KP: What’s your favorite news show?


VL: Okay, so I don’t watch as much as I do read. So I’m going to confess to a weakness. Is my the actual piece of the news site that I checked the most is called the Daily Mail. I love the Daily Mail. It’s, I think, an American version, but it’s a British tabloid digital one, and it is chock full of stuff, and I love it. So the Daily Mail is something that I read when, just to get, you know, the news I do consume. I do read the Washington Post. I check out. I do have a thanks to the school. I have some free subscription in the New York Times. And then I watch. I read, you know, I read stuff across the spectrum. I read the free press, right, which is Barry Weiss’s. I don’t think it was, it a sub stack. I read a lot. I subscribe to a lot of sub stack folks. I subscribe to the free press. This guy named Matt Taibbi, is this substack called racket, used to write for the rolling, you know, Rolling Stone magazine. And then really, I mean sub stack, I’m really interested in sort of like Narco, Narco states, Narco crime, things like that’s just, I find that fascinating. So I subscribe to a Mexican journalist named Ioan Grillo. His Substack is $5 a month. And he’s an investigative journalist, and he his beat is, is crime, global crime, mostly Narco, Narco stuff. 


MB: So, how did you like find yourself, like, drawing the Substack? Was it just like you just stumbled across it one day? Or you saw these guys, like migrating the Substack and you you went along with them?


VL: It’s a great question. I’m trying to I’m just trying to retrieve my memory. How did I first start? I think probably I started because even though, even at my age, I’ve always been interested in the news and reading news, but just out of ease, you start reading the same news on the internet. And so, you know, it’s described in magazines and things. So the internet is obviously an easy way to to now I’m going to click on this. Now I’m going to click on that. And so some of the I was interested in, some of the work that some of these journalists had done before. And so when I heard that they were going independent, I decided to check, check out their sites, and then then you have to make the decision. They draw you in, right? And you can read some couple of things articles for free, and then, boom, you run out of free articles, and then you have to put up or shut up. And then, am I going to put some actual money into subscribing to get the content? And for a few them, I did, but probably just the easy way was, I was I found them through the internet. You find a lot of stuff on the internet. Apparently, if you spend time on it right scrolling, you.


KP: Yeah, have you always been so interested in the news, or did that or has that helped your career? Like, what made you interested? Like, just following the news from so many different sources?


VL: My parents discussed world events, American events at the dinner table. My parents, my parents were big readers, and so they were very and so they talked about these things, and then they would often talk about the historical connections behind things. And so my brother and I were always interested in history and the news. So I think that’s an easy connection. And so I, I was a, still am, but as a year age, I was a, I was just, I loved reading. I read anything. If I was bored, I would read the back of the cereal box. So when you read a lot, you just read a lot, and a lot of that was also news. And being a teenager at that age, I also had strong opinions about stuff, so you always read a lot to just say stuff, right? So I’ve always been into the news, and how’s that helped me in my career? I mean, as a teacher, I think it definitely helps to be aware of everything, what’s going on. But I always try to be when I was teaching, I always tried to be careful about not expressing opinions in a way that my students knew actually how I felt about certain things, because I didn’t do it that way. But I love to read. I actually, at some point, thought I wanted to be a writer, and so I thought journalism was the way to go. So one of my majors in college was that one, one and but I ended up happily, ended up as a teacher.


MB: So you mentioned that when you were a teenager, you were very opinionated. You had strong opinions. So like, where did some of those fall? And, like, how did some of those register? What were some of those opinions?


VL: You’re not gonna get me to say those opinions. Nice try, though. I’ll say this in my in people probably think of where people are on the spectrum of certain a lot of issues. I found my it’s in some of the ways I felt at certain ages. I don’t know if I feel exactly the opposite now or I hear but you’d be amazed, maybe as you get older, so you’d be amazed how your opinions will change about stuff that you felt pretty certain about, you know, trying to think of, I’m trying to think of an example capital punishment. I used to have a very strong opinion about that, and then I veered on the other side, and now I find myself veering back a little bit to where I used to feel when I was young,
KP: just the more you’re educated, I guess.
VL: Well, yes, but now on the third swing back, it’s not so much education. Yeah, as I get older, in some ways, I am more certain about some things and far less certain about others, right? And one thing I’ll say, connect this back to the news, is one thing that I do find fascinating is reading the news. Is reading the point of view of with opinion stuff. It’s easy to know what the point of view of the person is, but actually reading what is often described as objective news, figuring out from what’s left out, or what’s in there, or the way certain words are chosen, what the point of view is of the writer reporting something right? Sometimes, when you read, how many of you read . . . the Washington Post, the New York Times? Sometimes, for example, you can see what’s happening based on what you think this person’s sources were right. If a person has anonymous sources and they’re saying things source and then you have a quote like ‘sources familiar said,’ or ‘people close to the administration,’ or ‘people close to the blah, blah, blah, blah.’ So, you can often figure out who is talking to the reporter and making themselves look good, and you know, and making the other folks as part of story looking bad, and the reporter has that source, right? I find that. I do find it myself reading the news and. And sometimes trying to figure out what it is that the writer is actually trying to convince me of, while trying to be objective,
trying to look objective. 

