This year, in an effort to maintain a focused learning environment, North Shore has implemented a new phone policy requiring students to turn in their devices during class time. In a school-wide email, Mr. Frederick clarified the thought process behind the policy, explaining, “Our goal is to eliminate disruption in the teaching and learning, and ensure that students are fully engaged during class time.” Student opinions on the policy are mixed. While some students view the policy as effective, others claim that it has done little to improve their productivity.
North Shore is following a trend of high schools across the country that have recently implemented phone policies. As the New York Times explained in a recent article, schools have been attempting to limit student phone usage for decades. As phones became increasingly popular in the 90s, some schools fully banned the devices, specifically to prevent notifications from disrupting class. However, since the 2000s, restrictions have decreased. Due to the recent increase in school shootings, schools felt obligated to allow phone access as a safety measure. Furthermore, some schools removed their bans to aid students who cannot afford their own laptops and instead need to complete homework on their phones. Now, phone bans are back on the rise. The main concerns are youth mental health and social media use. Many states have implemented harsh restrictions, with local governors promising cell phonefree learning as a result.
. The student body remains divided over the effectiveness of the regulation. In previous years, phone usage during class was a major issue for many students. For some high schoolers, the policy has been effective in limiting their screen usage. Junior Thomas Scott noted that he no longer goes on social media during class time. However, some students have managed to get around this restriction by using other devices, such as laptops, to access the same content. An anonymous upper school student admitted that “instead of taking my phone out of my pocket and going on reels, I'm just going on my computer.” This is the case for numerous students, many of whom find other means to evade the restrictions. Sophomore Nikash Bawa also points out that most teachers no longer require students to put their phones in the pouches. He claims that without the enforcement of the policy, the pouches are ineffective. For students like Margret Fitzgerald, who rarely used her phone in class last year, the policy seems unnecessary. While she doesn’t see the harm in the message, she feels it cuts off important communication, particularly with her parents who might need to reach her.
While the restrictions have shown potential in limiting unnecessary screen usage during class time, its inconsistent application and unintended consequences have hindered its success and practicality. As North Shore and schools across the nation navigate new phone policies, the question remains: do these regulations genuinely improve our learning environment, or are there better ways to foster student engagement?
Picture of phone caddies. These caddies are now present in every classroom. They are meant to hold students’ phones during class.
Your Vote Can Be The Next Big Change!
By Andrew Cohen
It is the fall of 2024. . . that means it is election time! After losing an incredibly close election in 2020 to current president Joe Biden, Donald Trump is back again representing the Republican Party. On July 21, our country heard shocking news: Joe Biden dropped out of the election. Current Vice President, Kamala Harris, is now running against Trump as the Democratic nominee. If elected, Harris will become the first female president of the United States. Here are short biographies to familiarize you with the candidates.
Born in Oakland, California, Harris is a first generation American; her mother from southern India, and her father from Jamaica. Harris went to Howard University to study economics and political science, and later attended the Hastings College of the Law at the University of California. Harris built a career advocating for equal rights for all as the District Attorney of San Francisco and Attorney General of California. She continued to ascend in politics, becoming a Senator in 2017 and Vice President in 2021. She made history, becoming the first Black American woman and the first Asian American to hold that office. Now, she is looking to break those barriers again as President.
Trump was born in Queens, New York, where he attended the New York Military Academy for high school. Following that, Trump spent his first two years of college at Fordham University, and then transferred to the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Economics. Since then, Trump’s entire career has been focused on business until he became President in 2017. Trump spent most of his career working at his father’s real estate company, Trump Management, which was later renamed Trump Organization. He gained more publicity when he hosted the reality TV show, “The Apprentice.” Additionally, he held partial and full ownership of several beauty pageants from 1996 - 2005. Trump was elected President 10 years later in 2016, making him the first President to have no previous political or military experience.
The election is a captivating time in our country that can evoke strong emotions. There are only a few students at North Shore Country Day that can vote in the upcoming election. Here’s a look at how two of of our voting-age seniors are feeling:
One student stated their priorities are the protection of abortion rights and protection of Jewish rights. This student wants a candidate who will be a president for the people who is dedicated and thoughtful. This student is confident in voting for the candidate that best supports these rights. Another student has watched the debates, yet still feels like there is much to learn about the candidates. Politicians speak about a variety of complex topics and it is sometimes difficult to follow. Regardless of the winner, this student is optimistic that the next President will improve opportunities for college students and recent graduates.
