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Thanksgiving Break In FCPS

By: Raya Derdesawi, Journalist • November 30, 2023

Thanksgiving break was five days this year. A few years ago, you used to have an early release on Wednesday, and then you were off the rest of the week.

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LJMS Band Program

By: Yash Kini, Journalist • November 29, 2023

Whether you want to learn an instrument, have learned an instrument, or are proficient at your instrument, there is a place for you in the Luther Jackson Band!

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History Of The Airplane

By: Khue Vu, Journalist • November 28, 2023

The Wright Brothers are claimed to be the inventors of the first airplane in the world. Fascinated by an airplane toy and its mechanics, the brothers hoped to build a flying machine large enough to hold the both of them one day.

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Seventh Grade Hidden Oaks Field Trip

By: Shiryu Gibson, Journalist • November 16, 2023

The Hidden Oaks Nature Center is a field trip for the 7th grade to learn about science. The people who went on the field trip had five stations.

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Washington Commanders Linebacker Helps Students Learn About the Presidency

By: Yash Kini, Journalist • November 16, 2023

Washington Commanders linebacker, Jamin Davis, usually runs down opponents on a football field. On Monday, November 13th, Mr. Davis volunteered to come in on his off day to educate Mr. Holzshu’s civics students about a different type of running, running for political office.

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LJMS Choir @ Falls Church High

By: Caroline French, Journalist • November 14, 2023

Luther Jackson Chorus is singing the Star Spangled Banner at the Jaguars vs. Hawks at the Jaguars home field. Tickets are $5.00 per person. Get them now before they run out!

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How To Stay Focused While Studying

By: Emma Sarria, Journalist • November 13, 2023

Almost everyone gets distracted while studying or doing homework. If you are one of those people and need help staying focused, here are seven tips to ensure maximum productivity!

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Viewings Of San Kofa With The LJMS Drama Department

By: Khue Vu, Journalist • November 13, 2023

Ms. Stacey, from LJMS, was approached by a man in Bismark, Ghana. He was a student from FCPS and wanted to show a musical called San Kofa.

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Israeli-Gaza War

By: David Judy, Journalist • November 10, 2023

So as many of you may know, there has been a start of a massive conflict in Israel. Sadly for them and all the middle east, This is by no means new. The goal of this article is to get you up to speed with the many worrying and controversial developments that have implications for Israel, Palestine and the rest of the Middle east.

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Advice for Rising 7th Graders

By: Sabrina Remy, Journalist • October 27, 2023

If you're a 6th grader or rising 7th grader who is starting middle school soon, you're probably pretty nervous about it. So, to help you feel more prepared, these are the top 10 tips for how to succeed in middle school.

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LJMS French Language And Culture

By: Yash Kini, Journalist • October 17, 2023

Bonjour! Have you ever wanted to learn a new language? Excited to immerse in different cultures? Want a lifelike experience of daily life in France? For all these reasons, the LJMS French department is for you!

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The Controversies Surrounding Proxies

By: David Judy, Journalist • October 16, 2023

Proxies are a very common site in schools in the US and it's very easy to see why. Proxies, for those who don't know, are free sites usually without ads that mostly have free games that are imported onto the site for students to play.

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Damian Lillard Traded To Milwaukee Bucks

By: Parker Heflin, Journalist • October 13, 2023

In recent news, it has come to the attentions of NBA fans everywhere that Damian Lillard has been traded to the Milwaukee Bucks, but how will this effect their legacy? Will the Bucks be able to win another NBA final since 2021?

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FCPS Hoodie Policy

By: Santiago Rivera, Shiryu Gibson, and Juan Garcia • October 6, 2023

For the 2023-24 school year, FCPS has changed the hoodie/hat policy. What reasons back up this change? Why are hoodies associated with acts of vandalism?

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School Dress Code

By: Reema Alngash, Journalist • September 28, 2023

The FCPS dress code is all about making sure students dress in a way that is appropriate and respectful. It's important to wear clothing that doesn't distract others or cause disruptions in the learning environment.

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LJ’s New Phone Policy

By: Raya Derdesawi, Journalist • September 27, 2023

"What/Who started this policy?" We interviewed Ms. Kirk about the away for the day policy. She told us that it all started from a high school named Herndon High school. After the pandemic, the first...

Student Opinions: Staggered Dismissal

By: Nathan Shirley, Journalist • September 21, 2023

Last year, staggered dismissal became a new policy at Luther Jackson Middle School. The new policy had students dismissed by the hallway that they were in instead of the whole school being dismissed at the same time. Quite a bit of people were annoyed by this, but why?

