Close your eyes and picture an apple. What do you see? Can you visualize it clearly and in color? Is it just a blurry outline? Or maybe, like me, you can’t see anything at all. For most of my life, I assumed that everyone experienced the world the way I did; that “imagining” was just closing your eyes and thinking in words. It wasn’t until last year that I learned how visual imagery differs from person to person. I was talking with my friend about how counting sheep to fall a

Since the introduction of Diet Coke in 1982, low calorie sodas have taken America by storm. After all, who wouldn't want a soda that keeps you skinny, and tastes just as good as the original. It turns out that the promise of guilt free sipping just isn't a reality, yet the American public still clings to that belief, and it's going to be a problem. The scariest part though, is that it's openly promoted right in our public schools. The most common sweetener used in diet sodas

COMMENT. President Trump’s AI generated post of himself as the pope. The Trump administration has been using AI in border control, facial recognition, and as a political tool. Photo courtesy of the Honolulu Star. Recently, Artificial Intelligence generated images have been posted on President Trump’s X (previously Twitter) account. These images are usually the President pictured as important or relevant figures such as The Pope, a jedi, and there’s even a picture of him rece

GOLF. Trump and Biden are seen tenderly hugging on a golf course with genuine smiles. In an ultimate match of golf, who would be victorious? This image has been created using Artificial Intelligence. During the 2024 presidential election, the physical and mental health of both Trump and Biden were hot topics of debate. For one, Trump is 79 and Biden is a whopping 82 years old. Then, when Trump challenged Biden to a golf match during their presidential debate, the idea stuck,

PASSION. In this photo, you see people who chose rowing as a club sport. There are lots of other club sports that people love to do, along with dance and many more. Photo courtesy of Grummer Photo. There are lots of sports students play at Vashon Island High School, some of which are  connected to the school like cross country, basketball (boys and girls), softball, football, cheer, tennis and volleyball. But students also participate in club sports, such as dance and rowing

FEAST. Students share their full lunch table of pork carnitas before they dig in. At VHS, we have a variety of delicious meals made by our amazing lunch staff. Photo courtesy of Stella Nackos.  After four long class periods, all I can think about is the unsettling growl in my stomach. However, there is still hope. As the minutes slowly count down, a little angel comes and taps my shoulder, saving me from despair. That angel’s name is “School Lunch.” No matter how difficult t

RECEIVE: This is a photo of Ms. Gannon and Mr. Erickson receiving a plaque from Ms. McCarty and Ms. Van. Ms. McCarty and Ms. Van made this generous donation in their sister, Peggy Kallsen’s memory. Photo courtesy of Vanessa Gannon. The library at Vashon Island High School is a place where clubs and students go to study, talk, and do assignments in a quiet space. The library is also home to many books, whether that's fiction, non-fiction, romance or mysteries, there is always

TRANSPORT. The M.V. Cathlamet landing on beautiful Vashon Island. Living on Vashon Island requires taking a ferry boat, which can be challenging at certain times. Photo courtesy of Noah Read. Living on Vashon Island is nice and sweet way of living our lives, but taking the ferry to go off the island can be a struggle at times. Taking the ferry means having to get ready really early if you have to go to the ferry in the mornings. When you have to go to the ferry in the aftern

Christmas movies are often a key part in getting into the holiday spirit. Every year, millions of people watch and enjoy both old and new Christmas movies. For this article, we got students' opinions and recommendations on Christmas movies and which ones to watch, whether that’s all year long, or during the holidays.  To start off, we asked students their personal favorite Christmas movies.  One student brought up cult classics. “Christmas Story is a classic. All of the Ho

EMBROIDER. Senior Delilah Spence holding up her work in progress embroidery. There are lots of homemade gift ideas for the holidays. Photo courtesy of Ava Coombs. Finding a gift for everyone can be a difficult task. Not only is it hard to find the perfect gift for someone, but it is also difficult to find affordable options. It can be almost painful to buy lots of gifts for lots of friends and family, so making a gift can be a much cheaper and personal alternative. I spoke

This article was co-written by Avery Corbett. Gaza, a narrow strip of land that lies between Israel and Egypt, is home to over two million Palestinians. This densely populated area has been the center of geopolitical tensions for years, and recent events have further pushed Gaza into more conflict. The ongoing fight between Gaza and Israel has led to a cycle of violence and caused immense suffering for the civilian population. Understanding the Gaza conflict requires recogn