On Sept. 22, fall will begin burning with the warning to settle into the school routine. Autumn is a sign of change educationally, as well as seasonally. Yet, a problem everyone often mentions is the shift in weather: we...
As students head into finals today, your resident 42Fifty cartoonist wondered what happens after the school year ends. As it turns out, no one really knows. Everyone goes home, the halls still, the lights turn off, and an eerie quiet fills Oswego High School. But... is the building really empty?
For all we know, there may be someone who specifically roams the building at all hours to keep an eye on everything - like our beloved mascot, Pick the Panther. What happens to him?
According to the Illinois School Report Card, 571 incidents were reported in 2023 at Oswego High School. Of those, 244 students received disciplinary action as a result, indicating that many of these are repeated offenses, and 131 of these involved violence or attempted violence. This winter, a variety of conflicts have taken place at OH and ended in fighting or violence. This issue has been a topic of discourse for the district and student body alike.
“It’s kind of hard for me to understand because I’ve never really known a school where I kind of have to look over my shoulder 24/7, going to school, I do feel safe but then one small thing will happen and I'm petrified,” said junior Maddie Pope.
These issues don’t stem from inherently violent people. Numerous factors play into these conflicts. The struggles of daily life combined with the teen mental health crisis are prevalent triggers. According to the American Psychological Association, the longer effects of COVID isolation also play a potential role, where students were socially isolated during key points in the brain's development. Missing the necessary socialization during this period makes students less likely to understand how to problem-solve and deal with difficult types of social interaction.
OH Director of Student Services Patti Marcinko said, “[[Student behavior]] changed in a number of ways, I think there's increased anxiety, increased depression,so it’s that side of things, all things that can play into people's school lives and personal lives."
Halloween originating back during the 16th century in Scotland, Ireland, Americans now take their children around the neighborhood, knocking door to door in hopes that someone will appear from the door with a bowl of candy in hand. At...
Imagine looking forward to prom for years. Imagine the meals, the pictures, but most importantly the music. Something is missing, though, and that is the perfect blend of music.
In the past, my friends and I recognized that at prom, the music was not representative of the fact that not everyone enjoys one type of music, and we need to switch it up.