A WARRIOR STUDENT MEDIA Publication
McHenry Community High School | Volume 5, Issue 7 | December 11, 2023
Crazy for Christmas cookies
See side two for all the holiday cheer
FEATURE
Photo by: Mackenzie Sroka
At your service
Around the holidays, MCHS’s Vocal Warriors perform for the school and community
Lillian Adams Feature Editor
OPINION
A hush falls over the crowd as the queen enters the room. The stage lights shining off senior Adelynn Kuhlemeier’s dress, she blinds everyone with her beauty. She sings, the king and the rest of the cast join her. The audience watches in awe. The Madrigal Dinner has begun. Beginning over 15 years ago, MCHS Surround Sound has hosted the Madrigal Dinner. This dinner is set in the renaissance era, and it is held in the Freshman Campus auditorium. The dinner is a combination of music and dancing. The Vocal Warriors sing 20 songs during the dinner. The whole night is a renaissance blast from the past “I feel like this genre of music is really meaningful and special,” says the choir director, Derek Galvicius, “and it brings another level of holiday spirit to people.” This year's dinner was sold out, with about 300 people attending. Both ticket buyers and the Vocal Warriors themselves love to attend this fun event. “I always enjoyed singing in a group …” said the 2023 king, senior, Zeke Galvicius, “I enjoy multiple people being able to create a masterpiece.” Costumes are another fun motivator for the singers. “Just knowing that it's[her dress] has
The annual Madrigal Dinner, which took place on Dec. 2 in the Freshman Campus teaching theater, provides an opportunity for students, staff and the community to celebrate the holidays and close out the first semester. | Photo by: Derek Galvicius
been worn by all the queens from the past,” said Kuhlemeier, “I love being able to experience what it's like.” Madrigals is not the only event they do during the holidays. Over the months of November and December, the Vocal Warriors have 30 performances. These include the dinners, concerts, caroling, and other gigs.
While this can be a lot for the students, Derek Galvicius has said that they are not all mandatory. Some events the students must attend, but the others are optional in order to not over-stress the singers. “I do feel a lot more pressure because I was the queen this year,” stated Kuhlemeier. “I do feel like I need to show up to those events ... I want to be a good
role model.” The Vocal Warriors are packed during the holiday season. They practice and perform constantly becoming the best they can be. “Our community loves what we do,” said Derek Galvicius, “I feel like we do a great job at what we do and it makes it worth it.”
Opinion: American politicians are too old
As the election draws near, people are beginning to question why our two top running presidential candidates are senior citizens Olivia Smith Social Media Manager Many people feel that as the last two presidents were the oldest in American history, we need younger candidates. The president is supposed to be seen as relatable. By electing elderly people to lead the country this makes them less relatable to the younger generations. A Monmouth University poll found 76 percent of voters think Biden is too old to effectively serve another term. Former president Trump often remarks that Joe Biden is too old to lead in office, however Trump is only three years younger making them the first and second oldest presidents in American history. Many Americans feel there is significant risk when the person leading the United States government is a senior citizen. Most people consider age 65 to be a senior citizen. According to the National Institute of Health, cognitive decline can begin at midlife, but most often occurs at age 70 or higher. Cognitive decline is defined by the CDC as the experience of worsening or more frequent confusion or memory loss. Furthermore, the average
age of retirement is 64. Since this is true, it makes no sense for the president of the United States to be well over retirement age. Statistically, people are more likely to forget things once they get older. This is because of many reasons, but can be explained with simple neuropsychology. The hippocampus is the region of the brain which is primarily responsible for memory, and it begins to deteriorate with age. Furthermore, almost 40% of people will experience some sort of memory loss past the age of 65. The two most recent presidents are both more than a decade over age 70. Presidents need to have strong memories to lead a country, and by having candidates so old we run the risk of mistakes or errors, which could be very destructive. Article II, Section 1, Clause 5 of the Declaration of Independence outlines the criteria U.S. presidential candidates must meet. In this clause, it is stated that candidates must be at least thirty five years old to run. With the age minimum being defined so clearly, it can be argued that an age maximum should be in place as well. Many folks would argue against a maximum age limit by saying that the U.S.
If President Biden and former President Trump go head to head during the 2024 election, the winner will be the oldest American president ever, begging the question: Are politicians too old? | Illustration by: Annapatrica Cruz
President is merely a face to represent congress, and has little to do with the political, social, economic well being of the country. However, in addition to many other responsibilities, the president does hold the power to sign legislation into law, or veto bills proposed by congress. An argument could be made that an older president with symptoms of cognitive decline brought on by aging could be more easily manipulated by other members of congress. Potentially, this could lead to legislation through a congressman that the American people did not vote for.
The responsibilities of the United States president has a big impact on the American people, including determining and enforcing the legislation proposed by voters, as well as other congresspeople. Due to the demands of this role, a candidate should be strong mentally, and not easily manipulated. However, with age, cognitive abilities may decline, and older candidates may be more likely to fall into forgetfulness, or even may be vulnerable to manipulation. Perhaps, with younger voters who are politically engaged, younger candidates entering the race may become more commonplace.