Articles

Written on: May 25th, 2021 

Revised on: March 20, 2025

On May 5, 1862, Mexico achieved victory over French dictator Napoleon III’s attempt at conquering Mexico. 

Cinco de Mayo in Mexico is known as the Battle of Puebla during the Franco-Mexican War. 

Most people confuse this event with the fight for independence in Mexico, when in reality it is only celebrating one battle out of many.

The Mexicans won this battle because they were expecting the French. General Ignacio Zaragoza had fortified the town in which they would have this fight. Less than 100 Mexican soldiers and more than 500 French soldiers died.  

“A common way people celebrate or see Cinco de Mayo in the US is as ‘A Mexican festival," said Christian Jackson, a Spring Mill HS senior.  

Most people in the US don’t know how Cinco de Mayo came to be. They celebrate this day with food, festivals, along with embracing Mexican culture.

This is not a worldwide celebration. Although this was not one of the greatest victories of Mexico, it was one of the most influential. This battle shed a new light on General Ignacio Zaragoza and was a good show of strength from Mexico.  

In Mexico, there are not a lot of places where people acknowledge and celebrate Cinco de Mayo. One of the few towns that celebrates  this event is the town of Puebla in Mexico. 

Overall, Cinco de Mayo is seen as a historic event in Mexico rather than a celebration. Although this event is very popular in the US, especially in Mexican populated areas, it is not as practiced in the country of Mexico. 

Written on: April 30th, 2021

Some people believe that Easter originated from the death/resurrection of Jesus Christ around the 2nd century in Israel. While others believe that it originated in the Northern hemisphere as a pagan festival from Eostre, who was Queen Semiramis. The truth lies in both stories.

“Easter’s name – The name Easter is never associated with the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ in the original Scriptures and is derived from the word “Eostre.” Eostre was Queen Semiramis, the wife of Nimrod, Noah’s evil but enterprising great grandson (Genesis 10:6-8).”

For many people in the US, Easter is a day to spend time with family and for children to collect eggs hidden in bushes to celebrate the “Easter bunny.” For some, it’s to celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. What does it all mean?  

Easter has become something more than the “Easter bunny” or a religious activity to some.  

“I like spending time with family on Easter,” said Ian Holloway, a freshman at SMHS.  

Although Easter did originally form as a pagan festival, it is celebrated today as a Christian event. Many people take this day to reflect on their values and beliefs.   

For some, this day is a grand celebration, and for others it’s a great sorrow.  

The significance of egg baskets on this day started to celebrate the fertility and new life of Ostara. It derives from the Easter bunny because bunnies have long been seen as a symbol of fertility. 

Easter is not just a celebration of religion or a day that children have scavenger hunts for eggs. This is a day that has been passed down for generations. It’s a teaching of culture. 

Ian Holloway believes that the origin of Easter comes from Christianity. 

“Christian. I’m a Christian and my mom always taught me that,” said Holloway. 

Written on: March 26th, 2021

During the past two-three years in West Virginia, legislators have been trying to prevent teachers from going on strike. This year, they decided to take their actions far more seriously.  

Most students wake up, go to school, go back home and repeat. What students and the world never realize is that all the teachers that shape the future generations to come were also students with aspirations and dreams of their own; leading students to reach their full potential. The idea of going on strike to make themselves heard was not part of that dream. When striking seems to be the only solution to be heard, for teachers that is also something they can’t do.   

Striking is one of the few things some states allow teachers to do since they are worried about the county and schools image depending on how a teacher presents themselves. Teachers are human beings, not robots or machines. They deserve their own voice and freedom.  Imagine growing up with the dream to help others, the dream to become a teacher. I doubt they ever expected to be “owned.”  

Spring Mills HS teachers were asked questions regarding their opinion about striking and their responses although we’re all unique were still similar. 

“So, during the 9-day strike in 2018, we went on strike because information came out that our insurance wasn’t going to be fully funded anymore and normally the state of WV pays for teachers’ insurance, so there were being cuts made because there was no source of funding, so teachers were paying more out of their pocket for going to the doctors etc. The outcome was that we ended up getting a pay raise,” said Mrs. Jorgensen a newspaper/yearbook and English teacher of eight years.  

