Last summer, a 16-year-old Steubenville girl, under the influence of alcohol and unconscious was allegedly kidnapped and sexually assaulted twice at a party. She was raped while her peers witnessed the events and snapped photos and videos on their phones. One photo of the events shows her being carried by the wrists and ankles while…

The long awaited day finally had arrived. Cameramen and press lined the streets, ready to capture the perfect moment. Around a million anxious spectators stood, eyes scouring the scene, ready to witness history. International viewers changed their channels to rest on Washington. Everyone twiddled their thumbs, waiting. For what, you may ask. Barack Obama’s first…

It is common knowledge that guys generally like Sadie Hawkins dances, while girls generally don’t. Also common knowledge is the supposed reason for this: guys are happy to be relieved of the elaborate pre-dance ritual that is the “ask,” while girls think it’s a pain. For me, the real issues concerning the Sadie Hawkins dance…

  We’ve just begun a new year, a year with potential for great things, a year full of promise–without the fear of “the world ending–as predicted by the Mayan calendar.” In 2013, however, we also have more powerful technology than ever before, just as previous years’ have had, yet we may have lost control of…

Dear Mr. President, Eight years ago at the Democratic Convention, you told the world “there’s not a liberal America and a conservative America; there’s the United States of America.” If I have been disappointed with you these past four years, it is because more than anything else you have forgotten those poetic words. The nation…

Perhaps I am mistaken to believe there was a time when athletes represented the best of the country. Perhaps I am wrong to remember the likes of Lou Gehrig, who served as an example to the youth of the day not only in terms of his work ethic on the field but also as moral…

I used to be the kind of girl who dreamed about auditioning on American Idol and becoming a real singer on television. But that was when three well-known, well-respected artists and producers gave real advice, and the winner was selected based on his or her talent alone. That was back when American Idol was a…

When I was little, my favorite movie was Cinderella. It seemed to six-year-old me that this fairytale ideal was correct: it is always the guy’s responsibility to choose his princess at the ball. But that movie was produced over sixty years ago. Now, I would be criticized if I believed in princes and princesses and…

President Obama began his second term on Monday, January 21, 2013, but this time, the message has changed dramatically. No longer do “hope” and “change” dominate the headlines. The optimism of 2008 is gone. We are in tight gridlock, having just endured the least productive Congress in our nation’s history. More battles loom just beyond…

Texts from parents flooded Academy high school as teachers locked doors, turned off lights, and shut shades. Students looked around, curious whether the emergency warning signaled a practice. But this was no drill.