Do our voices matter?
March 21, 2020
In recent years, rising student activism in our district and surrounding area has seen the results of incredible change. Last year, we fought to keep our 8-period schedule with student involvement and parent encouragement; nationally, in 2018, we walked out in solidarity with students across the nation after the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Florida. In the last month, students of Kennedy Catholic High School protested the firing of two teachers on account of their sexual orientation. But is this activism worth it? Are our voices actually heard?
Bridging the generational gap
Maddie Browne, Khanh Dao, and Olivia Briggs
January 21, 2020
We’ve seen it on Reddit. We’ve heard it on TikTok. Gee, we’ve even heard it from government officials. “OK, Boomer”, a minimalist clapback increasingly used by millennials and Gen Z-ers to dismiss baby boomers as old-fashioned and out of touch with current issues, seems to have conquered the internet. It’s a trendy thing to say, but that’s the problem. When did we become okay with reducing intergenerational dialogue to a mere catchphrase?
We’ll title this later… we just don’t feel like doing it right now
September 24, 2019
As procrastinators, we don’t feel like doing a lot of things. And by we, I mean everyone, at one point or another. It could even be that straight-A student or teacher who has every lesson in the semester planned out. There is no doubt that procrastination is a productivity disaster, but few procrastinators are speaking up about the fact that laziness is not always the reason. Even fewer of us are willing to admit that procrastination takes away so much more than just our time.
Academic integrity: cheating isn’t always black and white
Maddie Browne, Khanh Dao, and Hallie Chen
June 7, 2019
In the wake of college admission scandals, questions about academic integrity have come up over and over again: why do students cheat? What can they gain from such dishonest actions, and are there honest alternatives to cheating that help students get ahead? Because what may seem like a few little shortcuts can impact students for months to come.
You’re living in a mob
Annabelle Smith, Hallie Chen, and Karinn Sytsma
May 10, 2019
They’re screaming. The room’s dark, chairs circled. Your best friend’s sobbing. The mob is shouting curses, throwing objects, hating a faceless figure. For now, you stand alone, observing. The urge to join in is almost uncontrollable, but you’re fearing something greater. We might not be in Orwell’s 1984, and this isn’t sophomore English class. But when the Two Minutes Hate comes on, will you resist its pull?
The true value of education
Annabelle Smith, Hallie Chen, and Khanh Dao
April 1, 2019
Walk up to any student here and ask them to guess how much it costs to run Liberty for a day, and you’ll hear guesses not even close to the true number.
Journalism: a dying art
Annabelle Smith, Hallie Chen, and Kelly Jinguji
March 1, 2019
Journalism has been one of the foremost ways of exercising the right to free speech for centuries, and for good reason. But now, even though the Internet allows us to share and access news with unprecedented speed, there is no denying the fact that trusted, fact-checked news is on the decline. With newspaper after newspaper filing for bankruptcy, how can we ensure that the true value of journalism is not lost amidst the condemnations of fake news, clickbait, and—perhaps worst of all—irrelevancy?
The art of Art
Annabelle Smith, Hallie Chen, and Brianna Nelson
December 13, 2018
Art: if you have ever lived on Earth, chances are you have consumed some form of it. Books, music, drawings, and films are just a few categories of art, which is defined as “the expression of human creative skill.” Here at Liberty, student artists share their creative talents in many ways, both in and out of school. But why did they become artists, and why is art such a big part of many people’s lives?
Final Bell for Liberty’s Block Schedule?
Hallie Chen, Annabelle Smith, Kelly Jinguji, and Matthew Rubenstein
November 20, 2018
In response to a new district levy granting the Issaquah School District an extra 40 million dollars a year, a high school scheduling committee was chartered in February 2018. The committee aims to place Issaquah, Skyline, and Liberty High School on a common schedule while simultaneously adding at least one period to the six period school days of Issaquah and Skyline.
Shoplifting: The Secret Tendencies Sweeping our Schools
Annabelle Smith, Hallie Chen, and Elise Sickinger
September 26, 2018
Though every one of us has been in a store, only some will have the thought of stealing cross their minds. What drives people to commit this crime, especially as high schoolers? And what are the possible repercussions, not only to those who steal, but to society at large?
Calling Out Sexual Harassment
Valerie Adams and Annabelle Smith
December 17, 2017
What is sexual harassment? You’re walking down the street on a normal Tuesday afternoon. It’s nice out, so you’re wearing shorts and a t-shirt, trying to beat the heat. Out of nowhere, you hear a whistle, followed by the words, “Lookin’ good, honey, why don’t you give me a smile?” Y...
