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...
Our environment, our responsibility
Annabelle Smith, Valerie Adams, Brigitte Larkin, and Will Wick
November 9, 2017
Most of Liberty’s students are aware of the importance of a healthy environment. In fact, 97% of Liberty students believe the climate is changing, and 93% of students believe the government should do more to combat climate change. These statistics may be thanks to the abundance of information supporting...
Celebrating 40 Years of Patriot Pride
September 29, 2017
Happy 40th, Liberty! In the first week of school, students and staff celebrated Liberty’s 40th birthday with a party in the commons, ice cream, and 1,500 free t-shirts. All this was part of Principal Sean Martin’s efforts to increase a feeling of community among Liberty’s student body. ...
Drugs, Alcohol…Phones?
Annabelle Smith and Valerie Adams
June 6, 2017
Phone Addiction and Your Health It’s no question that anxiety can be seen in many aspects of a teenager’s life. Anxiety levels rise from stressors like exams, family pressure, and important sports events — but what about cell phones? How can a small device that is such a large part of our live...
The immigration dilemma: how do immigrants impact Liberty?
Katrina Filer and Christina Tuttle
May 11, 2017
On January 27, 2017, President Trump first issued an executive order temporarily suspending immigration from seven predominantly Muslim countries. People from across the political spectrum have weighed in on this policy: supporters claim that the executive order protects American security, while opponents...