Upcoming Presidential election evokes confusion, frustration
By Cassandra Keaney
The year is 2024, and thus this year is a Presidential election. It also happens that this year is the first election in which many seniors can participate. Regardless, people of all grades have at least some opinion on it. Therefore, these interviews of students are to showcase the wide range of emotions and ideas they have about the election, and therefore the diversity of thought that exists within the school.
Ivy Bowser, a sophomore, claimed that they were anxious and not looking forward to it.
“Democrats aren’t able to find a candidate better than Biden,” they said, and thus predicted that Trump will likely win due to Joe Biden’s deficiencies, which are mainly his age and inability to push major changes past the Senate.
“I wish there was no electoral college,” Ivy said in regards to what they would change. They also wished that there was an age limit on potential presidents, and that there was a different candidate for the Democratic Party.
“Both Biden and Trump are jerks,” said Isabella Cronin, a junior, who claimed that she felt hopeless about the election. She also wishes that the election had common sense, in that both parties have major fatal flaws, and thus she wishes for someone to fix them. An example she brought up is how Republicans do not want free lunch, which allows students to have at least one healthy meal a day, yet they don’t seem to care about helping fight poverty.
“I predict and wish Trump will win because people will get sick of the inflation problem,” which is referring to the price increases of goods and services in the U.S.
“Who’s running?” Joe Brunsell, a senior, jokingly asked. In truth, Joe claims that he doesn’t care about the election. He replied that the one thing he wished was different about the election process was “more power to the people,” which is likely referring to how the popular vote is not counted when it comes to presidential elections.
“I think Biden might win just ‘cause Trump’s going to run out of money,” Brunsell added, referring to Donald Trump’s bail and financial fees from the lawsuits that are going against him.
Overall, most of the students interviewed did express negative emotions about the election. They also expressed a desire for a greater emphasis to be placed on civilian votes rather than the electoral college. Everyone however, had an idea to improve presidential elections which showcases how students in Auburn Senior High desire to change the world for the better, or at the very least have some ideas. ●
The year is 2024, and thus this year is a Presidential election. It also happens that this year is the first election in which many seniors can participate. Regardless, people of all grades have at least some opinion on it. Therefore, these interviews of students are to showcase the wide range of emotions and ideas they have about the election, and therefore the diversity of thought that exists within the school.
Ivy Bowser, a sophomore, claimed that they were anxious and not looking forward to it.
“Democrats aren’t able to find a candidate better than Biden,” they said, and thus predicted that Trump will likely win due to Joe Biden’s deficiencies, which are mainly his age and inability to push major changes past the Senate.
“I wish there was no electoral college,” Ivy said in regards to what they would change. They also wished that there was an age limit on potential presidents, and that there was a different candidate for the Democratic Party.
“Both Biden and Trump are jerks,” said Isabella Cronin, a junior, who claimed that she felt hopeless about the election. She also wishes that the election had common sense, in that both parties have major fatal flaws, and thus she wishes for someone to fix them. An example she brought up is how Republicans do not want free lunch, which allows students to have at least one healthy meal a day, yet they don’t seem to care about helping fight poverty.
“I predict and wish Trump will win because people will get sick of the inflation problem,” which is referring to the price increases of goods and services in the U.S.
“Who’s running?” Joe Brunsell, a senior, jokingly asked. In truth, Joe claims that he doesn’t care about the election. He replied that the one thing he wished was different about the election process was “more power to the people,” which is likely referring to how the popular vote is not counted when it comes to presidential elections.
“I think Biden might win just ‘cause Trump’s going to run out of money,” Brunsell added, referring to Donald Trump’s bail and financial fees from the lawsuits that are going against him.
