In the fall, McNicholas Theatre performed Dracula for students, faculty, staff, and parents of the McNicholas community. Due to its successful run, On March 23, 2024, the cast and crew performed it for thespians at the Ohio State Thespian Conference in Sylvania, Ohio. The Conference took place from Friday March 22 to Sunday March … More McNicholas thespian troupe to state conference
The Dayton Contemporary Dance Company (DCDC) has been using dance and song as an enriched learning “rooted in the African American experience since 1968”1. There are multiple dance companies within DCDC: DCDC professional, Jeraldyne Blunden Fellows, and DCDC2. DCDC’s professional company has traveled the world performing to packed audiences. DCDC2 made a particular stop in Cincinnati, … More The DCDC performs at McNicholas in memory of Maya Angelou
The Spanish AAPPL test is required for all McNicholas students in Spanish classes to give data for the teachers to show that students are at the right level and progressing through the levels of the courses well. The four parts of the AAPPL test are interpretive listening, interpretive reading, interpersonal listening and speaking, and presentational … More Students show progression of their Spanish language learning on the AAPPL test
On March 7, McNicholas High School Theatre will present Mean Girls: High School Version. The musical, based off the 2004 movie Mean Girls written by Tina Fey, will run through March 9. The musical takes place in a modern-day high school, with modern slang but still the same plot as the film. The musical … More Thats so fetch! McNicholas Theatre takes on Mean Girls
In early January, seniors from the class of 2024 were chosen for the Mardi Gras Court. During CREW, seniors elected the peers from their grade level who they think deserve to be on the court based on characteristics that represent the essence of being a McNicholas student on a nomination form. Characteristic categories included sports, … More The Era of Mardi Gras (McNick’s Version)
These late winter days when the winter coldness is fading and spring seems close, many think of fun and creative ways to spend their day without being out in the sun. Spending a day with a significant other, during a self-care night, or during a girl’s night, watching the best, heartwarming romantic comedies is an … More Top four RomComs that will warm your heart
Social media is incredibly popular with teens. Most teens tend to use social media frequently, distracting them from everyday activities. Schools have grown in their concern of social media’s influence on student work quality. At McNicholas, there is not a set policy about the use of social media at school. However, many teachers collect cell … More Social media’s impact on students
With winter coming to a close, it’s the time of year for the Grammys. The event needs no introduction, famous for causing controversy by pitting artists against each other for categories regarding their songs and albums. This year specifically has had wave after wave of people upset with the results of the 66th Annual Grammys. … More 2024’s controversial Grammys
This year McNick has made a goal to prioritize recycling. One way of doing that was adding cans next to the trash in the cafe with signs to let students know what they should and shouldn’t be recycling. The ecology club was working on a way to increase the amount of recycling, and this was … More McNicholas’ New Year Recycling Goal
After a long day, it can be hard to resist sitting on the couch watching your favorite TV show for the rest of the evening. No matter a person’s age, everyone has a favorite TV show. According to USA Today, Netflix is the most used streaming service in 2023. With the variety of shows and … More What Is Your Favorite TV show?
