Campus USA-News from around the nation campuses By The Patriot newspaper staff
A 15-year-old University High School (UHS) sophomore volleyball player died three days after a late September match at Ascension Catholic High School in Donaldsonville, La. When UHS played their next match against McKinley High School, everyone in attendance honored the passing of that player and wore purple, her favorite color. Players from six other schools in the Baton Rouge and Lafayette area also attended. The story was covered by the Baton Rouge Advocate. The Katy, Texas, school system built a $70 million football stadium, which opened in August and all teams in their school system of 70,000 students will use .The stadium has new and improved locker rooms, hospitality rooms, and a high-definition scoreboard. To give the story perspective, Lee Magnet High School cost $55 million to construct.
Principal Waylon Bates of Parkway High School in Bossier Parish (La.) said players could be removed from sports teams if they refuse to stand during the national anthem at games or other school events. Bates stated the demonstrations against the flag are a "disruption."
High school reporters at Pittsburg High School in Kansas, led an investigation forcing the resignation of the school principal, who claimed to have a degree in fine arts from the University of Tulsa, which does not offer that degree. The principal resigned five days after the student newspaper was published in April. The school system is now updating their hiring practices to make certain this does not happen again. The student-reporters are still gaining attention nationwide.
Male students at San Benito High School in Hollister, Calif., protested on the first day of school against a new dress code for girls banning off-the-shoulder shirts. The protest led to dozens of boys wearing bare off-the-shoulder shirts to support the girls. The frustrated school principal agreed to meet with the Associated Student Body to plan a new dress code for next year. The Chicago public school system agreed to a new graduation requirement for high school students. Seniors must prove they have found a job, joined the military or plan to go to college. Some believe the school system is doing what is necessary to ensure success for students after high school, but there is a strong debate about whether the school system has the right to interfere into a student's life.
A Mattoon High School (Illinois) teacher saw a male student firing gunshots in the school cafeteria in mid-September. Physical education teacher Angela McQueen disarmed the student as others fled. One person was hit by gunfire and survived. A Pennsylvania Parkland High School, Ben Tetzlaff, recorded two holes-in-one in the same round of golf in August.
New Orleans Ben Franklin High School junior Kirsten Brown decided to help the school football team connect on extra points following touchdowns since no male player on the team could. Brown, who is also a girls’ varsity soccer player, made two extra points in her first game in September.