Overall, most of the students interviewed did express negative emotions about the election. They also expressed a desire for a greater emphasis to be placed on civilian votes rather than the electoral college. Everyone however, had an idea to improve presidential elections which showcases how students in Auburn Senior High desire to change the world for the better, or at the very least have some ideas. ●
The introduction of SmartPass sparks controversy within AHS
By Vincent Pham ‘25
This academic year, Auburn has implemented a new system for monitoring students’ whereabouts outside of class. SmartPass, an online hall pass system, was introduced at the start of the year and has sparked significant controversy among students and faculty. With a split debate, we asked various students and faculty to gauge opinions on this contentious topic.
Students and faculty of Auburn were surveyed to share their view on whether SmartPass has positively or negatively affected Auburn since its introduction in August 2023. The platform mandates students to use their devices to create a digital pass before heading off to their destination.
“There are less people roaming around in the hallways during class and it monitors who is going to the restroom well,” remarked Jolena Deeds ‘25, who believes SmartPass has positively impacted Auburn.
“It allows for better control of movement, and it helps with limiting unnecessary time spent outside of class,” added Mr. Cutler.
“I think that despite its difficulties, it has made leaving class a little bit easier. It also ensures that the teacher doesn’t ask so many questions about who you are and where you are supposed to be at a given time,” claimed Mara Otiato ‘26, pointing out the positive additions of SmartPass.
Next, students and faculty were asked about any issues encountered while using SmartPass. With a similar pattern, differing students and faculty experienced several issues with the platform.
“Some teachers don’t accept our pass requests, and our pass immediately disappears if we go over the time limit,” said Brayden Borus ‘25.
“There is poor connection in the school, and when you are finally able to create a pass, there is sometimes no one on bathroom duty, regardless,” pointed out Tracy Le ‘25.
“I once got logged out of SmartPass for a few weeks, so I couldn’t use the restroom during class. I had to use it during lunch or after school,” added Nicole Godwin ‘25.
Not surprisingly, there is a divided vote from a variety of students and faculty around the building in regards to whether they prefer Auburn with or without the addition of SmartPass.
“It enables more trust in us as students and gives us more responsibility for us to make the right decisions. SmartPass does not give us the liberties to be trusted,” argued Jessica St. Jean ‘25, who prefers to not have SmartPass at Auburn.
“I’m fine with keeping SmartPass, but I think teachers should be better at the system and accepting people’s passes,” insisted Ace Hoang ‘25.
“Without SmartPass, I think a substitute would be needed,” suggested Principal Mr. Delongchamp.
SmartPass wields its own advantages — it maintains order in the building, manages students’ whereabouts for safety, and eliminates the hassle of paper. However, it appears to still face issues, as some teachers may not always accept students’ passes due to preoccupation with other responsibilities, students are often logged out, and some students still roam around the school regardless of SmartPass. The platform presents both advantages and disadvantages, creating debate on which of those holds greater significance. Auburn appears to be divided: some see that SmartPass is beneficial, but has issues that should be resolved before moving forward. Others believe that SmartPass should be scrapped and Auburn should either revert to the traditional system or create a different solution. Select students and faculty have voiced their position on the application - what is your position on the topic? ●
This academic year, Auburn has implemented a new system for monitoring students’ whereabouts outside of class. SmartPass, an online hall pass system, was introduced at the start of the year and has sparked significant controversy among students and faculty. With a split debate, we asked various students and faculty to gauge opinions on this contentious topic.
Students and faculty of Auburn were surveyed to share their view on whether SmartPass has positively or negatively affected Auburn since its introduction in August 2023. The platform mandates students to use their devices to create a digital pass before heading off to their destination.
“There are less people roaming around in the hallways during class and it monitors who is going to the restroom well,” remarked Jolena Deeds ‘25, who believes SmartPass has positively impacted Auburn.
“It allows for better control of movement, and it helps with limiting unnecessary time spent outside of class,” added Mr. Cutler.
“I think that despite its difficulties, it has made leaving class a little bit easier. It also ensures that the teacher doesn’t ask so many questions about who you are and where you are supposed to be at a given time,” claimed Mara Otiato ‘26, pointing out the positive additions of SmartPass.
