By Sydney Olden Editor in Chief On Feb. 26, the students observed Black History Month with a colorful and entertaining program that celebrated Black culture through music, dance, fashion, and drama in the CMHS auditorium. The program was intended to recognize significant historical figures and events, promoting greater awareness and appreciation among the participants and audience. The jazz band performed at the Black History Month night on Feb. 26. “We all sounded good as in

By Dalay’a Pinkney News Editor AND Kaydein McCall Editorial Assitant Part One of the story is from Dalay'a Pinkney                     As AI tools grow, more and more students are using AI tools like ChatGPT for their homework. Some say it helps them learn, but others worry it might be cheating. People are trying to figure out if AI is a helpful tool or a problem. ​ Students rely on ChatGPT and other AI tools to complete their homework, sparking controversy at school. Photo

By Trinity Humphrey General Reporter To celebrate Black History Month, Crete-Monee High School held its annual Black History assembly on Feb. 25. The event recognized and honored Black history and culture. Performers get ready to sing at the Black History Month assembly on Feb. 25. Photo by Kaylee Minkalis. The assembly featured various artistic student performances that highlighted the history and achievements of Black people. Students came together to create performances th

By Jaelin Brown News Reporter ​A sudden surge and shift in artificial intelligence have led to an increase in students using AI in classrooms worldwide, affecting how students cheat, study, and think. Student Lacoreyis Lofton uses ChatGPT in class. Photo by Ontarrio Randle. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a branch of computer science that mimics human intelligence in machines, allowing them to learn and solve problems within seconds, enabling AI to make decisions independentl

By Peighton Kelly News Reporter Many students struggle with attending school regularly, and this issue is often referred to as truancy or chronic absence. Students walk the B100 hallway to their classes. Photo by Jasmine Grant. Chronic absence means missing a large number of school days over time, which can become a serious problem for students and schools. Missing school too often can make it hard for students to keep up with lessons, assignments, and tests. Over time, this

By: Jordyn Sanchez Chief editor ​ On March 3, at 1:00 p.m., Crete-Monee High School students gathered in the circle to begin a walkout. The protest started at the school, continued with a march to Heritage Park, and concluded as students displayed their posters and flags to represent Latinos and Hispanics to the community. On March 3rd, around 1:00pm Crete Monee Students walked out to show support for the Hispanic/Latino Community. Photographer - Tyler Blackburn ​ Immigration

By Armani Colvin News Reporter ​ Donating blood is a great way to save lives, but people’s opinions about donating blood or having their own blood drawn depend on how comfortable they are with it and how much they know about it. Cody Decker gets his blood drawn during the CMHS blood drive. Photo by Tyler Blackburn. ​ Junior Kareem Nardi is very strong in support of donating blood. ​ “It's the right thing for me to do, because someone's life could be saved,” Nardi said.   ​ Na

By Amir Shaffer-Mahone Editorial Assistant At Crete-Monee High School, phones are an issue that staff demand students put away. Smartphones have always been a point of contention, but now they seem to be more than ever before. Students refuse to put away their cellphones. This has led to many disciplinary issues with students at the school. Student Anthony Flowers goes on his phone in the library. Photo by Bella Velasco. “If a student refuses to put away the phone, they get a

By Adelaide Breier Editorial Assistant ​ At Crete Monee High School (CMHS), earning a diploma requires more than passing a class; students need 28 hours of community service. If the 28-hour requirement is not met, graduation will not be possible. Senior Brianna Bielak looks for community service opportunities. Photo by Amiyah Rice. “I currently have two community service hours. I earned them by staying after school and helping recruit eighth-graders to join the yearbook club

By Josh Gipson News Editor As Crete-Monee High School prepares for its upcoming spring play, students are sharing a range of expectations about the production and whether they plan to attend the performances. Students start designing and building the sets for A Midsummer Night´s Dream. Photo by Lacoreyis Lofton. A Midsummer Night's Dream is a comedy by William Shakespeare is, a play about love, confusion, and magic. When asked what came to mind when thinking about the school