Books have always been a big part of everyone’s lives and societies. From fantasy to nonfiction, books provide portals for us to glimpse into different situations and scenarios. For centuries, books have been particularly important to schools and their curriculum. Whether it would be a math textbook, an excerpt read aloud in English class, or … More “Reading” into how books help high schoolers develop
With the Holiday season in full swing, Christmas movies are being shown everywhere on TVs. There are many movies, so it can be difficult to decide what to watch, and which one is best. Freshman Maycee King states, “The Santa Claus [movies] because it is very funny and it’s not boring,” when asked what her … More Best Christmas movies to bring the spirit of the season
Ms. Amanda Beatty is a Theology teacher at McNicholas High School. She has been teaching at McNichols for three years, one year student teaching and two years full time teaching. She previously taught religion at an elementary school before coming to McNicholas. Currently, Beatty teaches Church History and Morality for sophomores. Last year she taught … More Teacher Feature: Ms. Beatty
As technology has improved so have artificial intelligence programs. Artificial Intelligence is computer intelligence that is hooked with programs such as ChatGPT and Face I.D. A.I. has grown fast in the past few years and is now imbedded in Snapchat and Quizlet as well. ChatGPT has become one of the more popular A.I. programs that … More A.I. has a growing impact on students
McNicholas High School had the highest class size in recent years, in part, thanks to the preparation of local grade schools. When students begin at McNicholas, a quick touch point is what grade school that a student went to prior, as many different schools are represented in each grade level. Some students walked in on … More Grade Schools impacting High School experience
Private schools, like McNicholas, can be identified easiest by their students’ uniforms. Most private schools require students to wear uniform and follow a strict “out of uniform” policy. McNick’s dress code gives a lot of leeway to students by allowing them to wear school hoodies in the building. Things such as not having your shirt … More Should the uniform code be less strict?
Women’s Volleyball was the only fall sport this year who was able to keep the streak alive of making it to the state tournament, where they ended their season as state runner up losing in three sets to Division III state champion Lake Catholic: 25-17, 25-22, and 25-13. The 2023 Women’s Volleyball Team is the first women’s volleyball … More Women’s Volleyball Team first in McNick history to compete in State Tournament
As Thanksgiving is approaching, the adults in the building are gearing up to prepare family favorites and traditional dishes that they enjoy during this fall season. On the Thanksgiving table, the classics of turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, green beans, and rolls make up the main course. A good meal starts with an appetizer for … More Fall Recipes Inspired by Teacher’s Family Favorites
Mrs. Jessica Mueller is one of the passionate teachers at McNicholas High School. Mueller joined the science department at the start of this year. She teaches four biology classes and one chemistry class. Mueller received her biology and education degree from the University of Dayton. Before coming to McNick Mueller taught biology and chemistry classes … More Teacher Feature: Mrs. Jessica Mueller
With the second quarter underway, many teachers are feeling overwhelmed and as though they’re falling behind. Students are seemingly stressed over getting all assignments turned in on time, especially with the crazy schedules we’ll have in the coming weeks. The overall mood of the school could be categorized as nearing burnout. Of the private schools … More Benefits of including a fall break in the school calendar
When it comes to buying candy for trick or treating each year, the question may come of what is the best Halloween candy that trick or treaters will love. According to New York Magazine, the best candy in the world is Cadbury Cherry Ripe. This is different than the best candy nationally, which is Reese’s and … More Best Halloween candy for the students of McNick
Dracula was performed by the McNicholas Theatre Department starting on Thursday Oct. 26, 2023. The production is directed by Ms. Leslie Baum, and the cast includes seniors Calla Garretson, Talyor Ference, Joe Hilbert, Sean McManus, and Lauren Switzer. The show ran from Thursday to the final showing on Saturday Oct. 28 in the theater at … More McNicholas students “bite in” to a spectacular performance of “Dracula”
A current trend on social media is the conversation of what core subject in school relates to which color. The trend looks at math, science, history, religion, English, and language classes. Whether it’s because of the color of your notebooks, what emotions you feel during these subjects or simply because “it is,” this trend has … More What color is each subject? Student’s share their take on the current social media trend.
Electives, classes that are picked by each student to customize their schedule, are well-known and beloved amongst McNicholas students. These classes provide breaks from the monotony of the regular mandatory classes and allow students who have niche interests to develop those skills. McNick offers a variety of electives in the different academic departments. They ensure … More Which elective is the most popular at McNicholas?