KP: I don't want to, I don't want to read the stuff that disagree, like, with my opinion, like they're proving me wrong. I don't my opinion challenged..

VL: there's a famous, there's a famous, there's this famous thing about, you know, bias. It was, I was like, in the ‘80s, I remember watching this, some person went to Harvard graduation, right? These super they're Harvard graduates, and they had told them, hey, we interview. And they asked a simple science question was, why do we have seasons, right? Do you remember why we have seasons? Do you know why we have fall and spring here in Virginia. It's based on what do you know? Don't be embarrassed, because I you know, isn't it like the rotation? It's either the access to the rotation, that's the tilt of the Earth, right? It's the tilt of the earth. And so when we're getting direct rays, it's summer, when we're getting indirect rays, it's winter, and then it's in between, right? That's it. That's it. That's all it is, because the Earth's tilted at 23 degrees and we're closer to the blah, blah, blah. So they asked this question, and a lot of these Harvard kids had forgotten that, and so they said, a lot of them said this stuff that other people often say, Well, it's actually in winter because the Earth is slightly farther away from the sun, right? And in summer, it's because the Earth is a little bit closer, right? Because it's actually not a, you know, and they it all sounds super smart, but it's clearly off. I mean, it's wrong, if you think about it, because then would it be winter everywhere in the world at the same time and summer, you know what? I mean, yeah. So they would say this stuff, they'd sound really smart. And then when a person, when the reporter, would say, you know, well, it's actually based on the tilt of the earth 23 degrees. And hearing that, the amount of people that would take that truth, that evidence, and say, Oh, wow, I was wrong. Thank you. Was very close to this, yeah, instead, what you would have is these people. They would make up all these reasons why. Well, maybe it's the tilt, but it's still this, and they would hold.
Were made waging, you know, like war all day, and it's really and he talks about the nature of existence and what he thinks happens when you die, and things that a person can work on to be a better person, like his diary. It was like a diary, but it's not even a diary of like, I did this today. I did that today. It's more like, maybe he had a day where he was snapped at someone, you know, and he was rude, or this, that, and then at night he's writing, it's like, come on, Marcus, you know. And it's really interesting. And a lot of people have read it and said that it has changed their it was a very famous American pow, is this guy named Stockdale. James Stockdale, he was, he was a pilot Vietnam War. He was shot, and he was held in brutal captivity for years, right in this North Vietnamese cell, until he finally was, I mean, he didn't have hearing when he left. He was just this physical wreck. But he never, he was tortured it, but he never gave his captors what they wanted, right? He never made he never said stuff against his country, his intermarried stuff. And he said one of the things that kept him going was that he had read Marcus Aurelius meditations. And he would, he would say some of he would just think about some of the stuff that he'd read in that book, you know. So I definitely think, at y'all age, books about philosophy or the nature of existence, why are we here? Is are really good, are really, are really, really good things to read. So those two man, that was a long one
today. Why do you think we're here?

VL: Why do we think why here all day. I don't think we come from I don't think we're just material. I don't think we're just atoms and stuff. I do think there's something, and I would hope that the purpose of life is to is to be, is to improve throughout your life. Take whatever you have, whatever you've been given, be it, if you believe it's God or some other folks, and with what you have to be better at the end than that. And I think that counts for an individual person as much as it does say for the human race.
As an avid history lover, how do you feel about current and like policies in place, trying to erase some history or trying to change it in a way
I gotta do traffic in a little bit. So catch me when it's 234,
okay, three minutes.

