By Joonho Rider-Lee Miguel de Cervantes’ Don Quixote is perhaps one of the most influential pieces of Western literature ever written. Following the Bible, Don Quixote is the most translated book in the world and is read in most Spanish-speaking countries. Much like Shakespeare, Cervantes addresses themes of unity, the human condition, and heroic idealism in Don Quixote. Cervantes strays from the beaten path by … Continue reading To Read or to Not Read: Shakespeare

Hannah Koch (284) Advanced Placement (AP) classes are an essential part of Central High School’s rigorous curriculum. However, when people think of an AP class, they usually imagine the grueling experience of AP Chemistry or the abundance of cramming required for AP United States History. What if AP classes didn’t have to be such a struggle? I took AP Human Geography in my sophomore year, … Continue reading The Importance of Non-Core AP Classes

By Juan-Lin Chow Education is often considered the secure and traditional gateway to success, and in our current school system, the major determinant is a single letter grade. All the effort and thought we put into a class–– participation, study sessions, and after-school hours– is supposedly reflected in that singular evaluation. Over the past decades, general trends correlate to an increase of A’s that are … Continue reading Grade Inflation

Corinne Gustafson (285) and Emma Hwang (285) How effective are midterms for long-term knowledge retention for Central students? Is the toll on student mental health significant and worth it? These highly debated questions weigh on the minds of students and teachers this time of year.  Every year, as the academic midway point at Central approaches, the week-long bout of testing rears its daunting head again. … Continue reading The Effectiveness of Midterms

Josiah Sofidiya (285) From 283 to 286, almost all Central High School students are familiar with the term “AP class.” If you aren’t, an Advanced Placement (AP) class is a college-level course that students can take in high school. According to the Central High School page on US News, sixty-one percent of students currently enrolled and are eligible have taken an AP exam, while forty-seven … Continue reading How Useful is the AP Program?

Natalie Le (284) Are summer assignments more tedious and time consuming than beneficial, or are they essential to acing our courses? The question on the importance of the summer assignments is answered with clashing opinions from both teachers and students. Helpfulness, time consumption, and relevance are all factors that contribute to the strengths and weaknesses of summer assignments. Although these assignments are mandatory, there is … Continue reading Are the Summer Assessments Actually Helpful? 

Zoey Dennis (284) Even though I am wholeheartedly a STEM person, I believe everyone should take an art elective at some point in their high school career. Personally, I have never taken an art elective, but I wish I had. Central offers many interesting art electives such as Photography, Sculpture, Costume Design, and even Theatrical Production Design. Art electives bring in an element of creativity … Continue reading The Case for Taking Art Electives