By Adelaide Breier Editorial Assistant Crete-Monee High School held its first-ever course/elective fair on Jan. 9, where incoming students and current lower-classmen could explore the unique classes CMHS offers that might interest them. Students Terrell Henderson and Victoria Santiago pose for a picture in front of their AP Language and Composition setup during the Elective Course Fair on Jan. 9. Photo by Amiyah Rice. Students and staff set up booths around the school with si

By Jaelin Brown News Reporter On Tuesday, Feb. 10, from 6-8 P.M, Crete-Monee High School held its annual eighth-grade open house to welcome incoming freshmen to high school, provide a change of scenery, and encourage them to participate in extracurricular activities. Ms. Biernacki discusses the agricultural program at the eighth grade open house on Feb. 10. Photo by Jacob Powell. At this event, students had the opportunity to tour the building, meet teachers, learn about aca

By Brianna Bielak Editorial Assistant  Black History Month is important in the community due to 62.3% of students being black in the school, according to U.S. News, as well as honoring the heroic acts and triumphs of African Americans who worked to end segregation and racism. What other way for students to explore and educate themselves on this topic than by taking African-American studies? African-American Studies is an elective in which students can research black history,

By Dalay’a Pinkney News Editor During the week of Jan. 20, the underclassmen counselors met with them to discuss which classes they wanted to take for the upcoming year. Selecting classes in high school involves reviewing a range of available course options and opportunities. Mr. Kenealy works with some students on their articles in journalism class. ​ Choosing the next classes was the topic of discussion. Some students want to pick fun classes, like World Languages and Fine

By Eleanor Fisher Features and Entertainment Reporter Amiyah Rice checks out Neighborhood Watch, a book by Mr. Kenealy. The library is officially back open for business on a limited basis in third period and on Mondays and Fridays during fourth hour. For many, the closure felt like a loss, leaving students without a quiet retreat during the school day. Now, the library is back, and the excitement is felt throughout many bookworms and hard workers alike. ​ “The library is a ni

By Armani Colvin  News Reporter . Schools are familiar with MAP testing as a tool for checking student progress; however, some students complain that their test scores do not actually represent their knowledge. There is a tendency among some students to justify not giving it their best shot on the test by pointing out that their grades on report cards do not depend on it. Student Adelaide Brier checks her MAP score. Photo by Ontarrio Randle. Teachers, on the other hand, are c

By Jordyn Sanchez Editor in Chief ​ On Jan. 3, in the early morning, Colombian President Gustavo Petro posted a list on social media of the locations reportedly bombed by the United States military forces in Venezuela: La Carlota Air Base, Fuerte Tiuna, Cuartel de la Montaña, and Federal Legislative Palace, as well as Central Caracas, which was justified by Donald Trump’s administration’s claims about fentanyl smuggling from Venezuela, which critics say were false claims. Whi

By Amir Barton News Editor According to the Crete-Monee student government Facebook page, students far surpassed the 700 non-perishable canned-food drive goal, donating to the Crete food pantry with a total count of 1,016 donated items. First place went to PO Reed’s class with 222 items, and second place went to Mrs. Hysell with 157 items. This was the flyer that promoted the canned food drive. Flyer courtesy of Ms. Myhre. Every day (the drive ended on Nov. 27), the student g

By Eleanor Fisher Editorial Assistant According to the Illinois School Safety Drill Act, On average, the school conducts at least 12 to 20 drills annually. These range from the familiar fire and tornado drills to the more complex active shooter scenarios. Bella Velasco points to the ALICE School Safety Protocol. Photo by Tyler Blackburn. The necessity of comprehensive preparedness is clear. A survey conducted by the National Association of School Psychologists found that only

By Joshua Gipson News Reporter Students and staff at Crete-Monee High School are celebrating as our Junior English teacher Ms. Santor was officially named Teacher of the Month for October, recognizing her dedication, positive classroom energy, and the lasting positive impact she continues to make on her students throughout the 2026 school year. English teacher Ms. Santor poses with her class upon winning October's Staff Member of the Month award. Photo courtesy of Ms. Adamow.