Spotify and Apple Music are two of the leading music apps that people use for mobile streaming. Spotify has 551 million users including 220 million subscribers. While Apple Music has 101 million users and 88 million subscribers. This debate of which is preferable is a current topic of discussion at McNicholas High School among … More Spotify versus Apple Music
At McNicholas High School, a new course has begun in the 2022-23 school year. Culinary Chemistry, taught by Mrs. Jessica Boese, a science teacher at McNicholas, has since taken the school by storm. The course is about the chemistry aspects of cooking as a method to teach students the concepts of chemistry and skills to … More Future of Culinary Chemistry Course
Starbucks Coffee and Dunkin Donuts are two of the largest competitors in quick service breakfast in the United States. Because of their similarities, which is the best is a controversial topic and the McNicholas Rockets are opinionated on each side of the coffee debate. When walking through the halls on any given school day, … More Starbucks vs. Dunkin: What does McNicholas High School prefer?
McNicholas High School had very limited air conditioning throughout the entire building until this year. This has been an issue, especially in the early months of the school year, when classrooms could become sweltering during hot August days. Thankfully, over the summer, new AC units were finished for most of the school. In fall of … More New AC units throughout the school provide a different learning experience than in years past
A question that is starting to appear more often in society is, “Why do students learn math in high school?” After all, most math that is used in everyday life is taught in middle school, such as percentages, decimals, and multi-digit multiplication. The point presents itself: why learn something that is seemingly useless to the … More Why do we learn high school math?
The women’s volleyball program at McNicholas has grown in the 2023-24 season, contributed in large to the freshmen class having more students than in recent years. Tryout numbers were much higher leading to larger teams. The program, overall, has improved with the Varsity team currently winning the GCL. The program has been broken into a Freshmen, … More Women’s Volleyball Program getting bigger and better
The women’s tennis program at McNicholas High School has grown in the past few years with enough players for both a Varsity team and two Junior Varsity (JV) teams in the 2023-24 season. The team this year is composed of mostly beginners and some veterans. The coach wants every girl to have the opportunity to … More The growth of the Women’s tennis program in the 2023-24 season
Even though the end of the school year is still around the corner, students at McNicholas are already thinking about what it is going to be like in the next grade. The Milestone staff elicited the biggest advice to give to the next grade. For incoming freshmen: Freshmen Malia Shaver, Chylynn Wadkins, and Casey Fritsch … More Advice for McNicholas students from their peers in the grades above
Mrs. Indigo Hudepohl, an art teacher at McNicholas High School, is finishing her first year of teaching at McNicholas. She has earned the admiration of her students through the planned creative projects in the course. She offers five different classes with subjects such as embroidery, painting, charcoal, perspective drawings, and watercolor that all grade levels … More Teacher Feature: Mrs. Indigo Hudepohl
Summer is finally approaching, marking the end of the school year on May 31, 2023 at McNicholas High School. Students are showing their devotion to McNick by continuing their work on campus even throughout the summer. Many students will be participating in camps, cleaning, summer studies, and other events over their break. There is a … More Students on Campus Over Summer
Seniors finished their last exams on May 18, 2023. It’s now time for the class of 2023 to move on-to their next adventure. College may be the next step for most, but before that many have plans for summer. Seniors are spending time over the summer in activities that will give them experience for … More Seniors looking forward from graduation and transitioning into college
With less than ten days left of the school year, it is common for some teahcers to cram in last-minute assignments, leaving students racing to get everything completed. This pile-up of schoolwork and the anticipation of summer has led many students to feel burnt out. “Burnout is just when you’re so exhausted you cannot put … More Students learn to identify their triggers to battle end-of-the-school-year burnout
Exams at McNicholas begin for students on May 25, 2023, and students are preparing to show their learning from the year. Studying for exams can be difficult and tedious if there is not a system to work diligently in place. Students struggle to study due to the distraction of phones, work schedules, and athletic events. … More Helpful ways to study for exams
