Tag Archives: Editorial

News, Local, World, Editorials/Student Voice, National

Why gas prices are so high

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By: Simon Pluger

Strait of Hormuz, 14 May 2021 by: European Space Agency (ESA) via Wikimedia Commons

Since the beginning of 2026, the biggest question is when are the gas prices going to go down? Really, we don’t know but we can statistically track when they will.

Ever since Trump helped Israel launch several bombs to Iran it hasn’t been good. Many people have died mainly in Iran. We bombed hospitals and places with kids but that’s not what we are talking about today.

Since Trump has been very violent towards Iran recently they have been cutting ties and trying to close the Strait of Hormuz which is a narrow body of water in Iran. 20% of the world’s crude oil is passed through the Strait of Hormuz, making it really important. Because of the closure, the ships that are carrying the oil have to redirect and go different routes making it take longer and using more gas and oil itself.

It is not the gas itself that is expensive but it is expensive right now because it is taking more time and importantly, more work, for the oil to arrive where it needs to be. Even if we go to real war with Iran, gas will stay relatively the same price because we will most likely just switch providers of where we buy our gas from and different ways to ship it. As soon as our conflict with Iran stops though, the gas prices will steadily go down as shipping boats are able to go through the Strait of Hormuz. People would think that it would become cheaper very fast, but it won’t because there will still be ships that are going the new alternative ways.

Also, it’s not just the physical shipping that costs money. Other countries need oil too. The supply and demand goes up everywhere so that makes prices go up as well. Since companies don’ t know when they might get their oil, they charge higher prices as they still need to make money, and they are having to spend more.

The hardest part to understand is why things won’t get better the second the fighting stops. The change won’t be rapid, but instead will be more slow. Ships are going to still be stuck at the Strait, or they are going to still be going around Africa. It’s going to take a while for the shipping routes to get back to normal, so we probably shouldn’t expect cheap gas for a few months after peace starts.

Editorials/Student Voice, School Life

Smoking in schools

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By: Janessa Castro Cruz

Photo by Alexas Fotos on Pexels.com

All over the world, but mostly in the schools of the United States, children under 18 use e-cigarettes, vapes and carts more than any other tobacco product. The smoking begins to start as early as 6th grade. Teachers around the world claim to see it more in middle schoolers and in older students, it’s harder to tell as they get better at hiding it.

Smoking has a huge impact on students’ mental health and they either depend on nicotine or cannabis during the school day. School smoking policies can be difficult to apply to students, and many require proof of possession which has made students more capable at hiding their products. Tobacco and nicotine products are daily issues in schools and in children, and educators report that “it’s everywhere”.

The World Health Organization released 2 statements: to “free schools from tobacco and vapes” and a “nicotine and tobacco free school toolkit”.

The toolkit is a guide for schools to create nicotine and tobacco free environments, and it also contains topics on how to support students to quit and implement policies and how to enforce them.

Some of the guides for schools to implement a nicotine and tobacco free environment are:

  • Banning nicotine and tobacco products on school campuses
  • Refusing sponsorship or engagement with tobacco and nicotine industries
  • Banning direct and indirect ads and promotion of nicotine and tobacco products near schools
  • Prohibiting the sale of nicotine and tobacco products near schools

School-wide policies are difficult to enforce when it comes to tobacco use; some schools all over the world have requested for stronger policies and some educators only use the school resources while others demand a social wide shift. A lot of schools worldwide were successful at implementing those policies after the WHO’s statements were released, and were also successful in implementing policies that support tobacco and nicotine free environments. Even though the tobacco use in schools is still big, schools try their hardest to apply those rules.

Editorials/Student Voice, Tech/Games

The ethical concerns about the development of AI

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By: Calvin Westin

Photo by Matheus Bertelli on Pexels.com

The story about Prometheus, where fire stolen by a mythical figure from the gods became a symbol of the destructive and bad side of progress. While giving humankind a tool for making civilization and ruling the world, the fire itself remained uncontrollable. Mary Shelley used this same idea while creating the book of Victor Frankenstein, whose creation had made something too powerful to stay under its creator’s control, similar to fire in ancient times. And now, as the development of artificial intelligence technology progresses at a fast speed, it seems humans are once again following this pattern. By publishing these powerful artificial intelligence algorithms, companies like OpenAI are committing theft of fire, therefore risking disruption of domains of human intelligence.

