Curse words have become common in everyday society — in movies and tv, walking down the street, heck, even in McNick. Should curse words really be so common? When we were children our parents and teachers taught us that cursing is inappropriate and shouldn’t be used, even when we’re in pain. We were taught that … More Should curse words be contained: Rockets weigh in on curse word etiquette
In the nearly 243-year history of the United States of America, its first 44 presidents have issued a grand total of 2,574 vetoes. On March 15 of his third year occupying the White House, Donald Trump issued veto #1. The vetoed legislation would have reversed Trump’s national emergency declaration that will allocate funds to continue … More Rocket Roundtable: America reacts to Trump’s first veto
To say that McNicholas is a maze would be an understatement. The building as it stands now was assembled in so many different decades that one may find it easier to explain it with the butterfly effect than with the actual timeline of construction. The halls, much like the nervous system of the human body, … More Hallways don’t have to be horrific: Be mindful of others!
A common thread among the students at McNicholas is their love for music. In monthly installments of “Music Monday,” Milestone staff reporter and co-editor Madison McClellan will be providing recommendations for new songs to add to your playlist throughout the school year. This month the musical selection has been focused on calming tunes to help … More Music of the Month: Exploring the spring playlist
Though McNick is a way to relate Rockets to one another, many are rooted in different ethnicities throughout the world. McNick students are filled with different backgrounds and the McNicholas Milestone has chosen to feature some of our students whose cultural backgrounds are a strong part of their family life. Anthony Ramundo Anthony Ramundo, junior, … More “Back to Our Roots” Part II: Students discuss cultural backgrounds
Spring break is only days away, and while some may be heading to a vacation destination, others may be stuck at home. Whether you simply don’t have a car or have become trapped in your own house by a supervillain, the Milestone can help keep boredom away with a compiled a list of activities to … More Ten ways to spend spring break without ever leaving the house
The Counseling and College Readiness Department at McNicholas requires juniors to shadow a person during one shift of their job. Assigned in January, juniors were tasked to find a person to shadow, arrange a date, observe their job, and ask a few questions. Along with other programs and aid provided by the counseling department, the … More Juniors explore the world of workers
Writing is a skill that is highly stressed in an English classroom, but can often seem daunting. Whether you are writing an analytical essay on the last book your class read, applying to colleges, or composing a story, here are a few tips and tricks to easily improve the quality of your writing. 1. Cut … More Four fast ways to instantly improve your writing
This is the first installment of a new series featuring unsung heroes. Please take the opportunity to use this survey to nominate someone in the McNicholas community who you consider an ‘unsung hero’. This can be any student, teacher, staff member, alumni or even a family member who is worthy of being recognized for deeds … More Unsung Heroine: Mary Beth Sandmann for person of the world
In the age of the internet, the media has become ingrained in our lives. In fact, the average US adult spends more than 11 hours a day consuming some sort of media, not including books, according to a recent study by Nielsen. In this golden age of media, books seem to have fallen as a “go … More Eight reasons why you should read
Though McNick is a way to relate Rockets to one another, many are rooted in different cultures from around the world. In a two-part series, the Milestone will share students’ stories filled with how their families continue to follow the culture of their backgrounds. Aidan Guessford, Class of 2020 Junior Aidan Guessford’s grandmother on his … More “Back to Our Roots” Part I: Students share family cultural backgrounds
For six months, juniors Tessa Krskova and Lucie Horakova will exchange the comforts of home and school in the Czech Republic to live in the United States to study and immerse themselves in American culture. “It’s a really good experience for your future life and it creates a lot of good memories,” Horakova said. “It … More Czech students join McNicholas for second semester
Disclaimer: The following review may contain some spoilers revolving around the plot and background. The review is simply my own opinion, you may disagree. This year, I will be reviewing books based on their genres. This month’s genre is Romance. In these reviews, I will rate the books on a starring system using an appropriate … More Book Review: The Rosie Project will steal your heart this February
By: Madison McClellan, Vinny Ramundo, and Ellie White Colleges are communities filled with people of many backgrounds, diversities, and religions. Catholic Newman Centers are present and active on many campuses nationwide. These are parishes that function primarily as a place for Catholic students to continue their faith journey together in welcoming, vibrant communities centered in … More Newman Centers offer unique opportunity for college students