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6 Questions Elementary School Students Ask About Middle School

By: Parker Heflin, Journalist • September 19, 2023

Elementary students have many questions for Luther Jackson Middle School. Some think it will be amazing, some think it will be the worst experience of their life, but is it really that bad? Six questions...

AI and How It Will Affect Us

By: Emma Sarria, Journalist • September 15, 2023

AI has been getting more advanced as we continue through the year. Let's talk about ways it could impact our lives. AI stands for "Artificial Intelligence" and is normally used for translating, customer...

Ukrainian Counteroffensive Breakthrough

By: David Judy, Journalist • September 15, 2023

Recently, Ukrainian generals have stated that they have made a breakthrough in the heavily entrenched Southern Russian line, a longtime stalemate ever since the beginning of the hyped-up and heavily backed counter-offensive launched by Ukraine in June. This has boosted lots of people's morale, both Ukrainian and abroad, allowing for Ukraine to potentially continue to soak in foreign aid, as shown by the 1 billion dollar aid package expected to be sent by the US by Secretary of State, Antony Blinken.

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Ways To Make Money As A Teenager

By: Olivia Arnold, Journalist • September 15, 2023

Isn't it tiring of begging your parents for money? Here is a list of jobs you can do to earn quick and easy money.

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Does Homework Really Do Anything?

By: Rose McLellan, Journalist • September 14, 2023

About Homework Homework is a big part of school. Homework has been around for as long as school has. Roberto Nevilis is the man who invented homework. Almost 50% of teachers assign homework 4-5 days...

LJMS After-School Program

By: Yash Kini, Journalist • September 12, 2023

Our mission at LJ is to create an environment where students can thrive to be themselves in a safe and secu.re middle school.

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Technology Student Association at LJMS

By: Tiger Deng, TSA President • September 7, 2023

The Technology Student Association (TSA) is a national, non-profit career and technical student organization (CTSO) of middle school and high school students who are engaged in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics).

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Fall Play Auditions

By: Sabrina Remy, Journalist • September 7, 2023

The fall play is coming up soon! You may have seen the flyers around the school, but in case you haven't, here is all the information you need to know.

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ESTEEMFest 2023! VEX Robotics

By: Anokhi Basavaraju, Samiya Azam, and Meg Lagera • May 23, 2023

When: VEX Robotics is a company specializing in teaching and competing with robotics of all levels, coming to Luther Jackson Middle School for ESTEEM Fest. It will be presented in the robot room in the...

Dang Truong – The Stories and Opinions of an Immigrant

By: Josephine Huynh, Journalist • March 30, 2023

If there were more rules or enforcement of rules that prevent students from misbehaving, it could better help immigrant and refugee students distinguish between right or wrong. When this confusion doesn’t happen, many students will be able to feel included by their peers while also contributing to the school positively rather than negatively.

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We Overpay On Things You Can’t Imagine

By: Abhi Palikala, Journalist • June 5, 2021

Most prices that seem outrageous can be identified quickly. If there's a price rise on a product you frequently buy, you'll also notice. Companies like Apple, Exxon, and others are notorious for having...

Pointe Shoes

By: Madeline Seminaro, Journalist • June 5, 2021

Ever wondered what it would be like to stand on your toes for several hours? Would it hurt? Well this article will explain all about pointe shoes.

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The Stunning Animation of Spider-Man into the Spider-Verse

By: Caitlin Arnold, Reporter • June 5, 2021

Sony's Spider-Verse is a groundbreaking film best known for its clashing and comic-like art and animation. This is a beloved story and was a new and challenging project for animators.

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Why You Should Drink Milk

By: Umar Tyler, Writer • June 5, 2021

Has anyone ever told you to drink milk? There are many different types of milk people drink. Some types of milk that are well known are regular cow milk, almond milk, and soy milk. Here are some reasons...

The Benefits Of Aloe Vera

By: Umar Tyler, Writer • June 5, 2021

Ever heard of Aloe Vera? Aloe vera is a green plant with a protective outer leaf skin that is pointy and has a gel-like substance on the inside that is used for many different purposes. Here are some benefits...

Tips To Relieve Stress

By: Umar Tyler, Writer • June 5, 2021

Is work, school, or life overall stressful for you? Stress is one of, if not the most overwhelming and energy-draining problems to face. Many people, including me, can heavily relate to how much of a toll...

The Invention That Ended The Wild West

By: Isaiah Efrem, Reporter • June 5, 2021

The ending of one of the craziest eras in American history.

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Why Do You Sneeze?

By: Alexander Nguyen, Reporter • June 5, 2021

Sneezing or Sternutation is your body’s reflexive way to get something bothersome out of your nose. Sneezing involves a complex procedure from your brain.