People are also worried that our current safety rules aren’t enough to keep up. In Chapter 5 of Shelley’s book, Victor Frankenstein’s sadness creates an unsettling relationship. Having brought the monster into being, Frankenstein goes on, “This was then the reward of my curiosity; and I became myself capable of bestowing existence on whom I had created. Perhaps a corpse would be reanimated; galvanism had give tokens of such a wonder.”

This story is a major warning for us today. Scientists like Geoffrey Hinton believe that computers will soon beat humans in terms of dealing with data analysis and handling data. Once developers lose control over the results produced by the machines, there will be serious consequences following after that.

Consequently, it appears to be time that IT professionals start actually managing and executing their responsibilities more effectively. New tech isn’t an excuse to do sketchy stuff in this field, so experts working on AI really need to follow some strict safety rules while they’re doing their research.

In the end, the people who create anything have full moral responsibility for it.

Soccer, Editorials/Student Voice

What to expect from World Cup 2026

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By: Ikraam Abdalla

Copyright-free version of the 2026 world cup logo, 3 March 2026 By: Wikidasher

You have probably heard of one of the most, if not, the most popular sporting event in the entire world, the FIFA World Cup. Hosted every 4 years, this huge battle happens amongst national teams to determine the world’s soccer champion. What’s special about this year is that the World Cup will be hosted in the USA, Mexico and Canada.

For the first time since 1998, 48 teams will be participating instead of just 32, bringing a new record of 104 matches to be played. 

This World Cup will have a lot of familiar faces such as England, France, Brazil, Spain and Argentina but also expect to see new countries that will be making their debut such as Uzbekistan, Jordan and Cabo Verde.

There will be a total 16 host cities, including Mexico City, Toronto, Vancouver, Atlanta, Houston, NYC and many more. The first game will be played on June 11, 2026 with Mexico vs South Africa held at Estadio Azteca Stadium in Mexico City. The last game (the finals) will be played on July 19, 2026 at MetLife stadium in New Jersey. 

Despite the excitement from soccer fans around the world, there is a lot of fear regarding US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) being present. Unfortunately, the US government has deported more than 500,000 people from the USA in 2025. This has led to widespread fear across the country which is harmful to the well-being of people in the US but also people traveling to the US. FIFA has said they are committed to working with all the hosting cities to meet human rights goals and ensure that the tournament operations are respectful of people.

But this whole impact goes beyond the World Cup as it instills fear for people everywhere and naturally so.

Ultimately, the FIFA World Cup 2026 should unite countries all around the globe. Especially in this time, the World Cup should be a celebration amongst communities, free from danger and discrimination. FIFA should take action to protect its players and supporters as they are the ones who are joining together as one for the game of soccer.

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Editorials/Student Voice

Spring break

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By: Merob Geleto

Helenium “Fancy Fan” in Val-Dieu. 23 June 2020, by:
Horst J. Meuter via Wikimedia Commons

Spring break is a one to two week academic holiday for schools and universities during March or April. The purpose of spring break is so that students can get away from school responsibilities before finals. For Highland students, our spring break started on April 6. Our spring break lasted for only a week just like most schools. But is one week really enough time for a break that is supposed to replenish students?

The period between New Year’s and April (2 & 3 quarters) is usually the hardest time (academic wise) in the school year.  Most students are overwhelmed because of the amount of work that is being thrown at them so around March and April is when academic burnout becomes more of a reality. A single week isn’t enough to actually “reset” and overcome that burnout.

Many students use spring break to travel with family and friends but 7 days is very limiting especially for those who attend school far from home.  A two-week break provides better opportunities for vacations and hangouts.

Unlike most students, teachers have a lot of grading and work to catch up on. The more grading a teacher has to do, the less time spring break can be about replenishing themselves. With a two week break, teachers would have enough time to grade, plan, and relax.

Although many people argue that more time away from school leads to “brain drain”, the opposite is true. Students are more likely to be exhausted when they come back to school after a rushed, one week break. A well rested student coming back to school from a two week break would usually be more motivated to work on final exams then a student who had only one week. The benefits of a longer Spring Break and having quality rest is something all students and teachers should experience.

Editorials/Student Voice, Tech/Games

Pros and cons of AI

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By: Janessa Castro Cruz

Photo by igovar igovar on Pexels.com

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a technology that makes computers and machines to simulate human learning, creativity, thinking, and problem solving. They understand and respond to human language and learn from new information and experience. AI is able to make detailed recommendations and act independently, replacing the need for human intelligence. Over the years, AI’s popularity has risen and some believe that AI shouldn’t be used and should be banned, and others believe it’s a great tool and should be more available. There are lots of pros and cons of AI.