Boredom, simply put, is a feeling as innate as sadness or joy. It has an identifiable stimulus and causes an instinctual reaction, just like any other emotion. However, boredom is also an anti-emotion of sorts, in that its stimulus is the lack of stimuli, and its reaction is to create distraction, rather than to respond … More Boredom in the age of digital distraction
Introverts are often pegged as being shy or even anti-social due to their quiet, sometimes reserved nature. Because of this, they can feel misunderstood, as they have grown up in an extroverted world. If you have introverted friends, they could be times when they can be difficult to understand, as they are not quick to … More Understanding introverts: A guide for extroverts
With the long anticipated parting between former head coach Marvin Lewis and the Bengals, the deals the Reds have made, and FC Cincinnati joining MLS ranks, there are no shortages of new faces that could soon become household names in Queen City sports. A survey was sent out to the student body regarding these recent … More New era begins for Cincinnati sports
By Dominic Daley, Katie Limberg, Madison McClellan, Vinny Ramundo, and Ellie White On Feb. 6, senior athletes Nate Chambers, Bryce Kellerman, Michael Schaeper, Maggie Schoolfield, and Chris Walter signed National Letters of Intent to play their respective sports at the college level starting with the 2019-2020 school year. Three of the five will be attending … More Students commit to collegiate athletic programs
Our parents didn’t grow up with smartphones, tablets, and stream boxes like many current high school students have. Some of them had computer lab classes and a bit of coding practice, but nowhere near the level of experience gathered by students who use a tablet every day in every class, unless of course they have … More How to survive as the family technology expert
On January 14, junior Erin Callahan won the 2019 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Art, Essay, and the Multimedia Contest sponsored by the Ohio Civil Rights Commission. The competition was a state-wide contest for 6-12 grade students that recognized a piece of work from a student in each grade level. “So [the contest] was all … More Junior wins Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Art, Essay, and Multimedia contest
From black-and-white silent pictures accompanied by an orchestra, to modern-day film, where it is next to impossible to distinguish CGI from actual footage, movies have endured through history. Perhaps one of the great eras of cinematography was the 1980s, giving viewers some of the timeless household titles that are beloved by many. Based on a … More Students choose the 5 must-see movies from the 1980s
On Monday, Jan. 28, seven McNicholas seniors took part in the annual Catholic School’s Week videoconference. Students from more than a dozen Archdiocese of Cincinnati high schools joined together via videoconference with prepared questions for Archbishop Dennis Schnurr. Susan Gibbons flanked Schnurr in the livestream at Elder High School. The Archbishop began the conference with … More Schools convene for videoconference with Archbishop
On Feb. 1, McNick will take part in its annual Day of Giving as students participate in the annual Penny Day and Blood Drive. The goal for the day is to collect $5,000 through students bringing pennies and other change to classes for their teachers to count before beginning class. During the past 20 years, … More McNick celebrates Day of Giving with penny, blood drives
As the sun set on 2018 and rose on 2019, America unfortunately did not solve all its issues overnight. In this edition of ‘Rocket Roundtable’, members of the McNicholas community discuss their opinions on what they consider the most pressing issues facing America in this new year. With President Trump entering the back half of … More Rocket Roundtable: America faces pressing issues in 2019
A common thread among the students at McNicholas is their love for music. In monthly installments of “Music Monday,” Milestone staff reporter and co-editor Madison McClellan will be providing recommendations for new songs to add to your playlist throughout the school year. This month the musical selection has been focused on calming tunes to help … More Music of the Month: Jamming out through January
The 2019 March for Life’s theme was Unique from Day One: Pro-Life is Pro-Science. This centered conversation at the 46th installment of the largest annual human rights demonstration on the undeniable scientific evidence that the pro-life case stands on. In this age where medical technology is making exponential advances right before our eyes, it is … More Pro-Life is pro-science: Students refuse to conform to culture of indifference
Personality Quizzes are a pop culture favorite that involve answering questions to reveal hidden facts. Everyone needs to know what city fits them best, right? The McNicholas Milestone has joined the trend by compiling a quiz to determine how your favorite foods determine your favorite subject. Take the quiz here.