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What Happens If Mosquitos Go Extinct?

By: Kevin Le, Reporter • June 5, 2021

As summer starts to come, mosquitos have slowly come out with it. Have you ever thought about killing every single one of these annoying bugs?

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Fireflies And How They Are Able To Light Up

By: Taryn Heuvelman, Journalist • June 5, 2021

Fireflies are magnificent creatures that miraculously are able to light up.

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MIT Spider Web Musical Instrument

By: Oliver Singhvi, Journalist • June 5, 2021

MIT is taking the scans of spider webs, making 3D computer diagrams, and finally creating a virtual "stringed" instrument out of the model.

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NFTs And How They Work

By: Liam Ballew, Journalist • June 5, 2021

NFTs have been used more in the past few months and talked about more, but many people don't know what an NFT is. NFT stands for "Non-Fungible Token." It may sound similar to any other cryptocurrency,...

Police Detective

By: Pedro Lopez, Reporter • June 3, 2021

In this article you will learn about what police detectives do, what they need to become one and more.

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#policedetective

Electric Guitar, How It Works And How It Came To Be

By: Taryn Heuvelman, Journalist • June 1, 2021

The electric guitar is one of the most famous instruments to come out of the United States. Learn how this famous instrument works and how it came to be.

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CoViD-19 Can Discriminate

By: Valerie Lai, Journalist • May 25, 2021

CoViD-19 can be discriminatory against race and economic status.

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How Do You Deflect The Emerald Splash?

By: Robert Martirosyan, Journalist • May 20, 2021

Today, I will be looking into evidence from the series to see what it truly takes to deflect the Emerald Splash.

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Summer Drinks

By: Madeline Seminaro, Journalist • May 20, 2021

On a nice summer day, don't you want a cold, sweet drink in your hand? This article can give you some ideas on what to have when you want to be refreshed.

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Engineering Breakthrough for Pets

By: John Stevens, Journalist • May 17, 2021

Engineering has helped advancement in the medical field. We are now able to properly diagnose our pets and even give them prosthetics inexpensively.

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The Drake Equation

By: Isabel D’mello, Journalist • May 17, 2021

An answer to "Where Are They?" in the search for alien life. The Drake Equation predicts the possibility of us not being alone in the galaxy.

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FCC Presents New Suicide Prevention Hotline With A Three-Digit Number

By: Kevin Le, Reporter • May 17, 2021

During this epidemic, the need for mental health care for teens has soared, and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) wants teens to be able to access a suicide prevention line via their preferred means of communication, namely texting.

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Pandas

By: Erick Molina-Diaz, Journalist • May 16, 2021

Pandas are one of the laziest creatures ever. They're also unintelligent. They eat bamboo even though it's not nutritious so they have to eat 26 to 84 pounds of bamboo to maintain healthy and don't die of starvation.

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Cicada Ice Cream

By: Madeline Seminaro, Journalist • May 16, 2021

You know when bugs get in your drink or food? Imagine bugs being put in your food and then you purposefully eat it? Apparently, that's what people do when they eat cicada ice cream.

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Invisible String

By: Emily Noh, Writer • May 16, 2021

Swift’s narrative talents go from metaphors to colors, memories to easter eggs. She has several nods to her previous songs as well.

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#Taylor Swift

Fiction and Its Significance in Society

By: Benita Xavier, Journalist • May 16, 2021

Most of society describes reading fiction as an activity for people to escape their daily lives, however, there is much more to it and its outreach. Fiction is creative writing where the situations and ideas presented, though perhaps based on reality, have not occurred in real life; the writer uses his or her imagination to create characters, settings, and plot points. How can these stories of imagination affect living in reality?

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The Ageist Divide

By: Gabrielle Carpenter, Editor • May 16, 2021

Ageism is prejudice based on one's age. Upon first hearing the term ageism, many will lift their brow and chuckle at the thought that such a thing exists.

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Beef Burger vs. Meatless Burger – Which One Is Better?

By: Valerie Lai, Journalist • May 11, 2021

Are plant-based burgers healthier than beef burgers?

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FDA Approves Pfizer Vaccine for 12-15 Year-Olds

By: Valerie Lai, Journalist • May 11, 2021

The FDA has just authorized the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for use in 12-15 year-olds.

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Six Recently Extinct Animals

By: Arya Gupta, Journalist • April 30, 2021

An extinct animal is a species where there are no animals of its kind alive around the globe. Here are six animals that are gone now, that future generations will likely never hear of or see.

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#extinctanimals

Could Children Ages 12-15 Get the Vaccine?

