By Maggie Dempewolf Never would I have thought, at the young age of 10, that picking up “The Tale of Despereaux“ from the school library in the fifth grade would change me for the better. Looking back on it now, at the age of 18 with an expansive collection of books, I am so glad that my younger self chose to do what she did. So here is the telling of how one book changed … [Read more...]
Journal Writing Project: Gender-affirming Care; Can It Save Lives?
By Saturn Ludewig In case anyone does not know what the terms referring to one’s gender mean, transgender is defined, by a Google search, as “denoting or relating to a person whose gender identity does not correspond with the sex registered for them at birth,” a transgender man is someone who was born as a female and labeled as a woman but is transitioning to become a man, … [Read more...]
Journal Writing Project Pre-college 101
By Hannah Kingsley Juniors and seniors alike are regularly asked the same question by peers, family, and their community: what will you do after high school? For most, this can be a daunting question to have to answer, but there’s no need to fear the future. For those planning on going to college after high school, you don’t have to know what you want to major in right away. … [Read more...]
Why Spring Grove Schools Should Invest in Air Conditioning
By Addison Kessler The Spring Grove Schools should invest in air conditioning because, even though it is getting colder out, it will last the school for 10 to 15 years. This topic has been brought up many times when talking about what to do with the extra money that the school acquires. Air conditioning is important during the warmer months because it will keep the students … [Read more...]
Journal Writing Project: Halloween Unmasked
By Hayden St. Mary Once on a dark and stormy night... the tradition of scaring, sweet eating, and enjoying the occasional pumpkin spice latte emerged. We all love the tradition of trick or treating, whether it’s getting candy door to door, or sneaking a few treats for yourself from your kids’ stash. But the origins of Halloween are a mystery to many. So let’s dive into the … [Read more...]
Journal Writing Project: The First Twins Playoff Win of My Life
By Ben Udstuen The Minnesota Twins just recently won their first series in the playoffs since 2002, let alone their first playoff game since 2004. They haven’t even made it to the playoffs in 12 of these 19 years. So while watching a postseason game featuring the Twins, you can imagine the surprise of seeing a W by the Twins side rather than the opposing side. As a junior … [Read more...]
Journal Writing Project Why Spring Grove needs an auditorium
By Ellie Halverson The need for an auditorium has been brought up and debated in Spring Grove for years. Whether it be by the school or the community, many people would agree that having an auditorium would benefit many crowds in the Spring Grove area. The school is the first place that would greatly benefit from having an auditorium, due to the mass amounts of school … [Read more...]
The historic closing of “The Phantom of The Opera” on Broadway
By Grace Torgerson The chandelier has fallen for the final time and “The Phantom of The Opera” has closed on Broadway. “Phantom” is the longest running show in Broadway history, closing just weeks after it’s 35th anniversary. The original closing date was set to be in February 2023 but was later pushed to mid-April because of a huge increase in ticket sales. This increase … [Read more...]
Journal Writing Project Why standards-based grading is bad for students
By Claire Solberg Standards-based grading, a grading scale from one to four, is hurting our students overall. Standards-based grading is a new form of grading that is based on a scale from one to four, one being that you knew none of the stuff and four being that you exceeded expectations. This new way of grading could be detrimental to students. Using standards-based … [Read more...]
Journal Writing Project Sights at the Smithsonian
By Maggie Lile As a senior nearing the end of my high school experience, I finally got to check the senior trip to Washington, D.C. off of my bucket list a few weeks ago. While I have always known about the contents of this trip, pictures and stories from other students and teachers have never done it justice; it was one hundred times better than I imagined it to be when I … [Read more...]
Journal Writing Project Why the United States is no longer the greatest nation in the world
By Nicholas Weist The United States of America; particularly is known, basically worldwide, as the wealthiest and most powerful nation. Unfortunately, the country falls short in crucial areas such as education, healthcare, and infant mortality, making it inferior to all sorts of other countries. It’s time for Americans to face this truth. We are not the greatest country in … [Read more...]
Journal Writing Project A guide to better conversation
By Kyra Arndt There was once a man named Billy Bob Joe. Ol’ Billy spent, on average, eight hours a day – that’s a third of his life – wiggling his toes. Everybody resented this little habit of his, and it caused everybody to view him in a lesser light. Nevertheless, Billy persisted. Now take the example of Suzy Sally Sam. She spends eight hours a day sleeping – thus also … [Read more...]
Journal Writing Project My experience with art
By Haley Ellingson Art is a powerful form of expression that can capture the essence of every feeling and emotion, both positive and negative. Through art, we can explore the depths of our imagination, thoughts, and experiences. It is a creative outlet that allows us to communicate with ourselves and others in ways that words cannot express. As for myself, I have been … [Read more...]
Journal Writing Project Why the MLB rule changes will revive baseball
By Ben Udstuen The Major League Baseball Organization has introduced a new system of rules for the 2023 season to try and bring back viewership both in stadium and on broadcast. The biggest change is the pitch clock. Pitchers now must deliver the ball to the plate in a much quicker time than before. The second rule is making the bases 18 inches square, compared to the … [Read more...]
Journal Writing Project Reflecting on fear and regret
By Anna Wheat A recent article published in the NCBI (National Center for Biotechnology Information) got me wondering, is it possible to be proactive with my regrets? The article surveyed people in the latest stages of life, asking, “Do you have any regrets?” The most commonly reported responses typically had to do with spending too much time on people or things not in … [Read more...]