The Student News Site of Van Nuys High School

The Mirror

vnhsMIRROR.com

The student website of Van Nuys High School
Van Nuys, California
The Student News Site of Van Nuys High School

The Mirror

The Student News Site of Van Nuys High School

The Mirror

Main story on the homepage, seperate from the featured articles.

Three things to do downtown this Earth Day weekend

Three things to do downtown this Earth Day weekend

From book festivals to TV show sneak peeks, there is plenty to do to keep you entertained this weekend.
By Madison Thacker, Arts/Entertainment Editor Apr 19, 2024
From book festivals to TV show sneak peeks, there is plenty to do to keep you entertained this weekend.
The peculiar nighttime spectacle of dreams continue to confound us with their fleeting, mystifying images.

Dreamland discoveries: The secrets behind our dreams

Dreams are a bizarre phenomenon that continue to puzzle humanity with their elusive nature, but research shows that dreams may contribute to memory formation and other forms of psychological healing.
By Abigail Kim, Staff Apr 17, 2024
Dreams are a bizarre phenomenon that continue to puzzle humanity with their elusive nature, but research shows that dreams may contribute to memory formation and other forms of psychological healing.
 DAZED & CONFUSED The i-Ready has been criticized for adjusting lesson plans for students based on their performance on the diagnostic test. Many never go back on the website to actually take those courses.

i-Ready or not, here it comes: LAUSD’s new standardized test kindles controversy

The i-Ready exam has frustrated many students and staff over its length and irrelevancy.
By Baron Kim, Staff Apr 16, 2024
The i-Ready exam has frustrated many students and staff over its length and irrelevancy.
The Armenian Club sold zhingyalov hats, a flatbread filled with herbs, vegetables and spices, during Multicultural Day.

A day of diversity: Multicultural Day

On April 12, 2024, the school hosted Multicultural Day, an event that granted students an extended lunch break and a chance to experience different cultures as presented by various clubs.
By Lindsay Han, Staff Apr 12, 2024
On April 12, 2024, the school hosted Multicultural Day, an event that granted students an extended lunch break and a chance to experience different cultures as presented by various clubs.
From L to R: Jake Champana, Reynold Finnegan, Dwayne Famenia, Jasmine Varkey, Yanitzy Alatorre, Jaima Murshed and Adrianna Bean (and Diego Serrano, not present in the photo) make up this year’s award winning VNHS JSA Speech and Debate team, taking home seven Best Speaker gavels.

Chasing championships: JSA

JSA, or Junior State of America, is a non-partisan youth organization focused on Speech and Debate and Civic Leadership. From “Should Trump be able to run for President?” to “What is the worst place for a first date?”, students battled it out to not only convince the audience of their argument, but also to win the coveted “Best Speaker” gavels, awarded to the audience’s favorite speaker of each debate.
By Adrianna Bean, Staff Apr 11, 2024
JSA, or Junior State of America, is a non-partisan youth organization focused on Speech and Debate and Civic Leadership. Students battled it out to not only convince the audience of their argument, but also to win the coveted “Best Speaker” gavels, awarded to the audience’s favorite speaker of each debate.
Back Row L-R: Elizabeth Hernandez, Mr. Joseph Agruso, Yanci Alba, Farah Alsibai, Andrew Salazar, Anthony Sanchez, Mario Rodarte and James Herrera. Front row L to R: Adrian Hernandez, Jonathan Cristobal, Io Gaytan, Sebastian Spiridon and Francisco Pastor.

Chasing championships: SkillsUSA

Every April, California hosts the SkillsUSA championship alongside the State Leadership & Skills Conference (SLSC). Beginning at a local chapter level, competitors progress through district and regional competitions. Each student is able to choose the competition they would like to showcase their skills in and adhere to different guidelines outlined in the competition of choice.
By Delmis Vaquerano, Staff Apr 11, 2024
Every April, California hosts the SkillsUSA championship alongside the State Leadership & Skills Conference (SLSC). Beginning at a local chapter level, competitors progress through district and regional competitions.
CANDIDATE CONUNDRUM With the presidential election coming up in November, new voters are presented with two choices: Donald Trump or Joe Biden. Unfortunately, due tot he issues that both candidates pose, many voters feel dissatisfied with the choice they are going to have to make and wish they had better options instead.

Lack of candidate choices concerns student voters

The 2024 election is driving young people to the polls, forcing them to choose between two candidates that aren't fully up to the task.
By Mia Ramirez, Staff Apr 10, 2024
The 2024 election is driving young people to the polls, forcing them to choose between two candidates that aren't fully up to the task.
From L to R: Sports Editor Isabel Valles, Opinion Editor Joel Nam, Design/Layout Editor Brianna Alvarado, Online Editor-in-Chief Daimler Koch, Arts and Entertainment Editor Madison Thacker, Executive Editor Angelina Gevorgyan and News/Features staff writer Delmis Vaquerano prepare to write their wills shortly before taking off on Spirit Airlines. They celebrate the newspapers Best of Show award, landing in first place among hundreds of other high school newspapers from across the country.

Chasing championships: The Mirror

The editorial staff headed to Kansas City to attend the JEA/NSPA's National Spring Journalism Convention and ended up winning several top national awards
By Daimler Koch, Online Editor-in-Chief Apr 9, 2024
From April 4-6, 2024, the Mirror's editorial staff headed to Kansas City to join the JEA/NSPA's National Spring Journalism Convention, and ended up winning many impressive awards.
The nearby Saint Elizabeth Church has put up a sign prohibiting skaters and other solicitors from hanging out around the premises of the church.

Locked out: Exclusionary tactics in urban design

Hostile architecture is a design technique employed in urban environments to guide, discourage or outright exclude certain behaviors or individuals. Implementing this in neighborhoods can result in detrimental social effects for the surrounding community.
By Delmis Vaquerano, Staff Apr 3, 2024
Hostile architecture is a design technique employed in urban environments to guide, discourage or outright exclude certain behaviors or individuals, resulting in detrimental social effects for the surrounding community.
Ms. Peggy Shim has taught at the school for the past 24 years. During her tenure, she has seen both improvements in teachers salaries and a decline in students motivation to receive an education.

The trials and triumphs of teaching

The after-effects of the UTLA strike have left LAUSD teachers with a better salary than before. Nevertheless, pupil problems still plague them, especially among newer teachers.
By Olamide Olumide, News/Features Editor Apr 2, 2024
The after-effects of the UTLA strike have left LAUSD teachers with a better salary than before. Nevertheless, pupil problems still plague them, especially among newer teachers.
In spite of the severity of the conflict, the Israel-Hamas War has been viewed by social media as just another trend to cycle through. Many are posting inaccurate information in an effort to keep up with the fad.

Trending: The Israel-Hamas War

The presence of the war in Gaza on social media has evolved into yet another trend that many throw aside despite its severity.
By Mia Ramirez, Staff Mar 30, 2024
The presence of the war in Gaza on social media has evolved into yet another trend that many throw aside despite its severity.
What type of bender would you be in Avatar: the Last Airbender?

What type of bender would you be in “Avatar: the Last Airbender”?

Take our personality quiz to find out if you have what it takes to become the Avatar.
By Maya Diaz, Associate Online Editor-in-Chief Mar 28, 2024
Take our personality quiz to find out if you have what it takes to become the Avatar.
Load More Stories
Donate to The Mirror
$385
$20000
Contributed
Our Goal