A primary — and very valid concern of many citizens is the state of the economy. Will inflation continue? Are homes too expensive? Are jobs available, and if so, will they even pay enough? Let's take a look at the candidates’ economic proposals:
Starting off with Harris: She strongly supports increasing citizens’ economic security by investing in infrastructure, guaranteeing assistance for first-time home buyers, reducing taxes for the 100 million working class Americans, and lowering the cost of basic necessities like healthcare and groceries. To create more jobs, Harris calls for bringing together organized labor, small businesses, and entrepreneurs to discuss how to expand job opportunities with solid pay and “ensure that America continues to lead the world.” On the other hand, Trump aims to “end inflation and make America affordable again” without giving many specifics. He also claims he will decrease interest rates — a power held by the Head of the Federal Reserve, not the President. Furthermore, Trump believes that deporting all undocumented immigrants will take weight off of the housing concern for citizens, reasoning that less demand would lead to lower prices. Trump often points out that during his first term, inflation was low.
Remember, every vote matters. You determine our future. It is crucial to understand the mindset and goals of each candidate before your vote can be the next big change!
Top: Current Vice President and Democratic Presidential candidate Kamala Harris. Bottom: Former President and Republican Party candidate Donald Trump.
Junior Olympian Brian Smith
By Via Kelly
North Shore’s very own senior, Brian Smith, is establishing a lasting legacy here by racking up wins in regional, statewide and national championships. He is the first North Shore Country Day student in the school's history to win an indoor statewide track championship. His name has been etched into our history by being the all-time NSCD record holder of the Indoor 400m, 600m, 60m and 50m sprints. His accomplishments also include hitting the third-fastest time in the 100m sprint and the sixth-fastest time in the 200m sprint. Brian was also one of the first athletes in the ISLs (Independent School League) to run the 400m dash in under 50 seconds. From there, Smith went on to compete at the state level, earning second place in the 1-A 400m dash. Finally, he earned the indoor state for 400m last year and he finished the outdoor season by being ranked 33rd among 5,500 400m dash competitors.
Brian has had a long road to all of these victories. He first started running competitively at 12 years old. He would run the 200m and 100m dash in a district track meet at Evanston Township High School. Brian continued to compete in track and baseball skills through middle school. Unfortunately COVID-19 disrupted his ability to practice. Yet, high school provided a new opportunity, where Brian signed up for the track team freshman year.
For the upcoming year, Brian has many goals. He intends to maintain his first place title in the indoor state competition, and he has his eyes set for the outdoor title. He is currently training to maintain a sub-49 time, or running the 400m in 49 seconds. Finally, his end goal is to go to college where he wants to study aviation. There, Brian will no doubt continue to build on his legacy of a track star, carrying with him the lesson learned along the way: that nothing is achieved without consistency and hard work.
Now, Brian’s training consists of waking up at 6 a.m. with Brian Smith Sr. (his father/coach) and hitting the gym. He spends many hours with our very own Coach Patrick McHugh, and practicing mental ed, or preparing for races mentally by imagining succeeding. His dedication to the sport allowed for Brian to participate in the American Athletic Union (AAU) Region 13 Meet this past summer. By earning first place in both 4x400 and the 400m, he qualified for the AAU Junior Olympics at North Carolina A&T, an HBCU. It was a hot summer day on which many national teams had come together to compete for the title of champion. After a few delays, it was finally his turn. Right before the race, Brian was nervous and jittery when his father gave him very wise words to remember before any race: “Nothing bad can happen.” Then, it was time to start running. During the 4x400 race, at the 200 mark, the star athlete thought “It’s almost over, and all I have to do is maintain this pace and this speed so I can hand it off to my teammate.” His relay team placed 16th nationally. He ended up leaving the Junior Olympics ranked 48th nationally in the 400m open as well. When describing the experience afterward, he said “It was great to see other teams from different states compete, [and see] a lot of national records being broken, being made. A great experience overall.” When talking about the competition, he extended much gratitude to his coaches: Coach McHugh, Coach Gauthier, Coach Moreau, and Coach Boatright.
Brian at a track meet with the North Shore team.
Left: Brian with one of his coaches. Right: Brian posing in the Raiders uniform.
Cheaters Should Not Be in the Hall of Fame
By Maxwell Copans
People who cheat should not be in the Baseball Hall of Fame or hold records for several reasons. The first reason is when a young person sees a baseball player do certain things, it might make them want to emulate them. When baseball players are using steroids, it might make kids want to use steroids. Kids may think that steroids will help them play baseball, but do not think about the consequences. The negatives are not just how it's unfair, but also how it can hurt their body. This also brings up the question, what does the Hall of Fame stand for? Does it stand for who is the best player by records or does it stand for who's a great player both on and off the field?
Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa, two very well known baseball players from the 1990s and 2000s, played well during their home run chase in 1998, and it was so fun for people to watch. It helped rejuvenate the sport after the strike in 19941995. Baseball was losing popularity because of the strike and the home run chase caused more people to watch baseball. People particularly watched the Cubs, Cardinals and Mariners more because of the home run chase with Ken Griffey Jr . But Ken Griffey Jr. was not as big of a threat to the record because he did not use steroids. Although Sammy and Mark did great things for baseball, they should still not be in the Hall of Fame because both of them were found to use steroids. In the case of Sosa, he still to this day does not admit to using them, even though the House of Representatives found it to be true. Do we want kids learning that when you cheat there are no consequences for their actions?
