McHenry High School's student-written and -edited newspaper

The McHenry Messenger
McHenry High School's student-written and -edited newspaper

The McHenry Messenger
McHenry High School's student-written and -edited newspaper

The McHenry Messenger
Freedom Tomasello

Freedom Tomasello, Opinion Editor

Freedom Tomasello is a senior at McHenry High School’s Upper Campus. She enjoys spending time with friends and traveling around town. She is the current social media manager of activism club and wants to become a paleontologist after college. This is Freedom’s second year on the Messenger’s staff.

Recognition:

2023 IHSA Sectionals (second in Editorial Writing)

IJEA Fall Journalism Convention Write-Offs (first in Editorial Writing)

All content by Freedom Tomasello
Apps like ChatGPT and other AI services let technology do their thinking for them. If the purpose of school is to learn new skills, are apps like ChatGPT obstructing that goal?

Opinion: AI is harmful to education

Freedom Tomasello, Opinions Editor
May 16, 2023
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MCHS celebrates students every single day, but for the same sorts of things — good grades and amazing athletic performance. Other talented students work hard in other ways and deserve recognition as well.

Opinion: Some students don’t get the recognition they deserve

Freedom Tomasello, Opinions Editor
May 12, 2023
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Freedom Tomasello, Opinions Editor

Freedom Tomasello, Opinions Editor

Freedom Tomasello, Opinions Editor
May 11, 2023
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Bad behavior throughout the Upper Campus has forced security and administration to take unpopular measures, like closing bathrooms. But should all students be punished because of the bad behavior of a few?

Opinion: Bad behavior of a few shouldn’t trigger consequences for all

Freedom Tomasello, Opinions Editor
April 24, 2023
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Parents debate “critical race theory” at a meeting of the Placentia-Yorba Linda school board in 2021. Since COVID, parents have insisted on more rights over their childrens' public education, and school board meeting have been the battleground.

Opinion: ‘Parents’ rights’ may threaten students’ rights

Freedom Tomasello, Opinions Editor
March 23, 2023
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From left, Ella Huff, of Grand Rapids, joins fellow Michigan State University students Sophie Apple and her sister, Abbey Apple, both of Washington Township, as they place flowers at "The Rock," on Feb. 14, 2023, the day after a gunman killed three students and injured five others in a shooting on campus.

Opinion: MSU students need more time to heal after mass shooting

Freedom Tomasello, Opinions Editor
March 16, 2023
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Endure & Survive | Groovy Movies Ep.1 with Kennedy Tetour

Kennedy Tetour and Freedom Tomasello
March 3, 2023
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Ethan Bailey from Consequence Bronson sings and plays the drums at the 2023 Battle of the Bands

Sharing the stage

Freedom Tomasello, Opinions Editor
February 24, 2023
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In January, a new school policy limiting late work suprised many students — and teachers. But the policy gets in the way of students who need the support the most.

Opinion: The new late work policy is flawed

Freedom Tomasello, Opinions Editor
February 16, 2023
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Noah Schnapp revealed his sexuality through a tiktok posted on Jan. 5, he was met with heavy criticism in the comments of his post.

Noah Schnapp criticized for unserious coming out post

Freedom Tomasello, Opinions Editor
February 6, 2023
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"The Last Of Us" is a perfect example of what a good video game adaptation should be — and should set a standard for other attempts to turn a video game into a film or series.

The last of poor adaptations

Freedom Tomasello, Opinions Editor
February 2, 2023
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The state of Illinois requires students to undergo fitness testing in their P.E. classes. Though the idea is to keep students physically healthy, some students may feel it takes a toll on them socially and emotionally.

Opinion: Fitness testing is unnecessary

Freedom Tomasello, Opinions Editor
January 31, 2023
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Students perform on stage during the Madrigal Dinner on Dec. 3 in the Freshman Campus theatre.

MCHS hosts 18th annual Madrigal Dinner event

Freedom Tomasello, Opinions Editor
December 20, 2022
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Students at MCHS often have a difficult time using their devices. When useful websites are blocked on their Chromebooks and they don’t get a signal on their phones, students become frustrated and demotivated.