Note: Photos included in this publication are credited to Evan Kuznar. Brian Gatio, the head coach of the McNicholas Varsity Baseball Team, has led the team to a 14-10 record in the 2023 season. After the 2020 season, Gatio came to McNicholas to coach the team and has been here since then. This year, … More 2023 McNicholas Baseball Season
The freshman and sophomore theatre students are reaching the end of the year which is the time to perform their final acts on stage. For this process, the freshman have been assigned a movie or musical theme and the sophomores have a Disney theme. The showcase will be at 7:00 p.m. on May 17, … More Freshman and Sophomore Theatre Showcase to take place on May 17, 2023
Each year, incoming and returning Rockets are required to read a book before school starts in the fall. The summer reading book assignments and format of the program change every year based on the department paired with English to design the interdisciplinary experience. This year, incoming freshmen and sophomores will read Home of the Brave … More Summer Reading for the 2023-24 school year is announced
The lacrosse season has started at McNicholas High School with a scrimmage and game on March 11th. The girls’ lacrosse team kicked off their season against Madeira starting their season off with a record of 0-1. The girls’ lacrosse team has been practicing and training for their season. Pete Collopy, the athletic trainer said, “We … More Girls Lacrosse Kicks off the Season
Mrs. Andrea Wheeler is one of the astounding teachers at McNicholas High School. Wheeler is an English teacher and has been working at McNicholas High School since December 2021. In her free time, she enjoys watching Netflix, especially The Office, playing video games, and hanging out with her family, especially her grandson. “My favorite video … More Teacher Feature: Mrs. Andrea Wheeler
The Damascus Abundant Retreat has been in place at McNicholas High School for three years led by Mr. Todd Naumann, Student Culture Coordinator. The purpose of this retreat is for students to grow closer to God and not lose that relationship outside of Damascus. The program has grown in the last three years to meet … More Damascus Abundant Life Retreat
Biosphere 3 is an event created by environmental science teacher Eric Hickman in celebration of Earth Day with the help of his students in contributing to this big event. The event is hosted on April 24th, both throughout the school day and open to the public in the evening from 6-8 p.m. All are welcome … More Environmental Science Student Showcase
Spring Break has excited students all over the country for years. At McNicholas, the break is finally approaching. Students recently shared their thoughts, plans, and opinions about Spring Break at McNick this year. The majority of students thought that Spring Break was perfectly timed this year despite it falling later than surrounding high schools. Students like … More Students at McNicholas discuss their thoughts and plans for Spring Break 2023
March Madness is an annual college basketball tournament that began in 1939 where teams fight for the title of “National Champions.” Since then, people have invented bracket pools where they can predict the outcome of March Madness and enter their brackets to compete against others. An example of a blank March Madness pool. Many people … More March Madness bracket excitement at McNicholas
Since early September, many seniors have been working on their Senior Capstone Projects. Facilitated by a chosen teacher as their mentor, the students work in groups or as individuals to advocate for poorly represented issues in society. There are 10 groups and one individual, Jacob Patterson. The seniors collaborate with their partners and reflect on … More Senior Capstone members have dedicated their year to spreading awareness for underlying issues
Mr. Sam Roflow is one of the amazing teachers at McNicholas High School. Roflow teaches in the Theology department, mainly the morality course. He is also an alumnus of McNicholas and has coached the baseball team at McNicholas. He has been with the school for 25 years. As a high school student, Roflow’s journey was … More Teacher Feature: Mr. Roflow
Note: Losekamp uses alliteration each morning to describe the upcoming day, as a way to inspire the students. Mr. Bill Losekamp is one of the tantastic teachers here at McNicholas High School. He is a Purcell Marian graduate but says “All three of my kids have come through here so I almost consider myself a … More Teacher Feature: Mr. Bill Losekamp
The Mardi Gras dance is an experience unique to McNicholas High School. This tradition is one of the students’ favorites to celebrate. The event combines a ceremony to celebrate the students who embody the McNicholas value and then a dance. Along with the festivites, the Mardi Gras Banner Competition showcases the themes of Mardi Gras. … More McNicholas students celebrate and prepare for 70th annual Mardi Gras Ball
Take this quiz about what your dream house would be like, and we’ll guess your age. Keep track of the letters you get for the result. Location: Your house could be in the quiet countryside, the big city, or the suburbs. The country house has tons of land, a lake nearby, and tons of … More Design a house and we’ll guess your age.
The McNicholas Milestone 