Upon returning to McNick for second semester classes, students discovered that Spotify, a popular music and podcast streaming platform, had become inaccessible with school internet. Director of Technology, Andy Ey, has been fielding questions from both students and faculty/staff regarding the change. According to Ey, there was no actual change in existing policy. Instead it … More School software system update: Spotify blocked
The holidays are a time of joy and cheer, and to meet with family near and far; but what would it be like to spend the holidays with your other half? Rocket siblings share their experiences of growing up together, and spending the holidays as twins, triplets, and quadruplets. Freshmen There are two sets … More Spending Christmas in a full house: What it’s like to spend the holidays with siblings
The Counseling and College Readiness Department partnered with Canines for Christ of Greater Cincinnati to bring in two therapy dogs to help students de-stress during exam week. Diana Dawson and Jennifer Mayhall, representatives of the organization, were in the library during both lunches on Dec 18 with therapy dogs Dobby and Mozzie. Canines for Christ … More Therapy dogs help relieve student anxiety
During second quarter, students, faculty/staff, and parents were notified of a change to the McNicholas High School food policy. Due to the food allergies, the policy now states that students will no longer be allowed to eat whatever food they like in class. Concerned parents and faculty members asked for changes to be made in … More New food policy in place at McNick
High school students’ lives can be congested with extra-curricular activities, jobs, and school. Often students just don’t have enough time to do all the homework and get the recommended 8 hours of sleep. According to The Milestone’s Balancing School and Life Survey from Dec. 5, students responded that clubs and sports take an average of … More Students struggle to balance school, life
McNick has made the move to forgo using Walk Day as a way to bring in funds and is transitioning this year to the newly rolled out Rock-It Raffle. The raffle will involve students selling books of 10 tickets at $5 a ticket to raise money for the school. There will be a grand prize … More McNick’s new fundraiser: Rockets introduce Rock-It Raffle as Walk Day replacement
Seniors have a decision to make by May 1 about where they will be attending college. For many, a major factor in that decision is to consider the differences between large universities and smaller liberal arts colleges. Small schools can sometimes be overlooked because the student population is small, there are fewer majors, and the … More Small vs. Large Colleges: Finding the right school for the next four years
With exams quickly approaching and stress overwhelming everyone, many students are longing for the 12 days of Christmas Break and to be able to relax and enjoy the time away from schoolwork. To avoid wasting your time off, the Milestone has compiled a list of 12 ways to spend your 12 days of Christmas Break. … More 12 ways to spend the 12 days of Christmas Break
With the change of the seasons and the chill of the air, it is a switch from outdoor fun to indoor play, starting the 2018-2019 winter sports season. McNick is home to seven winter teams, including Men’s Basketball, Women’s Basketball, Basketball Cheerleading, Bowling, Dance Team, Swim Team, and Wrestling. Men’s Basketball The Men’s Basketball Team … More Winter Sports teams launch into season
As a school dedicated to service, McNick continues to give to those in need during Christmas through Student Council’s Gifts for Hope campaign. This is the 5th year for the Gifts for Hope collection drive for gifts for underserved teens in the Cincinnati area. “Gifts for Hope is a service project where shoe boxes filled with supplies for teens are given to Hope Emergency where they are distributed to … More Shoeboxes of Love; Student Council sponsors Gifts for Hope 2018
The annual Talent Showcase is scheduled for Friday, Nov. 30 in the Jeanne Spurlock Theatre. Beginning at 7 p.m., eleven acts ranging from singing to dancing to stand-up comedy will take the stage. According to Thespian president and Talent Showcase coordinator senior Ellie White, singing is the popular act for this year’s show. Masters of … More Annual Talent Showcase features 11 acts