No service

Freedom Tomasello, Opinions Editor
December 19, 2022
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"Overwatch 2" was met with both excitement and controversy as players experienced bugs and issues such as long player queues.

Battlepass or battle pass?

Freedom Tomasello, Opinions Editor
November 29, 2022
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Last year, the Warrior Warehouse connected to the cafeteria housed the Hidden Pearl coffeehouse before it was forced to relocate. This fall, Rusty Malts will move into the spot in this most recent partnership with the school and local businesses.

Rusty Malts coffee shop partners with the Upper Campus

Freedom Tomasello, Opinions Editor
November 7, 2022
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Mark Curran, the longest-serving sheriff of Lake County, is a Republican running for a spot on the Illinois Supreme Court during the 2022 midterm elections.

Meet Mark Curran, the Republican running for Illinois Supreme Court

Freedom Tomasello, Opinions Editor
November 2, 2022
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Judge Elizabeth Rochford, a Democrat running for a seat on state Supreme Court, has been a Lake County Circuit Court Judge for a decade.

Meet Elizabeth Rochford, the Democrat running for Illinois Supreme Court

Freedom Tomasello, Opinions Editor
October 26, 2022
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While juniors will take the PSAT next week, other grades levels will learn test taking strategies or take time off. During early release days, teachers will host parent-teacher conferences.

What to know ahead of fall PSAT testing week

Freedom Tomasello, Opinions Editor
October 21, 2022
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Queen Elizabeth II at Windsor Castle on July 17, 2020, in Windsor, England. Barbados, which has long prided itself on being the most "English" of Britain's former colonies in the Caribbean, announced it will be taking steps to drop Queen Elizabeth II as its head of state and to become a republic by next year, when it marks its 55th anniversary of independence from British rule.

Britain’s longest ruling monarch dead at 96

Freedom Tomasello, Staff Writer
September 9, 2022
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This year's graduation ceremony was slated to take place at McCracken Field to accommodate a new combined class of seniors formerly from East and West.

Graduation moved indoors due to inclement weather

Freedom Tomasello, Staff Writer
May 19, 2022
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For $25, students visit Six Flags Great America on Saturday at a reduced rate, which includes transportation and tickets to the Battle of the Bands later that day.

StuCo hosts trip to Six Flags Great America

Freedom Tomasello, Staff Writer
May 12, 2022
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Speakers tell stories about their own experiences during a Title IX presentation during held on May 3 in the Upper Campus Auditorium.

MCHS celebrates 50 years of Title IX

Freedom Tomasello, Staff Writer
May 9, 2022
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Trends from the 1980s and '90s have become popular again this year — including some trends that have been deemed unfashionable for decades, like mullets and socks with sandals.

Back in style

Freedom Tomasello, Staff Writer
May 6, 2022
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Blended classes have become both a blessing and a curse, causing class cuts and confusion among staff and students. The youngest blenders, sophomores, may not be ready for the responsibility that blended learning demands.

Opinion: Not all students are ready to blend

Freedom Tomasello, Staff Writer
April 12, 2022
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The total numbers of behavior incidents between semester one at East Campus in 2019 and semester one the Freshman Campus in 2022 are comparable, which is notable because the school housed twice as many students before the pandemic.

Missed behavior

Kennedy Tetour and Freedom Tomasello
April 7, 2022
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Though movies like "The Hunger Games" can be thrilling rides, Suzanne Collins's book uses slower pacing to develop stronger characters and deeper emotions.

Opinion: Don’t judge a book by its movie

Freedom Tomasello, Staff Writer
April 6, 2022
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Since the end of January, students have been asked to remain in class during the first five minutes of AIM at the Upper Campus, which administrators call a “No Fly Zone,” in an effort to crack down on class cuts.

New AIM rules cause confusion and frustration

Freedom Tomasello, Staff Writer
February 28, 2022
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Review: Devoting your heart

Review: Devoting your heart

Freedom Tomasello, Staff Writer
February 10, 2022
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Encanto helps to spread the love with a deep familial connection and an understanding that all members of a family are important.

Review: We don’t talk about Bruno

Freedom Tomasello, Staff Writer
January 24, 2022
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