern-day stresses, old solutions can help. When someone...

Al Jazeera is one of the best news corporations in the world for reporting international news. Photo is a logo owned by Aljazeera and used under Fair Use.

Al Jazeera: How a conservative country broadcasts liberal TV.

Aditya Narayan, Copy Editor January 3, 2024

In March of 2003 at the height of the Iraq War, American fighter jets departed from Qatar’s Al Udeid Air Base situated in Doha to fight a brutal war against Saddam Hussain’s dictatorship. Yet, some...

With an increasing number of people insistent on believing in pseudoscientific principles, the integrity of evidence-based science has come under threat. Photo credit to Canva

Unveiling the Mirage: The Rise of Pseudoscience and Its Threat to Trust in Evidence-Based Science

Aditya Narayan, Copy Editor January 3, 2024

Horoscopes. Palm readings. Essential oils.  These trends and many others have exploded in popularity among adolescents across the world, with millions of followers partaking in them.  In recent...

The intense rush of users during the holiday season has induced great strain on national transportation, with many being overwhelmed and unable to handle so many travelers. Photo credit to Canva.

Summer and Christmas holidays puts stress on American transportation

Aditya Narayan, Copy Editor January 3, 2024

During the summer and Christmas holidays, nearly half of all Americans travel all over the United States to go home, to meet their families, or to just have fun during the holidays. However, the mass exodus...

PV seniors choose to play video games on their phones instead of doing work. This trend can be seen all across the high school as students give in to senioritis.

Facing distractions: The choice of productivity over procrastination

Owen Stoltz, Copy Editor January 3, 2024

Throughout the entirety of their high school careers, Class of 2024 seniors have been faced with distractions. From Covid-19 lockdowns and hybrid learning to cell phones and trends, students have been...

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