Category: Columns

Column: Immigration policies hurt people contributing to our nation

by Dana Romero Regalado

It’s Nov. 5, 2024, and to many, that day was a countdown to tragedies for many immigrant families. 

I come from an immigrant family, like many children in America. Many come to America because it’s known as “The Land Of The Free.” They leave everything they know behind, everyone they love, their homes, and their culture for a better future for themselves or their children. 

“I kept thinking: this is for my baby. This is for my family. I want to help them live a smoother life,” stated a Filipino woman in a 2025 Reuters report.

“Aliens,” that’s what they’re called. Living human people, no green skin, just people who look different and have a different shade than the “American Ideal.” However, these “aliens” have significantly contributed to the U.S. through science, business, and culture, supported by studies on their economic and educational impact.

Graphic by Dana Romero Regalado.

For example, immigrants are highly represented in STEM fields, with 86.5% holding at least a bachelor’s degree in 2019, compared to 67.3% of U.S.-born STEM workers. Data also shows that immigrant-founded companies, such as Google, and 40% of Fortune 500 companies, were founded by immigrants, highlighting their entrepreneurial drive.

“The high-skilled immigrants we have in the U.S. are incredibly productive and innovative, and they’re disproportionately contributing to innovation in our society,” said Larry Diamond, a professor of economics at Stanford Graduate School of Business and senior fellow at the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research (SIEPR).

Being born as a Gen Z has helped me see how cruel the world is if you don’t fit the “ideal” image in America. I remember being terrified that I would go to school like any other day and come to find out that my mother was taken away — a hardworking woman who has her own business, hardworking employees by her side, and most importantly, a woman who would do anything for her two kids. 

To many children, that has become a reality. In 2018, it was estimated that 4.4 million U.S. citizen children were living with at least one undocumented parent. A significant number of these citizen children have been separated from a parent due to detention or deportation. A 2025 American Immigration Council report highlighted that nearly half a million U.S. citizens under 18 had at least one parent deported between 2011 and 2013.

“Government, please show some heart, let my parent be free with everybody else, please…” she said through sobs. “…My dad didn’t do nothing. He’s not a criminal,” stated 11-year-old Magdalena Gomez Gregorio, who tearfully begged for her father’s release. 

Many say that politics shouldn’t be part of conversations, that they shouldn’t be talked about because it doesn’t affect “anyone.” That’s beyond the truth; it just doesn’t affect them. Politics isn’t just about what you believe is “right” or should be “done.” It directly affects people and their lives.

Politics has a huge impact on immigrants and their everyday lives. The laws and policies created by political leaders often decide whether immigrants feel accepted and safe, or isolated and unwanted. Immigration policies can determine who gets the chance to build a better life, reunite with family, or even stay in the country they now call home. 

When political debates turn harsh or unfair, immigrants often become targets of discrimination and fear, even though most of them are just trying to work hard and create a future for themselves and their families. 

The system is failing the people they swore to protect, holding people illegally, and for a sum of money. Even local law enforcement officials, including Clark County Sheriff Scottie Maples, are holding ICE detainees at the Clark County jail.

So yes, who you support or follow does matter to me because it affects a community that is close to my heart, and it directly reflects the person you are and your morals. If the roles were reversed, would you still believe in your morals? Would you still say or think that they deserve this if they were your family? Or if they were your kids?

“Our attitude towards immigration reflects our faith in the American ideal. We have always believed it possible for men and women who start at the bottom to rise as far as the talent and energy allow. Neither race nor place of birth should affect their chances.”

Senator Robert F. Kennedy

by jhshyphen

Column: Public transportation can improve the beauty of our communities

by Rain Gresham

In this day and age, all we focus on is ourselves. But if you just took the time to stop and look around, you would see the beauty of people. The beauty of community. 

An estimated 28 million people use public transportation. That’s roughly 8% of the U.S. population and despite this, mass transit is in danger of losing its footing. 

During the pandemic, when people stopped using federal transportation and other infrastructure of economic importance the government put the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (or CARES Act) into place in March of 2020. 

Graphic by Rain Gresham.

This act was a 2.2 trillion economic stimulus, and 25 billion of that was allocated to the protection of public transportation; it was followed by the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act later in the same year with 14 billion more dollars.

Then in March of the following year the “American Rescue Plan Act of 2021” was put into effect via a giant 30.5 billion dollar relief fund to the same cause.

Though over the four years since this, that 69.5 billion has been exhausted. It wouldn’t necessarily be a problem except for the fact that they never truly recovered from the pandemic rider-ship wise. Without the funding it is truly impossible for public transit to continue running effectively and fruitfully.   

I’m sure you’re wondering “Why should I care?” I mean we go everywhere with our parents, we have our own cars. What does public transportation have to do with us?

Everything, because public transportation isn’t just about buses or trains; it’s about the people.

The dad going home to his kids, the nurse on her way back from a long shift, the student just trying to get home early enough to eat dinner with her family. Without these little things, these quiet connections that bring us together, what are we? If not held together by the glue of these everyday moments, we are a shell of a community.  

We need to fight for this because who else will. So what can you do? 

You can give it your attention. Take the bus instead of calling an uber or door dash. Every ride counts even if it’s just once in a while. It may seem silly and useless because what can one person do? But that’s how change starts with one person taking initiative. 

Showing that you care, care enough to help the drivers keep their jobs, enough to help systems stay funded, and enough to show the people in power that this isn’t a lost cause 

Sure, we can’t vote. We’re not adults? But we are not children either, we can use our voices as little as it might seem. It makes a difference. 

