2025 Fall Edition

Sweets from the Streets with Layla

On Sunday afternoon, I took a trip to Thaitown with my practical brother and best friend, Rayne. Rayne and I have been friends since 6th grade, and have always talked about taste-testing some desserts from his culture. As soon as I had the idea to start this new column, the first thing that came to mind was to try to review desserts from Thailand. The only Thai dessert I had ever tried was, of course, what we all know and love, mango sticky rice. After seeing and hearing abou

Layla Kolahi '27

6 min read

Halloween: Boo or Bust?

This October, many are faced with the question: Is Halloween dead? As All Hallows Eve is rapidly approaching, there are several questions plaguing the minds of New Roads Students. What costumes to wear and how old is too old to trick-or-treat -- both very typical contemplations for the season. For some, however, this time of year has taken a darker turn. More and more often over the past few years, people have begun to report changes in the traditions of a beloved holiday. F

Rowan Wiley '27

4 min read

Should New Roads Offer AP Classes?

Every spring, thousands of high school students take AP exams. Why don’t we? AP, or Advanced Placement classes, have been around for decades. Operated by the College Board (who also operate the SAT), they are generally considered the highest possible level of classes a student can take, and most can count as college credit, providing you score well on the test. The curriculum, the exact same in every school it is taught, is all in preparation for the national exam taken at t

Claire Demoff '26

4 min read

Pot Pesticides

With widespread marijuana use on the rise, the regulations on its farming practices remain minimal. As the legalization of recreational marijuana spreads in many states across the country, the cannabis market has become commercialized and targeted towards a younger audience. In an industry that is massively under-the-table, regulation for marijuana is extremely hard without full legalization. As large-scale cultivation expands, so does the use of pesticides. The Environmental

Jack Dorfman '28

2 min read

How Podcasters Shaped the 2024 Election

After one year from the 2024 election, the influence of podcasts in the current political landscape grows more different… One year ago, during the 2024 election, former President Donald J. Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris employed several tactics to appeal to voters in and outside of their respective voter bases. During that election, one of the strongest tactics in appealing to broader groups of audiences was wielding the influence of independent media and podcasters.

Did Child Abuse Rates Increase During the Pandemic?

Child abuse has been an unseen, but continuous problem in society for a long time, but the COVID-19 pandemic intensified the problem. With schools being closed, mandated child abuse reporters becoming unavailable, and families isolated, cases of abuse became more prevalent and significantly harder to detect. While COVID had an effect on nearly every aspect of life including public health, the economy, mental health, education, social relations, and more, one important but of

When Pro-Choice And College Choice Meet

How abortion bans are shaping where these California seniors are applying to college. The University of Texas at Austin, with its amazing film program, offered everything Jagger Blue, a California high school senior who wants to study film, could want. When Blue, 17, learned about Texas’s total ban on abortion, she had to pick what she valued more, the education UT Austin would provide, or her own rights. Ultimately, she decided to take this school off of her list, now looki

Phone Ban Check-In: Life Without Phones at New Roads

Settling into school days without phones, New Roads faculty and students share their thoughts on the updated policy. With the new phone ban in place, New Roads students are adjusting to school without their usual screens. One student explains that the policy has made it easier to stay focused during class, a sentiment being echoed from the faculty’s perspectives, while some say it leaves them disconnected from the world. In a previous Jaguardain article on the phone ban, pu

Teachers’ First Day of School

A story often overlooked is brought to the forefront. For students, the first day of school is a busy one, with them being all caught up in trying to find their classes and reconnect with their friends. But, as people rarely ask, what is the first day of school like for the teachers? In late August, the highlighters and notebooks fly off the shelves in every store as students unenthusiastically prepare for their return to school. On the other hand are the teachers, reminisc

Gene Editing Emerges as New Method in Conservation Science

As Earth faces the dangers of anthropogenic climate change, researchers look to new strategies in conservation to protect our planet’s biodiversity. Earth is in danger of a “ sixth mass extinction ” according to the WWF. Habitat destruction, climate change, pollution, overfishing and hunting, and the introduction of invasive species threaten our planet’s rich biodiversity, and we are desperately in need of effective solutions to defend it. While our wildlife can be protected

Sunday

01/01/2023