Next, students and faculty were asked about any issues encountered while using SmartPass. With a similar pattern, differing students and faculty experienced several issues with the platform.
“Some teachers don’t accept our pass requests, and our pass immediately disappears if we go over the time limit,” said Brayden Borus ‘25.
“There is poor connection in the school, and when you are finally able to create a pass, there is sometimes no one on bathroom duty, regardless,” pointed out Tracy Le ‘25.
“I once got logged out of SmartPass for a few weeks, so I couldn’t use the restroom during class. I had to use it during lunch or after school,” added Nicole Godwin ‘25.
Not surprisingly, there is a divided vote from a variety of students and faculty around the building in regards to whether they prefer Auburn with or without the addition of SmartPass.
“It enables more trust in us as students and gives us more responsibility for us to make the right decisions. SmartPass does not give us the liberties to be trusted,” argued Jessica St. Jean ‘25, who prefers to not have SmartPass at Auburn.
“I’m fine with keeping SmartPass, but I think teachers should be better at the system and accepting people’s passes,” insisted Ace Hoang ‘25.
“Without SmartPass, I think a substitute would be needed,” suggested Principal Mr. Delongchamp.
SmartPass wields its own advantages — it maintains order in the building, manages students’ whereabouts for safety, and eliminates the hassle of paper. However, it appears to still face issues, as some teachers may not always accept students’ passes due to preoccupation with other responsibilities, students are often logged out, and some students still roam around the school regardless of SmartPass. The platform presents both advantages and disadvantages, creating debate on which of those holds greater significance. Auburn appears to be divided: some see that SmartPass is beneficial, but has issues that should be resolved before moving forward. Others believe that SmartPass should be scrapped and Auburn should either revert to the traditional system or create a different solution. Select students and faculty have voiced their position on the application - what is your position on the topic? ●
A new Mr. Auburn is crowned!
By Dominic Hammond ‘24
It’s that time of year again when all of the students are catching Spring Fever. Spring sports are just kicking off with the increasingly warm weather, and one of the most highly anticipated events at Auburn Senior High School has just concluded with a winner being announced.
Mr. Auburn is an event where students come together to create an act that wows the audience as a group before splitting into separate entities and putting on a show in a competition to gain votes for the title of “Mr. Auburn.”
“[Mr. Auburn] makes the school more positive and invites humor and creativity into the environment,” said senior Ian “Bob” Clayton, one of the MCs for the event, responded. His ability to engage the crowd in the event as an announcer just proved his own point, allowing him to foster the humor and future creativity surrounding the event. His favorite part about being with the group of contestants was cheering them all on as they practiced long and hard to perfect their acts while he did his best to enhance them with his MC skills.
All of those who are involved in the event seem to believe that Mr. Auburn brings people together and fosters friendships, not only from within, but also in those who look on from the outside. Some contestants, like senior Vaughan Bailey, believe Mr. Auburn to be some kind of “last hurrah: - something to do with friends to commemorate their time at Auburn High School.
“It’s a good bonding experience, especially for seniors,” Bailey said. “It also gives underclassmen some hope to build their idea in preparation of getting the chance to be Mr. Auburn himself.”
For his act, Vaughn was dressed as Batman while he fought his friends, who were dressed as the Joker and two of his henchmen. His act was one in which everyone worked perfectly together, displaying their friendship and cooperation with one another.
“It makes us a tighter knit community and it brings us together to help celebrate our seniors,” said Samuel Soloperto, a senior who created an act for Mr. Auburn in hopes of snagging the title for himself. Sam performed a silent comedy act in which he used puppets, dolls, and even enlisted the help of a well-known teacher to bring more than a few laughs out of the audience.
His sentiment towards the event was very positive, suggesting that “it brings entertainment to the students and encourages more people to step out of their comfort zone.”
