Youth & Government delegates step into the role of lawmakers during Sacramento conference. This past weekend, Sacramento looked a little different. Instead of elected officials filling meeting rooms and debating bills, the California State Capitol was crowded with teenagers in fancy suits and name badges, hustling across the crowded hallways carrying folders and practicing speeches. At the Youth & Government Model Legislature & Court Conference, students from all across Calif

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

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

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

New Roads teachers Alexandra Padilla and Dan Kearney reflect on the challenges, lessons, and lasting impact of global service. For History teacher Dan Kearney, joining the Peace Corps was about adventure. Growing up travelling across the U.S with his parents sparked a desire to see more of the world. He first heard about the Peace Corps in college and was struck by how impactful it sounded. Although he didn’t pursue it immediately, the idea stayed with him. A few years later,

After 2020, standardized testing appeared to have been a thing of the past– until 2024, when it made its great comeback.  Over the next few months, thousands of high school students will sit down to take the SAT. But, for many of them, they have been under the impression for several years that taking either the SAT or ACT would not be a requirement for them. However, as more colleges announce they are returning to a test-required policy, it is slowly becoming apparent that th