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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

With the ACT just around the corner, students are extra stressed trying to get a better score than the person next to them.

Opinion: Students shouldn’t compare grades

Aubrey Butler, Staff Writer January 16, 2025

There is a nervous buzz in the air as AIM teachers begin passing out PreACT scores at MCHS. After students have a chance to analyze their scores, classrooms become full of talk about the test. By the end...

The REN team hosted a breakfast for MCHS December Grads on Tuesday Dec. 17 in the Upper Campus cafeteria before their last round of finals as high school students.

Headstart on success 

Tate Bartelson, Staff Writer December 20, 2024

As the first semester wraps up, MCHS' December graduates are preparing to start their lives outside of high school and are planning for the future. Graduating in December sounds like an amazing thing...

The phone ban that the school recently got put into place has students more unattached to the lessons in class than we thought.

Opinion | Phone bans in schools works

Brooklyn Kuhl, Freshmen Contributor December 13, 2024

Summer school 2024 was when MCHS was starting to experiment with the phone ban. When my summer school teacher said to us that no phones were allowed in class, even when we finished our work, I got really...

Students have had a hard time getting on time and prepared for school during this 2024-2025 school year.

Opinion | Just show up

Afton Ingraffia, Features Editor December 11, 2024

A student wakes up on a dreaded Monday morning and decides they're too tired to go to school. They tell their parents and promptly go back to sleep. That same student wakes up to police cars outside talking...

Juniors in the course American Studies  participated in Chautauqua and spent the day dressed in character and voting on different policies.

The sincerest form of flattery

Gabe Santos, Opinions Editor December 9, 2024

Chautauqua is an event held by honors american studies teachers and students simulating a conference between prominent historical and pop culture figures discussing present world issues from the healthcare...

According to the Illinois Assessment of Readiness show that MCHS's test scores dropped around 25% on both math and reading tests.

Ready or not

Ffion Curtain, Online Managing Editor December 4, 2024

A student walks into their math class feeling anxious for their test. Even though they studied and tried different methods to prepare, they start to feel as if they are not going to pass. Once the teacher...

Bandanas have been a fashion piece to many people. Some use it as an accessory, others may use it to hold their hair back.

Opinion | Students should be able to wear bandanas at school

Grace Bellavia, Staff Writer December 3, 2024

Wearing bandanas is becoming a trend with the rise of "street wear" in the mainstream media. It is a fun way to style yourself if you don't want to wear a hat but also don't want your hair in your face,...

American Studies hosts their annual Chautauqua in the Upper Campus auditorium on Nov. 21. Junior, Devin Elbert spoke as LeBron James about gun violence in America.

Taking their seats

Lily Adams, Editor In Chief December 2, 2024

Dressed as their character for Chautauqua, junior Onyx Haak enters the Upper Campus auditorium. They take their seat in the dimly lit space, anticipating the speeches and skits they will see today. The...

People celebrate the time honored tradition of Thanksgiving differently then others

How we celebrate

Grace Bellavia, Staff Writer November 21, 2024

Not all Thanksgiving meals are what you would call “traditional.” Many people these days follow special diets, and therefore, Thanksgiving dinner is not what you would expect. Many people of different...

At MCHS's Upper Campus, students have planted a tree outside the school to honor passed loved ones.

Students plant remembrance tree to honor lost loved ones

Tate Bartelson, Staff Writer November 21, 2024

MCHS grievance and loss group planted a tree in October by the North Entrance to honor loved ones who have passed. The grievance and loss group is mainly student led but is supervised by Upper Campus...

Students are being asked to scan in and out of MCHS when they leave and enter the building from lunch, or if students arrive late to school.

Safety first

Brooke Allard, Freshmen Contributor November 14, 2024

As a student enters the school, they walk up to the security guard with their ID in their pocket. Only after they get it out and hold it toward the guard to scan, do they wonder why the school even scans...

Cases of Pertussis, better known as whooping cough, has been identified at MCHS. The extremely contagious respiratory tract infection can spread quickly through communities that are not vaccinated.

Whooping cough cases emerge at MCHS

Afton Ingraffia, Features Editor November 12, 2024

McHenry has recently brought to light the news of a confirmed case of pertussis, or better known as the dreaded whooping cough earlier this week. Whooping cough is a highly contagious respiratory tract...

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