Volume 5, Issue 16

MCHS accommodates for solar eclipse on Monday

April 8 will follow an early release schedule in order for students to be able to see the eclipse

Ryan Tedmon Freshman Writer

With the Solar eclipse happening on April 8th, MCHS will have an early release so students and teachers can view the eclipse The Solar Eclipse on the 8th has many people flocking to McHenry and other nearby towns to see it However, the eclipse happens to be a Monday during normal school hours and students would miss their chance to see this rare occurrence without an early release schedule

“We started some initial conversations in the building probably a month and a half, two months ago,” said principal Gregory Eiserman “I mean it was early February ”

The school was already thinking and planning for a solar eclipse

“It's a once in a lifetime thing,” said Eiserman “ It’s very rare, maybe the strongest you’re ever going to get in a lifetime ”

Solar eclipses are extremely rare, with a partial eclipse occurring only a few times a year, and a total eclipse once every one to two years

“Solar eclipses happen when the moon passes between the sun and earth,” said astrology teacher Derek Poci “The moon then casts a shadow over parts of the earth If you are in the direct shadow then

it looks like the sun is being blocked out This is a total solar eclipse If you are in the penumbra (outer parts) then you have a partial eclipse ”

There are also some dangers that a solar eclipse can cause “The sun emits UV rays that are dangerous whether it is a solar eclipse or not,” said Poci “These UV rays can cause minor damages such as headaches, eye strain, and dizziness More serious damages include retina damage, blurry vision or even total blindness ”

In order to view an eclipse you need special protection glasses that are rated to have the ability to view a solar eclipse

“You guys miss two or three minutes a class and your Aim period,” said Eiserman “It's not a big loss in academics I think from a scientific standpoint it will make a good educational experience We’re going to provide all the students with glasses to take home ”

The school would rather students go home early and view the eclipse for its rarity, with little to no loss to their learning

Middle schools and elementary schools have their own activities for the eclipse and will operate with normal school hours

“If you cannot get proper eye wear, then a person should just watch online,” said Poci

MCHS celebrates the the last spirit rally of the year with two intense games of volleyball and prom court

Waking up early in the morning, an MCHS student spots an email sent by the school reminding them that it’s spirit week, that also means an assembly on Friday as well Quickly, they put on their favorite Cubs jersey to celebrate the final spirit week of the school year

Spirit week started on April 2 following spring break and extended all the way through April 5 Tuesday was “Jersey Out” day, Wednesday was “Camo Out” day, Thursday was “Black Out” day, and then Friday was “Neon Out day

“We will be having two staff versus students volleyball games,” said Mitchelle Stengel, a staff member at MCHS “featuring our staff taking on our students We will also be announcing Prom Court “

There were about two volleyball games during the rally In the first game, freshmen and sophomore students played against the Freshman Campus teachers and won

During the second game, juniors and seniors played the Upper Campus teachers, but lost in a tough game

“These events not only create a shared experience for our students but it’s also important for our students to have shared experiences with our staff members outside of the classroom and in the hallways,” said social studies teacher Jonathan Niemic, who played on the Upper Campus teacher team “And, of course, the opportunity to compete ”

For it being the last assembly of the year and the last one for seniors at MCHS “Common, shared, and genuine high school experiences still have value,” Niemic said ”and I think it’s important for our students to value these moments and not take them for granted ”

Members of the student council made the announcement of the juniors and seniors prom court, including four girls and four boys from both 11th and 12th grade

Walking out of the main gym, after seeing the teachers vs students volleyball, the announcement of the juniors and seniors prom court, and a good way to end the week before the start of the PSAT testing

Aika Villa Page Designer Students played teachers at two different volleyball matches during the spring spirit rally on April 5 in the

The 2024 solar eclipse will take place on April 8th, and the McHenry community has the rare opportunity to experience the event with about 92% totality | Photo by: Jongsun Lee / Unsplash

A junior at MCHS walks into the prom venue They are astonished Decorations from floor to ceiling, clean linen tables, photo ops and so much more are before her eyes She can not wait to enjoy her first prom here Everyone says it is just a dance, but they are wrong

Spanning for the past few decades, Prom is a traditional dance that American high schools hold McHenry High School is no exception Prom will be held on April 26, at the Renaissance Convention Center in Schaumburg

“This is an upscale venue that always provides good food and lots of room,” said prom advisor Meghan Steck 2024 will be Steck´s 12th year as a prom advisor at McHenry

Everyone is excited for prom this year, not just committee members

“Prom is definitely worth attending because it is an experience unique to this point in our lives,” said senior Kristin Anderson “It is an opportunity to celebrate with friends and create lasting memories ”

Juniors are anxious to attend prom for the first time as well

Junior Lorelei Galvicous is excited to get all dressed up and go to her first prom

While some students were excited for the opportunity to attend prom, others were not going to get that chance

Until Thursday April 4, students that did not meet the 90% attendance policy requirements were not able to attend prom But that has changed

The school has decided to eliminate this from the factors of students missing prom While school fees and code of conduct violations are still in place, the attendance policy has been removed

“We want all McHenry upperclassmen to attend this special event if they want to,” said Steck

Students who have attendance lower than 90% attendance are excited they can now attend their school star-struck dance Tickets can be bought until noon on Saturday Reservation card pick-up is tomorrow at UC from 10-12

“It makes me really happy that I can go to prom now,” said Junior Kendall Pica “I'm so excited!”

As the date gets closer students are ready to dance the night away and see the surprises the committee has planned

The Prom Committee began preparations a while ago From debating themes to decorations, they have had their hands full And having a full plate can be hard to manage when you are short on hands

“It can be challenging to find student committee members to help plan prom We originally started with a large group, but the number was reduced due to spring sports conflicts,” said Steck “Luckily the committee members we still have are very dedicated ” While numbers may have dwindled as

to come

the seasons change, many students join to help make the experience meaningful to both themselves and their fellow students

But the road is not always smooth

The committee often runs into a few speed bumps on the way to planning prom But as each year goes on they continue to improve on their mistakes and learn how to make prom enjoyable for everyone

“Last year there were not a lot of updates on the Prom's Instagram We try to keep people involved and keep them excited for prom night,”

said senior committee member Alexis Wilde Students join the committee to make this important night special for their classmates

“I am on the prom Committee because it is important to get as many people as possible involved with such an important event for high schoolers,” said Wilde “We are planning to have the same picture and video cameras that were provided at last year's prom,” said Wilde “As well as our specialty drink called Starry Sips ”

student body

“Right now we’re at that interest level survey,” said Chris Madson, Athletic Director for MCHS “So then you have to look at Freshman, Sophomore, Juniors and Seniors If everybody that is interested is upperclassmen, how would you support a program for more than one year without a falloff?”

If the interest is high enough, MCHS could end up making a club for the following year This club can eventually evolve into a full fledged sport at MCHS, but that comes with

more planning

“We first have in person meetings to truly determine the commitment level,” said Madson “We first have to determine if we can support it from a coaching standpoint If we can do that then it comes down to resources, or gym space, or even coaching personnel, do we have people interested in that? It’s kind of like building from the ground up ”

That said, there is still interest from students around the school Many of which are excited for their opportunity to play organized volleyball