PROS: Some benefits of AI is that you can work faster, as it can generate outputs faster than the human brain and body can process information. You could work smarter when using it, and the machine can make mistakes but it’s more often in humans. There have been research studies that show AI-assisted reviewing is more accurate than basic human reviewing.

CONS: AI could create a lot of deep-fakes, causing fraud, theft, scams, and more. It’s possible that AI can create fake representations of real people and events. The tool is now in the workforce and has caused people to lose their jobs also causing mass unemployment. The school system is now disrupted; students rely on AI to do their work for them, cheat on tests, and more meaning they aren’t learning anything. It also consumes a lot of water, making it harmful to our earth. Data centers powering AI are predicted to consume over 426 billion liters of water annually by 2030

I don’t think AI should be used, especially in the school system and in jobs. If it’s affecting students’ education and doing the work for them then they aren’t learning anything. It’s also causing people to lose their jobs and they shouldn’t allow that to happen. I believe that AI should only be used to brainstorm ideas and help with research and reviewing.

Editorials/Student Voice, School Life

Why ethnic studies is an important class

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By: Calvin Westin

SF Students hold signs in solidarity and support of the Third World Liberation Front 2016, the name of the court students on a hunger strike to defend the SF State College of Ethnic Studies, during an emergency press conference in the Quad Monday, May 9. (Melissa Minton) via Wikimedia Commons

Ethnic studies was created during the longest strike in United States history at San Francisco State College to include marginalized groups and to re-enroll a student who was suspended for political speech. The strike lasted 80+ days and brought many different people from different backgrounds together, for example: Black, Asian, Latinx students, the Black Panther Party, the Third World Liberation Front, and many more. This strike led to the spread of ethnic studies across the country. The strike reformed the curriculum where white culture was dominant and changed how American colleges showed diversity.

At Highland Park Senior High School, Critical Ethnic Studies is taking these ideas and making them real for us right now. Instead of just reading out of a textbook, we get to see the actual stories of people from our communities whether that’s local, statewide, or internationally. In a city where 50% of the population belongs to minority groups, it is important that the things we do in school are current and reflect our communities. We learn about indigenous people in Minnesota, the history of Rondo, and the struggles of Hmong and Somali families who moved here. It’s different from a regular history class because it focuses on the deeper parts of history. We learn about systematic racism but also how people have practiced resistance against it.

This class at Highland Park is helping us become better at thinking for ourselves instead of just memorizing things. For example, we look at the 1969 San Francisco college strike and connect it to things that are happening in our world today. It also makes you realize that speaking up is important and your voice matters and that you can be part of making a change. By focusing on marginalized groups, the class shows us that all history is worth learning. It is one of the only classes where you can see and compare yourself in the lessons and understand how you and your family fits into the history of the US. Critical Ethnic Studies is not just about learning the past but instead it’s giving us the opportunity to understand our own lives and respect the people who came before us.

Editorials/Student Voice, School Life, Tech/Games

The shift in the digital

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By: Weston Halgunseth

Photo by Katerina Holmes on Pexels.com

Introduction

A few months ago, in St. Paul, classrooms shifted from desks and whiteboards to beds and sleep. This change sparked a huge debate. While some students thrive in a digital space, others find themselves struggling with online learning. In my view, the overall effect of online learning on students is that it is mostly good but a lot of it gives a bit too much leeway.

The good of online learning

Online learning has some great benefits that help students feel better. You can sleep much more because you don’t have to wake up early to catch a bus or be in school on time. This helps you feel rested and gives you more energy to focus on your lessons, unlike what normally happens where you feel fatigued for the first 20-30 minutes of class. You usually have more time to finish your tasks so you don’t feel as much stress. You can learn at your own speed instead of trying to keep up with a fast teacher.

The bad side of online learning

Online learning has some good parts but it also has problems. It is hard to try your best when no one is watching you and it is easy to forget your assignments without the teachers reminding you. If you get stuck you have to wait for an email instead of getting help right away. It is also lonely because you don’t see your friends at lunch or in the halls making it so your social skill starts to go down. Because students feel alone and bored they don’t learn as well and their grades often go down. Even though computers are helpful, being in a real classroom is usually better for most people.