On Monday, Nov. 19, approximately 50 McNick seniors arrived back on campus around 5 p.m. No, this was not to watch a basketball or volleyball game or attend a theatre performance; these seniors returned to participate in Shantytown. This city-wide program, coordinated by the Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition, is designed to bring attention to the … More Shantytown 2018: The invisible outcast
by Ellie White and Michael Schaeper Thanksgiving Day, a time to celebrate what your thankful for and then a time to get into a battle of wits with your Uncle Jerry. Worried about your family’s peaceful dinner turning into a shouting match between two relatives or worse, you and a relative? Well, the Milestone is … More The dos and don’ts: How to survive Thanksgiving Day
On November 9, U.S. Representative Colonel Brad Wenstrup spoke to the McNicholas student body and staff as part of the annual Veterans Day program. After sophomore Andy Farmer’s rendition of the national anthem, Wenstrup began the assembly by talking about how he wanted to change up his normal Veterans Day talk by speaking on what … More Wenstrup speaks about ‘other side of war’ for Veterans Day
There was a major uptick in midterm voting this cycle, and newly registered Rockets did not miss out on the action. According to Cincinnati.com, statewide turnout was the highest it had been since 1994. For newly registered McNick seniors, it was their first opportunity to cast their ballots. Some were among the first at the … More First time voters share experiences
Junior Sydney Mallaley competed in the state golf tournament on Oct. 12 and 13 at The Ohio State University’s Gray Golf Course. Mallaley was the only qualifier from the women’s golf team to make it to the state golf tournament. Willy Corbett, women’s head golf coach, described Mallaley as being “very competitive and dedicated.” During … More Mallaley Chases Golf State Championship
As Rockets arrived this school year, they found new elements at school: key card scanners and security cameras. The scanners and cameras were installed over the summer as part of McNick’s new safety plan. Funding became available through the state, so McNicholas applied. “The state of Ohio put out a grant and we were one … More McNicholas integrates new security system
Every year, high school students across the nation are given the task of reading classic literature in their English classes. It is a commonality for students to pick up a book like The Scarlet Letter or The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, read them, and then trudge through writing a paper to attain an acceptable letter … More Studying classic lit important part of teen development
For many, the fall season not only means the return of school, but the promise of months on end basking in the great American traditions of College Football Saturdays and NFL Sundays. A poll of 100 random students and staff members, who gave their names and positions on the issue, revealed that 58% of all … More Rockets prefer college football over the NFL
Evening of Thursday 9/13/18 We pull into the small parking lot for Glory Bound Baptist Church and are immediately greeted by parishioners at the door for the Thursday evening service. Our experience at Glory Bound is like nothing I’d ever been a part of. Our group outnumbers the locals in the already small church, and … More Baptist, Catholic voices united; Observations from Fall Appalachia 2018, Volume 3
Morning of Thursday: 9/13/18 I quietly climb out of my top bunk bed to not wake my roommates. This is not a very successful effort as I end up waking up half my room, at least for the moment, as I use my flashlight to find my notebook and sweatshirt before I make my way … More Rockets experience the power of presence: Observations from Fall Appalachia 2018, Volume 2
Personality Quizzes are a pop culture favorite that involve answering questions to reveal hidden facts. Everyone needs to know what city fits them best, right? The McNicholas Milestone has joined the trend by compiling a quiz to tell you what kind of movies to watch based on what classes you’d like to take. Take the … More Rocket quiz: Create a McNick class schedule and we’ll tell you what type of movie genre to watch