VL:I don't, I don't think that's that's often a tough question, right? So, like in some countries, or in this country, like, should we? Should statues have been erected, right? And then later statues are torn down. Or, Yes, or stuff that you know, this country, for example, this country has, this country is, is has, has its, you know, has its sins and mistakes and progress. So Should one. I don't think any of that should be erased. I think you should teach warts and all. I think the focus on the warts over the progress, I don't know how beneficial that is to to everyone. And at the same time, I don't think always focusing on the rosy stuff while ignoring, you know, mistakes or or sins and that stuff. I also don't think that's helpful. I don't think that any people or country or civilization, for the most part, has a monopoly on on evil or I think people, people used to be pretty rough to each other, more people. In other words, we actually live in the least violent time in human history. People used to kill each other and treat each other in horrible ways, a lot more than they actually do, even though, despite what you often read on the news and things like that, we actually live in the safest, most comfortable and least violent era in human history. I also don't think that people you are not you are not at fault for the sins of your fathers. So, no, I'm not in favor of erasing anything. Yeah, so like

KP: I, I remember my grandma told me this, which I think is an interesting perspective, because I don't think of it like what you just said about you're not at fault for the sins of your father's i. She told me that my grandfather, when he was alive, he didn't like going to Germany, just because he loved history so much. So when he went over there, he and whenever he traveled to country, he learned so much about their history, but he didn't like because he had learned so much about World War Two, it just made him angry, and he didn't want to go. And it wasn't like he just didn't like he just didn't like German people, because that it's not the same. They weren't the ones. The current people in Germany weren't the ones that did those things. And then also, like all the other countries have, like America, for example, we've had a fair bit of not great things that we've done. But like, you don't think that just because a country or people like have made bad history, it's really you should look at them or it differently, just because.

VL: So there's this, there's this that, yeah, there's this, actually, there's this writer. His name is TaNehisi Coates, and he wrote this thing where he said it is, he's talking about slavery. And he wrote this thing, I only read an excerpt of it, but he said it is kind of, it was a version of, it's either uncomfortable or disquieting to realize, as I read all this stuff, to know that if I had lived in that time period, I probably would have been accepted. I would have accepted slavery. I would have maybe had some etc. In other words, I would have probably, like most people, participated in the evils of of the era, right? It is. How many of us, when people are often asked, would you have done this back in the day? Would you have or would you have rebelled against it or spoken against it? Most people say, of course, I would have.

RRR: And just he is. He's probably the most famous outspoken person articulating a need for America to deal with its racist past, and his book is effectively entitled How not to be a racist. So it is a fascinating thing.

VL: And once again, I mean, what would people 100 years from now, they might look at all of us as utter barbarians, right? Like, for example, they might say we all used to eat meat, used to you all used to raise animals.

RRR: You saw climate change and did nothing?

VL: or all sorts of things. And, you know, and I like meat. But point is, it's also really hard to judge, to judge people, especially when 1000s or hundreds of years ago, 1000 years ago, people all over the Earth used to kill and mutilate each other all the time, and for the most part, humanity has made good progress towards we should pat ourselves as a human race on the back more than we do. We've gone in the mood. We We have effectively solved problems that people used to think would be with us all the time, or at least those problems are getting much, much less, right? We should also, we should. I also think we should celebrate a human achievement, progress, inventions, systems being developed. We should also, we should look at ourselves instead of like saying, Oh my God. We should also say, You know what? No, actually, we used to, we used to have to make fire with sticks and stuff and live in skins. And, you know, bear skins wrapped around and stuff. And now we send rockets and we explore. And, I mean, we're able to pave roads. We're able to have these devices that do all this stuff. We people don't suffer the way they used to. So we should also, you know, news once in a while, it's that's why it's often good to turn the news off as well and read books about lofty things philosophy. Why are we here? Right? That's also, that's actually in some ways more important. I got it.