The winner of Mr. Auburn was an excellent example of the friendships that can be built throughout the process. Owen McGrillen, who now holds the title of Mr. Auburn, worked together with fellow contestant Jay Beaudet to create an explosive performance as two young versions of Elton John. Their chemistry was felt throughout the auditorium as they sang their hearts out.
While the sensational duo act is what won the event, Tyler Poshkus with the help of three friends, put on an incredible performance in which he dressed up as Taylor Swift and did a lip synced a few of her most popular songs. He wowed the audience enough to earn him the title of “Fan Favorite.”
The essence of teamwork and friendship between contestants was prevalent throughout the entire event and the audience members left with a strong feeling of friendship and camaraderie because of it. The event was certainly everything the school had hoped it would be and some might even say it surpassed all expectations. ●
It’s that time of year again when all of the students are catching Spring Fever. Spring sports are just kicking off with the increasingly warm weather, and one of the most highly anticipated events at Auburn Senior High School has just concluded with a winner being announced.
Mr. Auburn is an event where students come together to create an act that wows the audience as a group before splitting into separate entities and putting on a show in a competition to gain votes for the title of “Mr. Auburn.”
“[Mr. Auburn] makes the school more positive and invites humor and creativity into the environment,” said senior Ian “Bob” Clayton, one of the MCs for the event, responded. His ability to engage the crowd in the event as an announcer just proved his own point, allowing him to foster the humor and future creativity surrounding the event. His favorite part about being with the group of contestants was cheering them all on as they practiced long and hard to perfect their acts while he did his best to enhance them with his MC skills.
All of those who are involved in the event seem to believe that Mr. Auburn brings people together and fosters friendships, not only from within, but also in those who look on from the outside. Some contestants, like senior Vaughan Bailey, believe Mr. Auburn to be some kind of “last hurrah: - something to do with friends to commemorate their time at Auburn High School.
“It’s a good bonding experience, especially for seniors,” Bailey said. “It also gives underclassmen some hope to build their idea in preparation of getting the chance to be Mr. Auburn himself.”
For his act, Vaughn was dressed as Batman while he fought his friends, who were dressed as the Joker and two of his henchmen. His act was one in which everyone worked perfectly together, displaying their friendship and cooperation with one another.
“It makes us a tighter knit community and it brings us together to help celebrate our seniors,” said Samuel Soloperto, a senior who created an act for Mr. Auburn in hopes of snagging the title for himself. Sam performed a silent comedy act in which he used puppets, dolls, and even enlisted the help of a well-known teacher to bring more than a few laughs out of the audience.
His sentiment towards the event was very positive, suggesting that “it brings entertainment to the students and encourages more people to step out of their comfort zone.”
The winner of Mr. Auburn was an excellent example of the friendships that can be built throughout the process. Owen McGrillen, who now holds the title of Mr. Auburn, worked together with fellow contestant Jay Beaudet to create an explosive performance as two young versions of Elton John. Their chemistry was felt throughout the auditorium as they sang their hearts out.
While the sensational duo act is what won the event, Tyler Poshkus with the help of three friends, put on an incredible performance in which he dressed up as Taylor Swift and did a lip synced a few of her most popular songs. He wowed the audience enough to earn him the title of “Fan Favorite.”