My own experience

Back in 2020, when COVID was a big thing, I was stuck at home for a year and in that time I experienced a lot of the things I talked about such as the lack of motivation, loneliness feeling, less stress, and grades dropping. In that year, I’ve noticed that my knowledge with most of the stuff I learned before the online classes was really rusty and foggy and it took me a bit to catch up to where I should be in math, science, etc. Like in math, when I got back, I was struggling bad and didn’t get a hang of it until I started getting help after school from friends.

I also noticed that online learning made it hard to keep my friends. A lot of my friends I had in 5th grade I lost when I came back because I hadn’t talked to them for a year or so, and overall online learning wasn’t the best experience for me. It ruined my ability to socialize, my knowledge went down and a lot more.

The verdict

The shift to online learning is a double edged sword. On the positive side the ability to sleep in and the freedom of more time to submit assignments greatly reduces my and many others stress allowing students to learn subjects at a pace that actually works for them.

However, these benefits are often ruined by the lack of motivation and hands-on help. Without socializing, students feel alone and lonely which can lead to a grade drop and people getting less educated because they aren’t truly engaged. Ultimately, while the flexibility is great online learning only works if we can find a way to bring back the social and strictness sides of a physical classroom.

Editorials/Student Voice

The wrong ice is melting

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By: Dahlia Man and Brayden Marsh

In elementary, I remember when I was introduced to the issue of climate change at school for the first time. This was one of those rare, significant issues that revealed to me how small I was in comparison to the size of the world. I remember the various educational materials used to educate us about climate change: things like the video of a glacier melting, a large number of polar bears being unable to find enough food, and how gases were creating a “greenhouse” of sorts to keep the earth warm. I understood what was explained to me and knew it was vital information even when I was a child. While it wasn’t a thought consistently I had with me every hour, I did carry it in my mind and considered the lesson it was teaching me. 

Climate change stayed an important topic within my next years of school. In middle school and high school, the subject found its way back to me every single year. My awareness of it had never disappeared. As I grew older, the issue didn’t just pop up in lessons at school, it also showed up on my social media feed and news articles. Each time I read/saw more, the more urgent it felt. I began to realize that it wasn’t just ice simply melting, it will affect our food systems, extreme weather change, ecosystem failure, etc. But as big as it was, I had never felt a firm grasp onto how extreme the matter truly was globally. It felt as if it was a distant problem, a concern I had no immediate solution to. 

Parallel to my time growing up, I had never felt a concern of worrying about immigration enforcement affecting my own family because I was in a household of US citizens, long before I had even been born. It never had truly felt like something that could have impacted me directly, even if I had parents who were born in a foreign country. It was another topic brought up in the news, but I felt as if it wasn’t a personal one. Or I had at least thought in my young ages. Every school day I left in the morning and returned home in the afternoon, never questioning whether my family would still be there. That familiar perception had made it so much easier for me not to be my concern. 

But as I grew older, this began to change drastically. Around me I would hear various stories of families being ripped apart from each other or stories of living in fear. Something that had felt so far, suddenly felt so real and present. I was concerned about the Earth becoming warmer over time, to abruptly worrying if my parents would be waiting at home for me just as they do everyday. This time, it was a different fear. It felt immediate – it was heavy. When I came across a social media post with the words; “The Wrong ICE is Melting”, I felt moved. It stuck with me for days. The double entendre felt so raw, as it addressed not just one issue, but two. It connected climate change and immigration enforcement in a way I hadn’t thought of before. I understand now as I’ve grown, that it is important to care about all issues and matters even if it does not affect me. 

We believe the importance of keeping our planet cold is absolutely vital, because it doesn’t just affect us humans, it affects every single part of our Earth. With rising temperatures, we have rising sea levels. This can cause major displacement within our people and even disrupt ecosystems that animals highly depend on. Even beyond this, weather events will become severely extreme, with critical droughts, harsh hurricanes, drastic wildfires, etc. And these aren’t even dire ideas, these are issues some may already face. This is what makes it so crucial for our communities, individuals, and government to take action into fixing our planet before it becomes irreversible. 

All together, it is also foremost that we all reconsider how we as a country have treated people within our own borders. It is almost “safe” to say that Immigration and Customs Enforcement instill fear and precariousness instead of actual safety within our communities. With more humane approaches, everything will properly be resolved with dignity and respect. This will help protect families and ensure everyone is treated with integrity. Just like climate change, they are both long-term issues that focus on what we can do for our planet and our future. It builds a strong bond within the people and the vision to the world we want to create.