By Mason Bibby​

On March 14, the United States Senate (with more than a few qualms from the Democrats) voted 54-46 to pass a Trump-backed stopgap bill to avert a government shutdown. 
But most Americans have been lost in the legalese of the situation, which has hampered both public trust in the government and the ability of the government to instill that trust back into their voters. 
Thus, we are left with a burning question: what is a government shutdown, what does it entail, and how does a “stopgap bill” like the one passed a few weeks ago affect it?  
For starters, it is important to understand what government shutdowns are predicated on. Imagine the government likened to a massive amusement park (inconceivable, I know, but let’s assume for the sake of an illustration that the Feds can have some fun). This park, we’ll call it Bureaucracy Bonanza, is filled to the brim with rides like Red Tape Rapids, Filibuster Ferris Wheel, and Paperwork Plunge. It also has a wide  array of food and entertainment, like live shows. In order to keep its visitors, or in this case the citizens, happy, every year park management (Congress) agrees to a budget to keep the park running and fun. Let’s say they get into an argument over which rides should get the most attention and funds, and they can’t agree on a budget. Eventually some of these rides, food stands, and live shows—all of which require money for upkeep—eventually start to close and no one can visit. That’s a government shutdown.
Now, to avoid disappointing all the “visitors,” the managers at Bureaucracy Bonanza can choose to use a temporary stash of tickets they’ve been hiding away in order to keep the rides running temporarily. It isn’t a permanent fix, but it will keep things rolling for long enough for the staff to hammer out a deal. This is what we’d call a “stopgap bill.” However, if a deal still isn’t reached, the same issues will crop up again and rides or some staff  (government services) will begin to close or scale back. Some essential ones, such as Red Tape Rapids (the IRS), park security (the military), and the first-aid tent (government-backed healthcare), will remain open, but many others like the visitor center (museums and federal grants) will not.
During this time, the visitors cannot access those parts of the park or receive things from them. To that end, many members of park staff, such as the hot dog stand operator (EPA or other such organizations), are furloughed, meaning they have  to stay home without pay. The park can remain this way for a few days or even months. The last and longest shutdown lasted 35 days, from December 22, 2018 to January 25, 2019. During that time, airport lines stretched for hours and the DMV worked slower than its already snail’s pace.
It is imperative to avoid shutdowns because they can cause economic disruption, erode public confidence in the government’s ability to manage and govern,  prevent Americans from receiving essential services like welfare, and open windows to national security threats. Shutdowns don’t just stop the rides—they stop the people who keep America running. This isn’t just about “stopping Republican aggression” or “preventing Democratic obstinance,” it’s about keeping the government running and making sure it runs smoothly and efficiently for the whole country. Because in the end, no one wins when the gates to Bureaucracy Bonanza are locked.

There are so many things in the world that make us happy.  So many things that induce dopamine, or the “feel-good” hormone. 
But what makes us especially happy, and why? It may be something we’re passionate about, like playing a sport, reading stories or it just may be watching television. 
It could be helping others. Altruistic behavior releases endorphins in our brains. Giving to others releases oxytocin. Our Help Save the Next Girl Club raised money and supplies for the Lampstand Drive for young sex trafficking victims. 
“Donating made me feel like I was making an impact. I felt so accomplished,” said club leader Fiona Parnell ‘26. 
Things that make us happy and excited in life are incredibly important. In order to live with balance while dealing with work, we must prioritize free time spent doing exhilarating activities and spending our time with purpose. For example, a good purpose is exercise, which is one of the most valuable things for the brain and body. When asked about what makes him happiest, Cole Cass ‘25 said “Lifting weights. It takes my mind off things. I only worry about my workout. It feels great both in the moment and after, it’s healthy.” 
“Dance makes me happy,” said Jahanvi Patel ‘25, “I love the performance part of it. And the movement with the music, it’s like an energy rush.”
Hunter Basile ‘25 said “I would say sports, when I am bonding with teammates, sharing experiences and competing.” 
Winning games boosts confidence, enhances attention and focus. It sparks neurochemical changes by releasing dopamine, testosterone and endorphins. Sports are fun; they are beneficial to the mind and the body, also while influencing positive psychological effects. 
“Music makes me the most happy, always,” said Tyler Bloomfield ‘25, “It’s calming and relaxing. Listening to a band also can really get me going… I get lost in it.”
Meanwhile, another contributor to happiness is spending time with animals. Pets, especially dogs, are a valued presence in the household. They not only surround us in a loving atmosphere; those who own pets gain the ability to raise beings. Pets can lower stress levels and even keep owners in shape as we walk them around the block. 
Finally, family and friends, also in the household, our loved ones are the most important people in our life. They give life skills, wisdom, emotion, nurture and much more. 
“The feeling of security, knowing that there’s always someone to be here for me,” said Mia Rueda ‘26. “My mom is a built-in best friend to be here with me for life. My brother I can always rely on. He gives me protection.”