“The 1-day strike 2019 was primarily because there was a bill in the WV state legislator that would enable the state to make public charter schools and ESA (educational savings account). An educational savings account would allow parents to pull their child out of public school and send them to either a public school or home school them and it would also take the money from the public school, so we were concerned about that because that would take money away from the public schools which already don’t have a lot of money,” said Mrs. Jorgensen.

Striking is a way for a person to express how much something means to them and why. But teachers are being denied that right. Not because it comes with the job title to go to school, teach and repeat but because the world does not want them to be more than a symbol of hope or maybe even a type of hero to some. 

“I would never go on a strike, and the reason I would not is because I believe it is a bad feeling and there are better ways to get your point across than to not show up for work,” said Mrs. Inman an SMHS teacher of five years. 

Everyone has a different opinion on what they should stand up for. As a teacher, a student, and a person, one can be caught in between following their heart and doing the right thing. Sometimes following your heart might be betraying what is right, and it can get twisted and complicated, but it all comes down to one thing, the law. In every job you have to risk giving up the right thing that is given to you by the government to gain something in return. Being a teacher means giving up your freedom of speech in a sense. Although it is not fair, it is the law and a rule made to keep stability and balance. 

Although striking in the state of West Virginia is illegal and some teachers wouldn’t do it for fear of losing their job or how students would perceive them afterwards, it doesn’t change how they feel working in Berkeley County as a whole. The point of letting teachers strike isn’t so they can run wild expressing their opinion but so that their voice is heard enough that their rights are valued and respected. 

Written on: February 24th, 2021

In the US, February 14 marks the day when people embrace and declare their love in many ways, although this is a worldwide celebrated event, each country celebrates it in a different way. 

The origins of Valentine’s day are a foggy and mostly forgotten tale. One thing is for sure, that it originated during the Middle Ages of the Roman Empire in the Catholic-Christian church. In the beginning, it was nothing more than a mere celebration of people showing their love until Shakespeare started embedding the idea of romance and passion into his work. That is when the holiday traveled to the New World.  

What is love? Is it passion, faith, trust, family, or a partner? What if it’s all of it?  

“What romance means to me is to have that lovely connection with someone and know that person for a while and have a strong connection with them,” said sophomore Bryan Aguirre Gomez of Northwood HS in Montgomery County.  

Everyone has a different view of what love and romance is, but Valentine’s Day is one of the few days of the year when anyone can have an excuse to do something to show their appreciation for someone or something. Not because it’s mandatory to show love on this day but because the world has added a significance to this day making it special to most people.  

In the end, Valentine’s Day is just a day. A day created by the world and its people. Most people say it’s overrated, and some say it’s underrated but, in the end, it will pass by like any other day. The significance Valentine’s Day has can be the same for any other day. 

This event is not only commercialized but it is superficial at most times. The news advertises to buy chocolates and flowers for a family member or partner to show love and appreciation. But not everyone can show their love with money and gifts. This day tricks the mind of many people that if someone buy something for them they will “be yours forever.” 

“Romance means that through thick and thin, it’s one of those things that are hard to describe,” said senior Luca Azzani from Spring Mills HS.

Love is not something that most people can put into words. It is not just a feeling but an action, that can be demonstrated in any way based on who the person is. Valentine’s Day has always been a social event in past years, but because of last year and current events (AKA COVID-19), it does not look or feel the same for many people. Love and romance are not what is holding these people back but fear of the unknown and the future. Valentine’s Day was a brief period to hope and share love again, some of the only hope some people will get in a while from this storm full of desperation and sorrow.

Written on: January 29th, 2021

The morning of January 6, former US president Donald Trump gave a speech to his supporters that he was not backing down. That afternoon, pro-Trump civilians caused a riot at the capitol including Derrick Evans and more.  