The essence of teamwork and friendship between contestants was prevalent throughout the entire event and the audience members left with a strong feeling of friendship and camaraderie because of it. The event was certainly everything the school had hoped it would be and some might even say it surpassed all expectations. ●
Traffic woes |
Will outdoor lunch make a comeback? |
By David Sonn ‘24
Here at Auburn High School we face a problem: after school dismissal. The senior lot is small, thin, and has a lot going on because of the parent pick-up utilizing the same one-way exit. Depending on when you get to your car, it can take upwards of 25 minutes just to get out of the lot. When planning for a school, one of the main things that should be considered is how big the parking lot is and how to make traffic flow easier so people aren’t stuck for as long. “Awful,” said senior Kiernan Gardner of how the traffic is while leaving after school. “One of the biggest issues is probably that people don’t look before backing out of a parking spot and almost hitting people in other cars,” said Ryan Miranda ‘24. The design of the traffic having to go left down the hill, leading to where the buses leave from, creates a traffic jam that can last for up to five minutes. Because all other traffic is stopped to let the buses out, by the time they are gone, traffic is still at a standstill. “Not awesome. The design is bad. Buses having priority messes things up,” said Gardner. A possible solution to this problem, pointed out by Jacob Goldevitz ‘24, was to open the Shaws gate to allow people to exit that way, so there are multiple points of exit. “Open the Shaws gate,” Gardner agrees, by following up with; “The lot needs two exits for better flow." One proposed idea is that seniors, or all people who can drive, leave five to ten minutes early. This could help to clear up some of the early traffic so that when parent pickup is happening, there isn’t conflicting traffic, resulting in better exit times. “It might be a start to fixing the problem, or at least an approach to try,” said Miranda, “but realistically, mostly the seniors, or the people driving in general. are going to be the issue, so it would more be just starting the issue ten minutes earlier than really fixing the problem.” “I would have a separate line for pick up that does not connect to just the normal parking lot,” said Miranda. “That way, it eliminates at least that part of the issue, because then you don’t have it mixing with the pickup. That’s a good amount of the school… so you would at least help make it more manageable.” Overall the senior lot is terrible to get in and out of, but there is no near fix for it so all we can do for now is suffer through it.● |
By Vivian Silva ‘24
In 2022, students at Auburn High School were offered the opportunity to enjoy their lunches outside in the sunshine due to the global pandemic, the coronavirus. What if outside lunches were to be an option again? Some students don’t get the privilege of going outside during the school day because only Physical Education classes make it a necessity. “Vitamin D is good for everybody!”said Mrs. Phelan. Students agree that they need more light and air, and they don’t mean more fluorescent lights on the ceilings. “More than just a gust of wind from a cracked window would be nice,” exclaimed Sebastian Plona ‘24. The mask breaks were understandable when masks were mandatory, but as soon as they became optional, so did the breaks. Even today, when on the rare occasion students are brought outside, they enjoy every minute of it. “It was a nice break to go outside,” said senior Morgan Ryan “It was nice to not be sitting all the time.” Not only was going outside a favorite of the students, the teachers were a fan of it as well. Mr. Swedberg and Mrs. Phelan, supplied positive emotions towards the idea of chaperoning outside. Why else would mothers tell their young children to play outside instead of staring at screens all day? It’s to increase productivity, and it is the same for school. IPads at Auburn High play a critical role in the learning department, however, “a mental break” as Kayla Plona ‘26 put it would give students a break from working their developing brains as well as a break from the blue light. Sam Soloperto ‘24, the president of the National Honor Society says, “It would give us a break from working and let us get some fresh air.” Although it would supply fresh air and sunlight, there are reasons why it hasn't been brought back immediately. As Dr. LaBeaume, the Vice Principal of Auburn High says, “I love the idea of outside lunch. It would be a good change of scenery.” However, she continues to say that it would be difficult to find chaperones for both outside and inside lunch areas and, “students won’t have the motivation to pick up their trash if it’s blowing in the wind.” Students have been known to leave their trash on the fields, and teachers are not convinced they will start cleaning up now. Students who are caught leaving trash will have their privileges revoked. Mrs. Phelan believes that, “It should be based on where they are in their high school career.” Lia McDonald ‘24, the president of the class of 2024 mentions that she has brought up the matter to Principal Delongchamp and wasn’t approved because of the reluctance to trust the students to pick up after themselves. Should the students be trusted? Or as Phelan states, “Assume people will do the right thing!” As the weather gets warmer and the end of the school year approaches, Senior privilege starts to shine through. Seniors across the board say that starting with outside lunches to be a senior privilege would be a good start and to be eventually opened to everyone!● |