Winners of the Caption Contest
“Stop acting like animals, control yourselves,” said the teacher, glaring at the students.  -- Elizabeth Jackson ‘28
The Zoo for Presidency -- Kaylie Johnson ‘27
“Ok class, today we will be playing this or that: politics edition.”  -- Indira Weed ‘25
Herald staff members chose their top three and these three were chosen more than others.

By Mason Bibby​

It is time to stop beating around the bush. Whether Republican or Democrat, I believe there is a large degree of consensus around the premise that neither candidate, Donald Trump or Kamala Harris, is ideal for a majority of people.
In fact, this has been the case for a multiplicity of presidential candidates, leaving many to opt for the proverbial “lesser of two evils.” Too few have stopped to consider what a hypothetical “ideal candidate” would look like. Specifically, what would a campaign look like that synthesizes and juxtaposes all of the beliefs, values and visions that one holds dear. For myself, it is relatively easy to discern. However, that averment may be difficult for others, and so I have used myself as an example.
This was a more arduous task than one might expect, which surprised even me, as I took a great deal of care in ensuring that my beliefs aligned with things I may say or attempt. To do this, I took a quick political test (which I strongly recommend by the way) and found that I side with the GOP, or Republican Party, on about 81% of issues. I was not unsurprised; I tend to lean further to the right on a multiplicity of issues, such as economic policy, infrastructure improvement, and individual values. Conversely, I found that I sided with the Democratic Party on about 46% of issues–far less than the Republicans, and far less than half. Other parties, such as the American Constitutional and the NoLabels movement, also made appearances, mostly through answers that were similar throughout most or all parties. Therefore, I figured, my ideal candidate would most realistically either be on the right, center-right, or a more conservative iteration of the left. 
Next, I did a bit of self-searching to determine what kind of qualities, characteristics, and general demeanor I would want a presidential candidate to exhibit. Honesty, transparency, and integrity, are perhaps the most important benchmarks of an individual competing for the highest office in the land. Lastly, it all comes down to how my opinions will change as I grow. I am neither a true office holder nor a voter, and there are many, many, many things I still need to learn and experience. But for now, I can safely say that I would value the true characteristics of a candidate rather than his or her party.

How often do high school students reflect on or think of politics?
The daily life of a student at NCS: wake up, get ready for school, attend four block periods, have an assembly, a break and lunch in between, then head to extracurriculars, athletic practices or home. 
But what do we think about throughout the day? Should students be more educated on politics?
How do I look? My shoes don’t really match my uniform. Is my homework done? I can’t wait to watch YouTube when I’m home. Is Mrs. Sprouse here? What time do we go back to class? What are we eating for lunch? I’m sick of chicken tenders. I wonder if I should get a Celsius or Frappuccino from the snack shack. I’m afraid my best friend won’t be able to hang out with me this weekend.
What about the world outside?
Politics are always mentioned in Government classes. But are we actually informed on what’s going on in the world aside from what we are taught in school? Do we know which side we favor in politics, and do we know who to vote for if possible? AP Comparative Government and regular Government classes are only taught in the later years of high school. We don’t have a class for politics.
Political education defines our politics. Students need to be educated in order to build democracy. We need to be learning, especially at a young age.
“The history department aims to produce engaged American citizens,” History Department Chair Ryan Demarco said, “by not only teaching students about the contents of American history and the principles of American government, but also by fostering skills needed by active citizens including critical thinking, digital media literacy, engaging diverse perspectives, and active listening.” 
Some students clearly get the message.
“Learning about the structures of government and the different roles that everybody plays helps me become more active in politics,” Valeria Dancea ‘25 said, “and I have also learned from government class about the importance of voting in smaller, more local elections.”
Politically active Mason Bibby ‘27, sophomore class president said, “I think of politics at least once every couple minutes. I’ll be sitting in class, and my mind wanders to something political. What does the electoral map look like? What states are going to flip or stay the same?”
“Sometimes I think about what all I need to get done. If the people who I wanted to email have responded,” Bibby said. “I’m genuinely a busy person, whether on campus or off. When not focused in class, which is often, I’m thinking of things I need to get done. But like everyone else, I do think about random things like what’s for dinner and which parent is going to pick me up from school. I think about whether I will mess up on the script I have to read on stage or for volleyball games as well,” he said. 
“As a student close to the age of 18,” Lauren Boone ‘25 said, “I only think about politics when it is mentioned. I think about it in Government, when I’m watching the news or talking to my parents.  It is not something that I’m too passionate about or interested in unless elections are coming up. I’m sure that I can speak for other high school students too.”