Looking back at a unique school year (Staff Editorial, May 2020)

By The Sentry II Class

May 21, 2020

This school year has obviously been like no other that we have seen. When frightening tensions with Iran, the early and tragic death of a basketball icon, the impeachment of the President of the United States, historic flooding of the Jackson Metro Area, and the beginning of a presidential general election are...

OPINION: Time to reopen

By Cass Rutledge, Opinion Editor

May 11, 2020

It has now been over a month in the coronavirus-age. Social distancing has kept us in our homes, shut down numerous small businesses, and unemployed millions. The curve has begun to flatten. The guidelines have been followed, and now, the movement for reopening is gaining more momentum than ever. The...

OPINION: In times of crisis, Americans rise to the challenge

By Cass Rutledge, Opinion Editor

April 23, 2020

COVID-19 has required a lot from Americans. We have had to shift to remote learning, stay away from friends, and work from home. It really is hard to fathom how much America has come together during this crisis to care for and serve each other. America is the greatest country in the world. The grocery store ...

OPINION: Why COVID-19 may be making world leaders more popular, for now

By Ty Usey, Guest Columnist

April 9, 2020

     As March of 2020 ends, it is more or less apparent that the world is in a state of emergency. The COVID-19 (or coronavirus) pandemic has killed more than 30,000 individuals, and many metrics indicate that a severe economic downturn is on the horizon. The Dow Jones Industrial Average, the go-to i...

OPINION: Do you have the right to repair?

By Andrew Banks, Guest Columnist

April 2, 2020

     There is a growing movement to limit the power of a corporation in order to protect consumers' "right to repair." Often, when you purchase something like a car or a cell phone, you are only purchasing the hardware itself—meaning the screen, the engine block, etc. You are licensing the software t...

Sentry Picks: What’s your dream job?

March 31, 2020

“CIA agent”- Hannah Grace Biggs “Pediatrician”- Russ Upton  “Retired” - Selby Ireland “President of the United States of America” - Cass Rutledge “Definitely not a professional gamer ” - Joseph Watts “Queen of England”- Olivia Moore “Visual Effects Artist” ...

OPINION: President Trump is the leader we need in a crisis

By Cass Rutledge, Opinion Editor

March 26, 2020

Coronavirus. China virus. Wuhan virus. COVID-19. Whatever you call it, this pandemic has been making headlines. The virus is all the news talks about, and the impacts could potentially be disastrous. College and professional sports have been cancelled and postponed. Schools all over the country and globe ...

Sentry II Staff Editorial: The good in the midst of the bad

March 26, 2020

From any standpoint, things may not be going perfectly for us or people around the world as a whole. Empty shelves haunt grocery stores. The stock markets are plunging. Social distancing protocols have cancelled everything from March Madness to church services. The coronavirus, COVID-19, has fundamentally cha...

OPINION: Despite popular belief, video games are not bad

By Joseph Watts, News Editor

March 3, 2020

Video games often get a bad rap. Every kid growing up has rolled their eyes when they heard “turn off the screen and play outside” or that video games will “turn your brain to mush.” Research has actually shown that video games do quite the opposite. According to an article published in ...

OPINION: 2020 Election – Your “moderate” candidates

By Cass Rutledge, Opinion Editor

March 3, 2020

The 2020 elections are officially underway, and, finally, the Democratic presidential field has narrowed down the candidates to the single digits. Differences between the candidates have become clearer and clearer, but does it really even matter? The current field has been known to flip-flop on thei...

OPINION: New Year’s resolutions are NOT overrated

By Lauren Anne Smith, Managing Editor

January 31, 2020

“New year new you” is a common phrase thrown around during the dreary month of January when people want to change for the better. Resolutions get a bad wrap due to the lack of commitment. Studies have shown that 60% of people make resolutions, and only 8% follow through. With the low statistics,...

OPINION: Big Brother commits to customer service! Who knew?

By Selby Ireland, Opinion Editor

January 9, 2020

Among the worst scenes of inefficiency I have ever witnessed were when I obtained my learner’s permit and intermediate driver’s licence.  On my fifteenth birthday, I got up early--long before I would normally get up for school--so that I could be one of the first in line to wait outside a dark,...