A second reason a cheater should not hold a record is because it causes players later, like Aaron Judge, to not be able to break records. Aaron Judge, who has never tested positive for steroid use, does not get the recognition he deserves for his amazing home runs this season because he was overshadowed by an era of cheaters. I feel that Aaron Judge should be the single season home run record holder because he did it the right way and that's who you want kids looking up to. But to break the official record, he will need to hit even more home runs — which probably will never happen because the record was unfairly set too high.
A third reason is that some players broke the rules and records before they were caught cheating. Although Barry Bonds was a Hall of Fame level player before using steroids, he still should not be in the Hall of Fame because it's still a question of whether cheaters should be allowed. The Hall of Fame should be a place not just for great baseball players, but the best baseball players who are also good people who follow the rules and are good role models. For Aaron Judge and Ken Griffey Jr. just being close to their records is an achievement because they are some of the best home run hitters and they did things the right way which means they should be the rightful single season home run leaders. Also, Barry Bonds took a record from Hank Aaron, the home run leader who played without steroids. It’s awesome that these players were able to come close to these records during such a difficult era. In the end, it's a question of whether or not you would like kids to look up to one of the best outfielders of all time who is hitting well and super consistent, or would you like kids to look up to power hitters who cheated.
Photo of the Baseball Hall of Fame logo.
Top: Aaron Judge, 2022 season record holder for most homeruns with 62 homers. Bottom: Ken Griffey Jr., named MVP of the 1997 season.
Homecoming Games by Ashby Semple & Reed Metzler
It was a cold, rainy day at the North Shore campus for Homecoming 2024. Soccer balls and baseballs flew around, the smell of warm hotdogs filled the air, sticks clashed and raucous cheering echoed.
The girls JV field hockey team clashed with Evanston. The game was intense, but neither side ever scored. It felt as if both teams were feeling each other out. Even though Evanston is a much larger school, the Raiders did not back down and stayed on the attack. The crowd was especially into the game as parents and students all cheered on from the sidelines.
On the other field, the boys soccer teams were facing off against Lycée Français. The JV team took home an impressive 3-2 win, setting up a big match for the varsity team. The varsity boys started hot, but some crucial mistakes late in the game led to a tied finish (2-2). The boys were frustrated, as they felt they were the more skilled team but could not capitalize on their chances.
As the playoffs loom, the question surrounding these two teams is, how well will North Shore do this year? The girls field hockey team is a young team that has shown that it can compete with larger schools. When it comes to playoff time, can they match their opponent’s intensity? They may have to play outside their comfort zone but they can make a far run this year. There is talent on the roster, but their limited playoff experience could come back to hurt them.
Controversy emerged among fans and players at the varsity boys soccer Homecoming game when their new head coach, Mike Pilger, subbed out upperclassmen and starters for younger players. Some seniors have voiced their complaints about being subbed out at crucial times, as well as other choices made by the coaches. It remains to be seen how these coaching decisions will impact postseason play, where there are no second chances.
Even though the Homecoming games may not all have gone as planned, they were still a great experience, and students and parents agreed that it was a success overall. The North Shore community had a great day despite the unfortunate weather.
Beyond the Dance Floor: The Community Spirit of Homecoming
By Jack Walker & Aiden Darnieder
North Shore Country Day Homecoming Dance 2024 was an amazing experience for students, as well as an incredible success for the upper school Student Council. This was largely due to student body Co-President Josh Sanders’ amazing recommendation for the DJ. This year's dance started off slowly, per usual, but as more people arrived, it quickly picked up into a thrilling experience. Although the presence of more peers brings students out of their shell, the quality of the songs played by the DJ is the deciding factor for full participation. The dance really got started with the DJ playing “FE!N” by Travis Scott. Then, queuing a combination of hip-hop, pop, house and overall great party music, the night only got better from there
The mix of genres paired with the ability for students to request songs provided an inclusive and exciting experience, making sure the night was fun for everyone. The days following the dance, the DJ was the talk of the upper school. Almost every student that attended the dance recognized the expertise of the DJ. The Student Council was praised by many for listening to the students, understanding them, and providing what they truly desire. In this case, it was an amazing homecoming. Students are now looking forward to future dances and events after this one set a new, higher standard for all dances in the future. The excitement generated by this year’s dance rekindled the spirit and participation of US students in school-led events. Student Council’s efforts and success in this dance has set high expectations and anticipation for what is next to come.
DSJ Contributors
DSJ Editors: Madeline A’Hearn, Via Kelly, Nolan Darnieder and Henry Pothoff
Faculty Advisors: Tim Curren, Louis Mercer and Christine Wachter
DSJ Writers: Morgan Gallagher, Samuel Rapoport, Andrew Cohen, Via Kelly, Maxwell Copans, Ashby Semple, Reed Metzler, Aiden Darnieder, Jack Walker