By: Aurora Ayala, Journalist • April 19, 2021

On April 9th, Pfizer requested the FDA to modify their EUA (emergency use authorization) so that teens ages 12-15 could get the vaccine as well.

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Complaint Filed After Biased Attack Asian Woman And Child

By: Siamba Oguah, Journalist • April 5, 2021

Last week a man purportedly harassed and threatened an Asian-American woman and her daughter in a car because they were of Asian descent. Many cities have seen an increase in Asian hate crimes since the beginning of the pandemic.

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Why Do We Feel Tired?

By: Nathan Britton, Journalist • March 22, 2021

During the night, your brain's Circadian Rhythm tells your pineal gland to produce melatonin. Circadian Rhythms are basically, when you see light, your brain thinks you should be awake, but when you see darkness it thinks you should be asleep.

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Elegoo Sand Table

By: Skyla Tran, Journalist • March 21, 2021

The Elegoo Sand table is also known as the machine that erases what it creates.

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#microboards

The Universal S

By: Teddy Dehn, Journalist • March 21, 2021

Over all the Universal S is a wonder of art whose origins were lost to time.

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The Greatest Swordsmith in Japanese History

By: Erick Molina-Diaz, Journalist • March 16, 2021

Amakuni and his son took an oath to make the best sword they could.

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The Fermi Paradox, And The Great Filter

By: Robert Martirosyan, Journalist • March 14, 2021

If aliens exist, then where are they? This theory attempts to piece together why we can't find these extraterrestrials.

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#AlienLife

Misinformation About Covid-19 May Keep the Virus Around For Longer Than Wanted

By: Devum Agarwal, Reporter • March 14, 2021

Unfortunately, many people have been using big social media platforms to spread misinformation about the COVID-19 virus.

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#Covid- 19

Why you waste all your time?

By: Abhi Palikala, Journalist • March 14, 2021

Several people procrastinate. Why does this happen? It is a century old adaptation.

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Auto-Lacing Sneakers

By: Jacob Segura, Alexander J, Segura • March 4, 2021

Recently the auto lacing sneakers industry have become popular to the public .

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Stockholm Syndrome

By: Allen Chhu, Journalist • March 4, 2021

What Is Stockholm Syndrome? Stockholm syndrome is when a hostage feels affection to their captors. It is a phycological response to being threatened and makes the hostage empathize for their captors but...

“Stand By Me” by Ben E. King

By: Symthasree Koganti, Writer • February 24, 2021

As a classic love song from the '60s, the iconic notes of "Stand By Me" have stayed as known as ever in present day.

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#Music

How Does The CoViD-19 Vaccine Work?

By: Valerie Lai, Reporter • February 23, 2021

The CoViD-19 vaccine has been in the headlines a lot lately. But before you get it, you might want to know - how does it work?

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What Makes A Good Story?

By: Pedro Lopez, Reporter • February 23, 2021

People really want to know how to write good stories and now you can read about it.

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How To Avoid Covid-19 Vaccine Scams

By: Owen Wentzel, Reporter • February 23, 2021

How to avoid Covid-19 scams.

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David Roy’s Amazing Kinetic Sculptures

By: Caitlin Arnold, Journalist • February 22, 2021

Roy’s continued passion for making his sculptures is because of one thing: Solving the problems of his sculptures. Roy’s passion for his creations isn’t slowing down soon.

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Cherish by Madonna

By: Isabelle Paparella, Writer • February 22, 2021

A song expressing the love for their other half is beautiful.

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#LoveSongs

Pierre by Ryn Weaver

By: Reese Sunga, Writer • February 19, 2021

This song makes me want to fall in love. It makes my body jump, my face smile and puts me in a positive mood!

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I like me better-Lauv

By: Aisha Abubakar, Writer • February 19, 2021

"I like me better" is a pop song about how you treasure and like yourself more when you are with someone you love.

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The Peregrine Falcon

By: Zekarias Delelegn, Reporter • February 18, 2021

The Peregrine Falcon is a type of bird that comes from the Falco Peregrine species. They are most commonly known as being the fastest animal on earth, due to them reaching 240 mph while diving to catch it's prey.

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#bird

A Few Ways Engineers Heals a Broken Heart

By: Samantha Parada Rodriguez, Reporter • February 18, 2021

I know that it might sound weird to hear that an engineers can heal a broken heart but if you really think about it and read a little bit about it you could find yourself interested and surprised.

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#heart

[Video] Effects of COVID-19 On Your Ability To Smell

By: Alexander Nguyen, Reporter • February 18, 2021

Anosmia or more commonly known as smell loss, is among the first signs of COVID-19. The most common cause of anosmia is from viruses.

