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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

The Hall Pass: Pops concert, Montana's TikTok ban, and the debt ceiling

The Hall Pass: Pops concert, Montana’s TikTok ban, and the debt ceiling

Eli Frommes, Staff Writer May 22, 2023

 The McHenry Messenger · The Hall Pass: Pops concert, Montana's TikTok ban, and the debt ceiling   The Hall Pass is a podcast that gives you the local, national and global headlines...

When Elon Musk took over Twitter in October, he instituted a new subscription that allowed users to buy a verified "blue check." But Musk's attempts at champion "free speech" on the platform have only made a bigger mess.

Opinion: Twitter is in a big mess now that Elon Musk is in charge

Claire Guzman, Staff Writer December 14, 2022

Twitter has been one of the biggest social media platforms in the world for the past 15 years. Now that Elon Musk is taking control, a lot seems to be changing. Twitter used to be a platform on which every...

True crime can make for good TV, and it’s no wonder shows like Netflix’s “Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story” attracts viewers with its gruesome tale. Put defending these killers and idolizing their murders misses the point of these shows.

Opinion: Idolizing serial killers is wrong

Alayna Majkrzak, Features Editor November 10, 2022

Tweet after tweet, TikTok after TikTok, images of serial killers circle the internet. Captions range from how attractive Ted Bundy was to claiming Jeffery Dahmer was just misunderstood. All have one thing...

"Heratstopper" has quickly become a beacon of LGBTQ+ representation in the media, and has drawn in plenty of teenage fans.

Review: Say ‘Hi’ to ‘Heartstopper’

Alayna Majkrzak, Opinions Editor May 20, 2022

"Heartstopper" came out on April 22, 2022 after people had been waiting since it had been announced. It’s wildly popular due to the iconic comics that center around teenagers finding who they are and...

Influencers on social media found their platform because of their privilege. Because of their wide reach, they have a responsibility to spread good — not bad — using their influence.

Opinion: Influence is a privilege

Bee Myers, Staff Writer May 11, 2022

Back in 2020, celebrities like Ellen DeGeneres compared quarantine to “being in jail,” even though she lives in a $21 million home with pools and a big yard. Multiple social media influencers and celebs...

On April 25, Telsa CEO Elon Musk struck a deal to buy Twitter for around $44, causing many to wonder how the platform would change — and whether such a deal is ethical.

Opinion: Elon Musk buying Twitter could do more harm than good

Bri Quast, Staff Writer May 11, 2022

“Free speech is the bedrock of functioning democracy,” billionaire Elon Musk tweeted on Monday, April 25, the day Twitter announced his ownership of it, “and Twitter is the digital town square where...

People may have all kinds of reasons for sharing their traumas on social media. For example, it might help them process the trauma or find support. Still, the habit can be unhealthy and lead to unexpected consequences.

Opinion: Stop making trauma trendy

Lydia Lawrence, Staff Writer May 10, 2022

A student makes a post on TikTok laughing about their failing grades, while another student views the video wondering why it has so many likes and people joking in the comments. Is this just a coping mechanism...

Megan Fox's engagement ring, given to her by her fiancé Machine Gun Kelly, reportedly has thorns on the bands so it would hurt to take off — which is only one part of their engagement that feels strange.

Commentary: Controversial couple

Bee Myers, Staff Writer February 9, 2022

As people complete  their daily routine of scrolling on their Instagram feed, they all one way or another came across a post by Machine Gun Kelly — and possibly a video of him finally proposing to Megan...

Instagram accounts, such as @mchs_caught_napping, may seem harmless and funny, but also takes pictures of minors without their knowledge and permission in order to embarrass them, which amounts to a creepy invasion of privacy.

Editorial: @mchs_caught_writing

Editorial Board January 4, 2022

A student scrolls through his Instagram feed when he suddenly stumbles upon a picture of himself sleeping in class. He feels embarrassed as other students laugh at him and angry because he never consented...

With East and West now combined into a single Upper Campus, the parking lot is more full than it's ever been, inspiring Instagram accounts to capture the school's worst parking jobs.

Posting parking lot fails

Josie Cable, Opinions Editor November 30, 2021

The crazy parking lot brings plenty of stress to MCHS students. To lighten the mood and put a smile on students' faces, anonymous students have created MCHS Bad Parking Instagram pages to get some humor...

As the COVID-19 pandemic wanes, more and more people have turned to Twitch for social connection — including many at MCHS.

Streaming connections

Alayna Majkrzak, Features Editor November 22, 2021

Keyboards click as a battle rages behind a screen. Right after a fateful win, the person adjusts their headset before looking into the chat on the side. The viewer count is climbing, but they are just...

Though the "devious lick" trend has died down, schools all across the country — including MCHS — have given strict consequences to those students who break the rules for the sake of social media likes.

Devious

Hunter Blake, Contributing Writer November 15, 2021

A student walks down the hallway during their study hall period and goes into the bathroom, he makes sure no one is in the room before he looks at himself in the mirror and pulls his phone out to record...

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