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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

Students walk into the Upper Campus Wednesday, the first day of school, while Warrior activities welcome them back.

Gallery | First Week of School

Afton Ingraffia, Staff Writer August 20, 2024

MCHS welcomed back students on the first day of school August 14. Both students and staff showed up in good spirits and ready to start a new school year. “My first day at Upper Campus was really good,”...

A banner hangs outside of the Freshman Campus main gym along Green Street at the start of the school year. This year, MCHS celebrates it's centennial year, having opened its doors for the first time in 1924.

A century of Warriors

Grace Crockett, News Editor August 15, 2024

Over the last century, MCHS has welcomed new students and staff every year. The first week of MCHS's cenennial year begs the question: how will this year be different from previous years? Back in the...

Students struggle to find the balance between good grades and committing to their sports.

A stressful balance

Eli Frommes, audio producer May 22, 2024

A student athlete goes to practice as they watch their grades drop asking their coach for a day off and the coach having the student prioritize their sport over their grades and school. Student athletes...

Students would have to wak up as early as 5 am to get their day started.

Opinion | The start time for MCHS should be pushed back

Olivia Smith, Social Media Manager May 21, 2024

The average start time for public high schools was 8 a.m. during the 2017-2018 school year, according to a survey by the National Center for Education Statistics published in 2020, the latest year for...

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

Angry parents continue to flood schools, each taking different approaches to induce change. Many resort to protesting while others take a more political route by running for a seat on the school board....

Signs hang outside of classrooms where dual credit classes take place at MCHS. Next year, students enrolled in dual credit classes will be charged $25 per class each semester.

MCC to charge for dual credit classes next year

Tati Rubi, Staff Writer February 23, 2023

Starting this upcoming year, all students in McHenry county taking a dual credit course will be charged a $25 fee per semester.  The new implication was finalized in early January. MCHS will be assessing...

A school sign wishing students a "Happy New Year" is seen outside Richneck Elementary School on Saturday, Jan. 7, 2023, in Newport News, Virginia. A 6-year-old student was taken into custody after reportedly shooting a teacher during an altercation in a classroom at Richneck Elementary School on Friday.

First grade student injures teacher in Virginia school shooting

Tati Rubi, Staff Writer January 24, 2023

A 6-year-old boy brought a handgun to school and shot his teacher in the middle of a lesson at Richneck Elementary School in Virginia on Jan. 6. The Virginia teacher was critically injured but is already...

As the U.S. Supreme Court opens oral arguments Monday on whether to strike down affirmative action, UC’s long struggle to bring diversity to its 10 campuses offers lessons on race-neutral admission practices.

Opinion: Affirmative action should stay in place

Vanessa Moreno, News Editor November 28, 2022

The nation's most selective colleges receive hundreds of thousands of applications yearly. Competition is cutthroat, and the odds of getting in are low for everyone. For minorities, however, affirmative...

Athletes are under pressure to perform both on and off the field. Though the IHSA has eligibility requirements that students must be passing 5 classes to compete, many athletes want to do well, especially in their honors or AP classes, but practice and training can cut into homework time.

Balancing both

Mackenzie Sroka, Sports Editor November 11, 2022

It’s a hot, sweaty, bumpy bus ride home after the game. The bus is silent, everyone reflecting on how the game ended. Another defeat after best efforts, but the pressure collapsed the team once again....

The rise in freshman failures concerns many staff and parents. Given the new campus structure, what will happen when freshmen heading to the Upper Campus fail?

Failing‌ ‌freshmen‌

Grace Hunt, Freshman Correspondant February 25, 2022

A freshman student opens Schoology to countless alerts of missing work. They’ve been trying to raise the failing grade that's been fluctuating all semester, trying to improve it. Balancing all their...

School can cause several stresses for students including but not limited to frustration, anxiety, depression, and insomnia. These stressors may warrant change within the school system.

Opinion: The school system is to blame for student stress

Alayna Majkrzak, Staff Writer January 8, 2021

Why does school: exist, start so early, make me sad, cause depression, make me so tired, and make me cry. These are the auto-complete suggestions in Google when you type in “why does school...” Students...

Signs for local Illinois elections advertise candidates for senate, county board, and other national causes. First time voters around the country cast their ballots in this historical election on November 3.

Voting first, voting historically

Kaitlyn Wenzel, Staff Reporter November 12, 2020

This year has included many firsts, and for many seniors at MCHS, this has included their first time being able to vote in any presidential election. Most Americans considered this year's election as...

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