This isn’t about the fate of the U.S anymore; it’s about the fate of its people and its future. 

2021 has already met its end. The sought–after year started with a riot which Trump incited, and Derrick Evans, a member at the time of the house of delegates in WV, attended. Evans gave an oath to assume the position December 14, 2020.  Less than a month later, he was arrested by the FBI and released January 8th for charging into the capitol during an illegal riot. 

“A newly elected Republican lawmaker in West Virginia resigned Saturday after he was arrested for trespassing in the U.S. Capitol in a mob of Trump supporters hoping to halt President-elect Joe Biden’s victory." stated an article written by the Washington post. 

The world and the US now have to wonder where West Virginia and the country go from here. What does that say about the community, the people, the culture and beliefs of West Virginia and the US? 

No one is quite sure what will happen next in America. 

“Biden might get killed or riots will tear down D.C ,” said Kinza Davis, a 17-year-old student attending Northwood High School. 

The inauguration of President Joe Biden was met with a peaceful transition, one not expected by the people or the government. The following days after the riot, the capitol was guarded by lots of National Guard members throughout the capitol. This is due to the ultimate protection and security of the upcoming, now present president.  

“I think you can expect to see somewhere upwards of beyond 20,000 members of the National Guard that will be here in the footprint of the District of Columbia,” “Washington Metropolitan Police Chief Robert Contee said on Wednesday.” stated an article written by the Washington post. 

Many citizens and people around the world are coming to terms with what the Trump presidency has meant to them. 

“Gracias por los $600, pero a lo último hiciste cosas malas. No estuvo bien por mi parte te perdono pero algunos no la van hacer porque hiciste mal.” Translation: “Thank you for the $600, but in the end, you did bad things. In my opinion, it wasn’t right, but I forgive you, but I know some won’t do the same,” said 72-year-old David Gonzalez from the US territory of Puerto Rico. 

The US is supposed to be the greatest richest, most powerful, and influential nation in the world, but COVID-19 has hit the hardest in this country, and everyone is dispersed and focused on race and who gets more of what, while the rest of the world looks to the US for an example of liberty, justice, and order. 

There’s never been peace in the world or the US, but there has been some stability, and now it’s all going through the cracks not just because of ex-president Trump or because of COVID-19, but because people are never satisfied with what they have. They want more rights, more privileges, more acknowledgement, more money. No matter the race or culture, everyone wants more. Sometimes being quiet is the only way to truly be heard and make a statement.  

Written on: December 17th, 2020

In West Virginia, Berkeley County has increased the rate of marketing houses, schools, and population in just a couple of years.

West Virginia is along the Eastern Seaboard that the English colonized, before it separated from Virginia. The rich history this state has, been passed down for many generations even before the independence of the United States. Therefore, every school and neighborhood in West Virginia has a significant story to tell.

Spring Mills, Martinsburg, and Falling Waters are all cities and neighborhoods that make up Berkeley County. The cities themselves have been around longer than the school systems. So, when it comes to these neighborhoods that one may even dare to call a small town there is not a lot growth, only consistency, but no actual change other than the ordinary and expected.

“We moved here in August of this year. We were living in upstate NY and renting. We wanted to buy, and the various houses in towns we looked at were outside our price. In addition to this, my husband works in IT and needed to be closer to Philly, DC, and other major cities.” Heather Daly, age 40 mother of two and has lived in five states and two providence’s in Canada.

Ever since 2010, there has been a sudden change in these “small towns.” Berkeley County has transformed from an urban area into a suburb in just a decade. Around 2010, people started to notice that houses were low priced compared to Maryland and Virginia, but so were jobs. The fact that so many people commuted and decided to work in some of these states but live in West Virginia, caused the housing market to grow.

“I’d say 60% of my sales are people within the Eastern Panhandle looking to downsize or move into a larger home. Another portion of clients come from surrounding states like Maryland or Virginia, usually of retirement age. This is most likely due to the fact that WV property taxes are lower and gun laws are less strict than in those two states. Lastly, there is a small portion of my clientele that are relocating due to military transfers,” said Monika Foster. Foster is a parent and has been a real estate agent for five years.

