Most students don't realize what they're missing out on when they’re offered the chance to go to a convention. Students should take advantage of opportunities like the National Student Press Association or Future Farmers of America. When going to these conventions, they provide experiences that go beyond the classroom. Students attend workshops and sessions that teach skills you don't always get in a school setting.  The best part about going to these conventions are when after going to many...

All year, I have been hearing people around me saying: “Enjoy senior year! It's your final year of high school!” But admittedly, I can only feel a sense of relief that these nine months are over. While previous years have carried their own fair share of problems, I can say without a doubt that this year has been the worst for me so far. First with my grandma dying in August, then with my beloved cat Shadow (who was my best friend in the whole wide world) dying right after my birthday in December,...

At some point in everyone’s lives they’ve probably considered themselves a perfectionist, someone who strives for the highest degree of excellence by setting extremely high standards for themselves or others.  Wanting to do the best that you can may help you in many ways but perfectionism goes hand-in-hand with a fear of failure, so when this mentality isn’t managed it creates an unhealthy relationship with your self-esteem by only focusing on the mistakes that were made. When setting...

At the beginning of high school, I couldn’t grasp that it would end so quickly. I thought it would feel like forever - and though in the moment it felt long, it now feels like it went by too fast. When I was little, I would always watch movies about high school and dream about it. Now I can fully say that it is NOTHING like the movies at all. You can only wish that your experience is like “Kickin It” or any other Disney movie from the early 2000’s and 2010’s. I do feel like I wasted so...

High school is a lot like a reality TV show if you really think about it.  You are put into close quarters with people that you don’t like. Put into situations that are complex and that you thought you would never be in. You are making connections with people unlike any that you will ever have again. You are doing all of that while going through big life changes, deciding what you want to do with your life and being a part of some of the most dramatic events of your life. To me, as a reality...

Senior year never feels like your last year; until the final days are here and it all hits you.  At the beginning of the year, you think you have all the time in the world to figure things out, do the things you’ve always wanted to do; that’s not what it feels like now that we’ve reached the end. Now, everything seems a little more real and I am wishing I slowed down and took everything in. Over the years, I’ve learned that living in the moment is one of the best things you can do....

When people used to say “high school goes by so fast, you blink and it’s over”, I used to bat my eyelashes hoping it would go by faster. But high school really does go by so fast. I thought high school was supposed to be like “High School Musical”.  It’s not.  I thought I would meet my Troy. I didn’t, but it’s okay. Throughout high school, I have made many friendships and lost many friendships. That’s the whole point of growing up though. Things change. People change. That...

Def Leppard.  North Dakota. Jessica Alba.  With just three things anyone in Albert Lea already knows who we’re talking about. 2026 impact teacher, Jim Haney. He has taught for over 30 years in just our building, but before that he did his student teaching at Grand Fork Central High School in 1985 and graduated from the University of North Dakota with a bachelor’s degree in Social Studies and master’s degree in History in 1986.  Haney has always taught social studies and has a...

“She is always so positive, and includes everyone,” said Senior Ivory Davenport. “She has also helped me with not only my faith, but staying motivated.”  The senior class has chosen Calleigh Noble as the Impact Student of 2026. The Ahlahasa sent out a survey to the senior class where they had the opportunity to vote for this year's impact student.   “I never really thought I was going to be able to receive an award like this,” said Noble. “Just being able to have an impact...

“Fake Skating” is written by Lynn Painter and is a young adult novel about childhood friends who are fake dating. It is a sports rom-com and is set in Minnesota specifically the town of Southview. It was easy to feel a connection to the book because it mentions lots of recognizable places around Minnesota such as it mentions they compete against Smiley and other towns you've probably heard of as well as they take a trip to the Rainforest Cafe at the Mall of America.  This dual point-of-view...

If there is one thing I’d say I love about reading I would choose the inclusion of many interesting characters. “The Last Unicorn” by Peter S. Beagle does this famously well. Not only are there multiple main characters, but each of their stories and goals are actually progressing the plot. If you are unfamiliar with “The Last Unicorn”, it was originally published as a book in 1968 and later came out as an animated movie in 1982 and it is about a unicorn in a fantasy world. The story starts off with Mia Farrow, who voices The Unicorn, overhearing some human hunters talking about how unicorns have supposedly disappeared. This starts off our adventure as The Unicorn refuses to believe they’ve all vanished.  As the action continues we meet Schmedrick the magician (Alan Arkin)...

Earth is dying and the clock is ticking. Alone in a spacecraft light years away from his home, Ryland Grace (Ryan Gosling) is on a one way mission to try and save earth. This story makes the idea of contact with alien life feel less far away and more likely.    Spoilers ahead.   The original book was written by Andy Weir and was published in 2021. The book was considered to be “hard science fiction”, which is a genre of science fiction that focuses specifically on scientific accuracy and logical plausibility. “Project Hail Mary” became popular for not only its hard science, but also its witty humor and emotional threads of friendship and risk taking.  While putting it to screen was challenging as the book relies heavily on Grace’s internal monologue and...

The anti-bullying movement has been popular for many years. Many preach anti-bullying and to be nice to everyone no matter what, but what happens when they don’t practice what they preach? Even though some preach for this movement, they may be different in reality.  Through social media posts, campaigning and outwardly being a nice person, people can put out a false narrative about themselves that doesn’t exactly match to their private actions. To the public eye, these people may seem like kind and loving people. While in private, they are the exact opposite.  They could even be publicly preaching anti-bullying and participating within the movement. It’s largely seen on social media. With different hashtags and posts of “be kind” that can be posted doesn’t always mirror...

Alone in a world with only some survivors. Being forced to search an ocean of blood not knowing if you’ll survive and come out or die in the bloody sea. “Iron Lung” showcases the fear and confusion of someone in this exact situation.    -Game and movie spoilers-    The original submarine simulation game came out in 2022 developed and published by David Szymanski. In the game, you play as an unnamed convict who was sent to explore a blood ocean that is on a desolate moon in a submarine named the “Iron Lung”, hence the name of the game.  This all takes place after something called the “Quiet Rapture” where all known stars and planets had disappeared, with only people on barren moons and space stations still living. They are searching for any natural resources...

“Wicked” has been around since 1995 and was written by Gregory Mcguire. It tells the tragic story of the Wicked Witch of the West, Elphaba. Recently, the story is back in the headlines due to the release of two movies: “Wicked” and “Wicked: For Good”. The “Wizard of Oz” spin-off first started out as a book by Maguire, and then was adapted into a  Broadway musical in 2003 by Winnie Holzman (script) and Stephen Schwartz (music and lyrics). The current adaptation is from Broadway to the big screen in two movies released in November of 2024 and 2025.  The politics of Oz are the storyline in both the musical and movies. Even though it’s packed into the plot,  some viewers focus on the songs and the romance. They are dazzled by the spectacle rather than the substance. Which...

“The Long Walk” by Stephen King has been haunting generations. A gory dystopian story that gives you an adrenaline rush as if you were in the Long Walk yourself. The most terrifying part of it is that it doesn’t feel too far off from reality. Though this covers both the movie and the book, our main focus in this article is the movie and its ending so spoiler warning.  The original novel, published in 1979, was an angry response to the Vietnam war, especially the draft. Though it was originally written in the late 60’s, when the draft was going on. It was published under King’s pseudonym Richard Bachman. He had this pseudonym so he could publish more than one book per year.  The plot follows a group of boys, who are mostly in their teens, getting selected to go on this walk...