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

Exclusive trends and brands fail to account for diverse consumers

Exclusive trends and brands fail to account for diverse consumers

Prerna Vanga, Assistant Editor-in-Chief December 13, 2023

Despite companies’ movements toward diversity and equity, clothing continues to persist as a majorly negative factor in how girls feel about their appearance.  Some popular teen brands, such as Brandy...

Pleasant Valley students use study hall to complete homework assignments.

Increased educational requirements and how it’s affecting students of all ages

Shelby Brown, Copy Editor December 10, 2023

As time advances, so do the standards and requirements of education, indicating that each generation is expected to perform better than their former. The learning requirements for students compared to...

Amazon is an online retailer many people use for their purchases during Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Some of the deals on Amazon last longer than others, so customers have to act fast if they want a deal on their purchase.

Black Friday: The holiday of overconsumption

Grace Schmidt, Student Life Editor December 8, 2023

On Black Friday each year, 122.7 million Americans open up their laptop or hop in their car, hoping to chase down the best deals of the year. This frenzy may seem like a productive day, getting holiday...

 Celebrities use podcasts as an opportunity to make money while simultaneously exposing their out of touch nature. Photo credit to: Canva

The increasing popularity of podcasts: New form of entertainment exposes out of touch celebrities

Priya Suresh, Social Media Manager December 6, 2023

With 464.7 million podcast listeners as of 2023, podcasts are becoming more popular within the media, increasing 37% since 2020. The cheapness and accessibility of making podcasts has made it an industry...

Chinese fast fashion clothing brand, Shein, has released a makeup line called SHEGLAM that potentially can be detrimental to customers’ health.

The dangers in dupes: Cheap prices in exchange for health

Hannah McVey, Business manager December 5, 2023

The idea of a dupe seems amazing. Being able to find cheap products that are exactly like expensive brands; sounds like a steal right? Dupes may sound great for a bank account, but in the long run they...

As a nation built around gun culture, the United States has witnessed a harrowing amount of gun violence in the last decade.

Misconceptions surrounding the correlation between mental health and gun violence illustrate the need for an amendment

Muskan Mehta, Social Media Manager November 30, 2023

With a harrowing 565 shootings in 2023 so far, the violence epidemic in America continues to grow each year. Although it is tempting to say that gun violence stems from mental health, the truth is much...

Classes at Pleasant Valley that have a star at the end of their class titles denotes honors status. This allows these classes to be counted on the weighted GPA scale.

Making a choice: Students are forced to pick between college credit courses or a higher weighted GPA

Timothy Ku, Business Manager November 29, 2023

When glancing at the Pleasant Valley course registration list for future classes, students get to decide between Advanced Placement (AP), Honors, standard and concurrent Scott Community College courses....

The GED of Garrett Fox, who dropped out of high school at the end of his junior year. He got his GED and began to attend welding school. Photo credit to: Garrett Fox

Negative stigma around GED- Ariana

Ariana Assadi, Design Editor November 29, 2023

Many people consider finishing high school to be the start of adult life and the pathroad to a successful future, but that leads to a negative stigma around the people who don’t receive their diploma.  There...

Three days before this puppy, Skippy, was sent back to the hound because of behavioral issues.

Killing without reason: inhumanly euthanizing animals

Gabi Ragins, Multimedia Manager November 29, 2023

Killing race horses Commonly known, the horseracing industry is far less glamorous than it is dangerous. Specifically the horses who are forced to train for hours on end who eventually get injured,...

Living to Work, Working to Die: The Need for Pro-Connectivity Policies in the U.S.

Living to Work, Working to Die: The Need for Pro-Connectivity Policies in the U.S.

Ayah Alsheikha, Lead Editor November 28, 2023

The American Dream is long expired. Hustle culture is quickly burning out America’s corporate base of workers, leaving them overworked and devoid of connectivity. The fast-paced nature of American hustle...

Junior Becca Hahm celebrates Chinese New Year in the United States, blending American and Chinese traditions to uphold her heritage in a different country. 
Photo credit to Judy Hahm

American Amalgamation: The fluidity of culture in the 21st century

Ayah Alsheikha, Lead Editor November 28, 2023

Humanity is defined by its history, marked by its culture-defining traditions. From religions to holidays, culture has encapsulated human existence and defined the diverse histories of people across the...

Student working on homework as they decide what happens if they fail.

To fail or to flourish: Students have lost ownership of their own success

Cassi Paustian, Infographic Manager November 28, 2023

Pleasant Valley High School is facing an alarming number of students assigned to academic study hall as administration tries to raise the grades of their students.  Academic study hall can be assigned...

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