The population in Berkeley County rose to the point where companies started building houses in places where wild animals such as cows, horses, pigs, wolves, bears, and snakes lived. Their homes have been replaced with the incoming new peoples. Forests have been turned into local neighborhoods and a couple of brand-new schools were even built to empty out the overcrowded ones. Some students from Martinsburg and Hedgesville high school transferred into a new high school built in 2013 called Spring Mills High School if they lived to close to the other school’s territory, they were transferred.

“I have special needs children and I fight with the district to even maintain the IEP that we came with from NYC. Even after fighting, my eldest son lost his 1 to 1 aide,” said Daly.

Although the Berkeley County school system is not necessarily new, most of the schools and people are. Therefore, this affects the way people see the county, especially when everyone in this “small town” is new.

The housing market continues to skyrocket, even during a pandemic in Berkeley County. Foster has sold more homes than any other year in her career.

“I’ve sold over 50 homes as a single agent just in 2020,” said Daly.

Written on: April 23rd, 2020

ADHD (Attention, Defiance, Hyperactive, Disorder) is a behavior disorder/mental illness, the signs of hyperactivity are usually seen by the age of 7 and up. Johns Hopkins Medicine states that symptoms may include lack of focus, daydreaming, making mistakes, forgetfulness, procrastinating, fidgeting, problems with staying quiet, and more. ADHD is very common in boys and the most common medicine used for ADHD is Vyvanse, Adderall, Ritalin, and Dexedrine. 

The issue with ADHD in teens and kids is that they are not able to control it all the time, but what exactly are you controlling? When you have ADHD and you're a teen you feel rage, frustration sometimes you might even fall into depression. Not because of the fact that you have a disorder, but because most times the disorder seems to control you. 

“If I don't take my meds my attention is gone, like I can't even focus right. But when I got off the meds I was on for a while, my whole body couldn't handle it. I was more tired than ever because my meds caused a bit of insomnia and without that, I couldn't really function right. I forgot my meds one day and I couldn't even listen or hear what my teacher said properly.” Said an anonymous student from Northwood High School about how ADHD disrupts their daily life.

This is just one out of many teens and children in which ADHD doesn’t just affect mentally, but academically and emotionally. 

Most times people who don't have ADHD underestimate the people that do. They underestimate their capability to do normal tasks and that eventually brings thoughts of harm to themselves and to others. Teens and kids who have ADHD might have about 1,000 thoughts rolling into their mind in one minute. 

“ADHD severely affects my life when I am not on it. I almost can’t be productive at all. It’s really hard to use my best judgment and not do stupid things. I feel like I have to just embrace it and not act like it’s not there. I deal with it. It is a disability but you can’t let that be an excuse.” Said Nathaniel Leeham, a Northwood High School freshman.

Some ADHD teen patients believe it’s a curse to have something you can only control over adulthood and others like Nathaniel believe no matter what you are born with you to have to embrace it and deal with it because it’s a part of who you are.

If you really think about it, ADHD is very common in the U.S, so how is a mental disorder that is so common to not have a cure? ADHD is not a disease, it's a disability. One that has many levels to it. No one is the same just like no one’s ADHD reacts or works the same way. Therefore, if you were to drink pills prescribed to help you, the outcomes of the pill might be doing more bad than good in some cases.

Medication Side Effects states that Vyvanse, a medication used for ADHD has many symptoms being insomnia, weight loss, increased blood pressure, increased heartbeat, personality changes, and more. 

Few people are able to control everything that comes with ADHD. When someone has ADHD it changes them, builds up habits. Everything about them heightens their personality, their emotions. But deep down everyone with ADHD has the power to fight it or to embrace it. 

SimplyWellbeing states that “Medications can help but there is no cure. Hopefully, as you come to appreciate the positive in ADHD as well as the negative traits, you may not want a cure. By practically addressing ADHD problems, it is quite possible to live a fulfilled, successful, and happy life.”