How does Jenks' new change from regular schedule to block schedule correlate to the amount of stress students gain? A lot of students and teachers have a lot of opinions on it.

Imagine this: you’re sitting at lunch across from your friends, when suddenly people start talking about you guys. “Weirdos” you hear, along with “Oh my, look at her shoes,” they say while laughing together. This is how many people in the community feel everyday or have felt before. Not such a good feeling, right?

The Freshman Academy has more than doubled in size, from around 50,000 square feet to over 133,800 square feet, with a recent addition this past year to accommodate more students. But why is more space needed? With more freshmen enrolling each year, it became evident that more classrooms would be needed.

Has the block schedule lived up to our expectations? Block schedule has been a hot topic in the past months. Jenks students have openly shared their opinions on block schedule from the moment it was announced. And many of the responses were negative, but is it as bad as people decided it would be? This month, I interviewed teachers and students alike to find the first impressions of the block schedule.

Why are toasters helping teachers!? AI is becoming more common in our school. Some teachers, not just students, use AI to help them create coursework and brainstorm lesson ideas. The use of AI by teachers and students is a cause for both praise and criticism. Some might question how AI is used in teaching and whether it is ethical.

How often do you think students spend their pocket money on everyday school snacks and vending machines? Pretty often, don’t you think? But aren’t you also curious on how some of some of the prices of the snacks change? Our student favorite lunch stand snacks are the Hershey Triple Chocolate cookie. Last year at Jenks High School, Hershey triple chocolate cookies were 75 cents. Now, they are 1 dollar.

Did somebody poison that tea? Jenks Theatre Department is bringing “Any Body for Tea?,” a dark comedy play, to the Union One-Act Festival. A few weeks of rehearsal is almost unheard of for a show, but the play is being rushed along to go to competition. The dedicated actors have been hard at work memorizing lines, practicing movement, and mastering an elderly lady voice for the show, and the best part is that you can watch!

Have you and your friends struggled to find a lunch table? Has your stomach embarrassed you by growling during independent reading?  For many Jenks High School students, lunch is a part of the school day they look forward to. It gives students a chance to see friends they may not share classes with, take a break from their schoolwork and finally grab something to eat. This year, lunch looks different. 

As the year concludes, JHS students are frantically finishing up their school work, studying for Finals and AP tests, and preparing to head to college. Turn back the clock about 13 years, and the most pressing thing on these same students' minds was what they would be doing at recess- life was much simpler back then, and many high schoolers often wish they could go back and experience it all over again.

“You are an Ironman.” These are words that some dream of their entire life. The Ironman is an event, or a journey, that can take many early mornings and late nights. It is the extreme of exercise, the extreme of mental strength, and the extreme of suffering. This event requires intense training in running, cycling, and swimming. It is also considered to be one of the most difficult things a human can do. So, I ask the question, how difficult could it really be?

At the beginning of the year, I made a bucket list for myself of things I wanted to do in order to challenge myself and live life to the fullest. At the top of my bucket list for the year is skydiving. As a naturally fearful person, I’m not exactly sure what captivated me to skydive, but fears aside, I did, and I’m going to tell you if you should try skydiving too.

With graduation, AP exams, and the pressure of trying to raise grades at the last minute, many students at Jenks High School are feeling overwhelmed. However, it’s important to make sure that our mental health remains a priority. As someone who has experienced their mental health deteriorate, I’ve found that one of the most calming ways to regain a sense of balance and peace is baking. To help you feel a little less stressed during these times, I’m going to provide a list of recipes along with how I felt both before and after each time I baked.

There are many life-altering, monumental events during your senior year of high school, or at least that’s how it is in the movies. Prom is typically the one that takes the cake for most seniors, serving as the end of year party solidifying your impending adulthood.