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#Covid- 19

Drivers license by Olivia Rodrigo

By: Paula Turcios-Amaya, Writer • February 17, 2021

Has someone ever broken a every salient promise to you? How did that make you feel? you tell me!

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Juice Wrld – All Girls Are The Same

By: Daniel Murtin, Writer • February 12, 2021

Once listening to this song you get a kind of eerie and sad mood from the lyrics to the instrumental. The lyrics send in powerful and compelling words that make the listener fell calm and tranquil.

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#Juice Wrld

[Video] Daniel Rozin’s Mirrors

By: Caitlin Arnold, Reporter • February 11, 2021

“The mirror is doing more than taking your image, it is capturing something about your soul and showing it back to you. These amazing works of art wouldn’t be possible without the engineer and you."- Daniel Rozin

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Sleep Paralysis: And What Are Its Symptoms

By: Allen Chhu, Journalist • February 10, 2021

Sleep paralysis is a phenomena where your brain is conscience but your body is not and is paralyzed.

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#sleep

June Is Pride Month, Support The LGBTQIA+ Community

By: Siamba Oguah, Journalist • February 5, 2021

LGBTQIA stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, intersex, and asexual; the plus stands for any sexualities that weren't included in the acronym. In honor of pride month here are some things you can do to support the community and be a better ally.

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The Solution to Comfortable Mid Day Relaxation, Pillowdy

By: Sam Ross, Journalist • March 8, 2020

This sweatshirt or windbreaker might be the perfect way to combine neck pillows with a usable solution. The creators found a way to put a pillow in a sweatshirt that can adjust to the user and fits all sizes.

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WeWALK – The Smart Cane

By: Ethan Nguyen, Journalist • January 10, 2020

WeWALK is a smart cane for people that are visually impaired. It can detect objects above chest level and is compatible with apps such as Google Maps. Having a cane compatible with Google Maps can help...

#Blindness

Edible Food Wrappers

By: Tommy Tran, Journalist • November 8, 2019

Millions of plastic are dumped into the ocean each year. These edible food wrappers are an attempt to reduce the plastic waste in our world. At the U.S. Department of Agriculture, two researchers created...

#edible

Amazon Alexa Improvement; Now Handles Patient Health Information

By: Maryam Malik, Journalist • May 30, 2019

As you may know, Alexa is a virtual assistant that has been incorporated in an increasing number of households these past few years. Amazon, one of the largest e-commerce companies of this day and age,...

#Amazon

First Malaria Vaccine Ever!

By: Sam Bennion, Journalist • May 30, 2019

Malaria is a huge problem, especially in Africa, where it is quite a common disease. Every year, there are 200 million cases and 435 thousand deaths. The RTS,S vaccine could change all this. RTS,S is...

Kendra Scott Jewelry

By: Giulianna Campo, Journalist • December 3, 2018

Kendra Scott is a successful woman that makes her own jewelry, and it's the new thing that people are gravitating to. She has made so much money that she has given 25 million dollars back to charities...

#Jewelry

Kenguru the Car for People in Wheelchairs

By: Anna Burger, Journalist • August 15, 2018

Kenguru is a car specifically designed for people in wheelchairs to drive.

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Minecraft Education Edition for Schools

By: Arda Dogan, Journalist • February 8, 2018

Minecraft Education Edition is an education version of Minecraft designed for classroom use.

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#gaming

3D Printed Prosthetic

By: Aidan Cunningham, Journalist • January 25, 2018

Now with the help of a 3D printer, companies are creating inexpensive customized prosthetics.

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#Prosthetics

Nima Pocket Gluten Detector

By: Aidan Cunningham, Journalist • January 25, 2018

People with gluten allergies usually have to take a chef's word when they go out to eat on whether something is gluten-free.

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Wheelchairs for Dogs

By: Anna Capobianco, Journalist • October 30, 2017

This article is about wheelchairs for dogs and how they can change dogs' lives.

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#dogwheelchairs

Ballet Pointe Shoes

By: Ashley Nguyen, Journalist • October 20, 2017

Have you've ever seen ballet dancers wearing those cool shoes that allow them to stand on their toes? If you haven't already, they are called pointe shoes. Most pointe shoes are handmade. You can see pointe...

Why Are You Bored?

By: Ethan Vu, Journalist • October 19, 2017

Everyone gets bored but don't you wonder why? It usually happens when your friend rants about an unimportant event that you didn't go to, or you're waiting for the bus and forgot to charge your phone. But why does it happen? Be prepared to find out yourself why you are bored.

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