Bring the problem to the forefront of people’s minds. If you can’t make them care, at least make them think.

by jhshyphen

Column: There’s always a chance

by Brea’Lynn Clark

Navigating life as a teenage girl is already hard enough, trying to control all of our emotions. Losing my brother to  drug overdose has added layers of  feelings I never thought I would have to feel. Drug awareness isn’t just a cause to me. It’s a personal mission I set upon myself . I’ve seen first hand how the shadows of drugs can just  pull you under, and I want to shed light. 

Growing up my brother was light and joyful. He was my protector, the person I would run to. Growing up we would  lie for each other. Tell on each other. We just  did things only siblings would understand. We would play and get  mad at each other. Everything was perfect. It was just me and him and my mom against the world. 

Everything changed whenever we got older.  The once happy spirit I saw with  bright eyes, was now replaced by sadness and dull eyes. I never pushed myself to know what was going on, unaware of the battle he was struggling with behind his faded smile. 

The turning point was the first time he overdosed. A 15 year- old boy lost his life that day and he was never the same again.  The paramedics saved him and I had never seen my brother cry like he did. The strong person I would call whenever I needed was no longer him.

Everything changed after that. It was a constant cycle no matter what. It was a life of fear for everyone around him not to know if he would be here the next day. My mom would beg him to go to rehab. She would do everything that a mother can to make it better for him. I know he saw that.

 “Drugs were my first love.” Those were words my brother said in a letter he wrote while in jail. Drugs aren’t a joke. They are an addiction and they take you away from people who love you. 

At  the end of the cycle after over a dozen overdoses,  he lost his life on June 8, 2025. I know he felt pain and I know he felt struggles. Maybe by reading my story you will take the lesson as this. Don’t do something that may  make you not live  to see another day. There is always a chance and you don’t get  lucky every time.

by jhshyphen

Column: We can control anxiety one step at a time

by Kori Washington

I overthink everything.

You could ask me the simplest question, and it might take me a few minutes to answer. And I always think of the worst that could happen. Sometimes I jinx myself because it does end up happening. That’s why I stick to activities that are within my comfort zone — so I don’t have to stress myself out. Still, sometimes I think that my anxiety is what holds me back from gaining new life experiences.

Source: https://www.cdc.gov/children-mental-health/data-research/index.html. Graphic by Kori Washington.

But that’s not even the worst part about it. My anxiety has also caused me insomnia, which has played a big part in my life, especially when I was younger. I remember my fourth-grade year. My grandmother had passed away, and that really took a toll on me because she was my best friend. So that summer was the first time I started having sleeping problems, and that was also the year I had my first depression episode. 

I can remember it like it was yesterday – the long nights, the feeling of nothingness, and the worst part of it all was that I lost interest in activities that I used to enjoy. For example, I didn’t go outside anymore to play with my sisters or friends, and I just stayed in bed all day, even though I couldn’t sleep. I had no motivation to do anything else. However, after a few months of feeling that way, I finally got the help I needed, and I went to talk to someone.

But the crazy thing is, to this day, some people believe that teens shouldn´t have anxiety because they think that teens don’t have enough life experience to be unhappy or stressed. But according to the World Health Organization, “One in six people is aged 10–19 years. Adolescence is a unique and formative time. Physical, emotional, and social changes, including exposure to poverty, abuse, or violence, can make adolescents vulnerable to mental health problems.”

This proves that out of all people, we teens have the most to worry about. We have to worry about our looks, grades, and social life while also planning for our futures.

But if we don’t worry about these issues, then we’d be irresponsible and unlikable, which causes us more stress because everyone wants to be liked, and if someone tells you they don’t, they’re lying because every person wants to feel loved or cared for by someone. 

In the end, my experiences with anxiety have taught me that it’s okay to feel overwhelmed and that it’s a common struggle for many, especially during our teen years. While I often overthink and worry about the worst outcome, I’ve been working on trying to see the better side of life.

It’s important to remember that everyone faces our own battles, and that reaching out for support is okay. By doing this, I’m starting to try new experiences, one step at a time.

by jhshyphen

Column: Build a future where everyone feels safe and valued

by Emmaley Sanders

In today’s society, the growing amount of hate directed at Christians is a troubling issue. Many people, especially younger individuals, experience discrimination and unfriendliness based on their faith.

This bitterness often stems from misunderstandings and stereotypes that paint Christians in a negative light. Whether it’s derogatory remarks in schools, exclusion from social circles, or targeted harassment on social media, the impact of this hate is profound and damaging. It not only affects the mental well-being of those targeted but also contributes to a culture of division that undermines our collective humanity.

Furthermore, the picture of Christianity in mainstream media often extends negative narratives that fuel the hate. Exaggerating stories that focus on radical behaviors overshadow the values of compassion, love, and acceptance that are central to the Christian faith. As a result, many young Christians feel excluded and isolated, battling a struggle to claim their identity in a society that sometimes seems unaccepting.

“Let’s commit to supporting one another, embracing our differences, and creating a culture where kindness overrules hate. Only then can we hope to bring a future where everyone feels safe and valued, regardless of their beliefs.”

It’s essential for all of us—regardless of our personal beliefs—to challenge these narratives and promote a more balanced understanding of what it means to be a Christian today.

To counter this growing hate, we must build an environment of open dialogue and mutual respect. Schools, communities, and even online platforms should encourage discussions that promote understanding and empathy. By standing together against intolerance, whether it’s directed at Christians or any other group, we can build a society that values diversity and encourages acceptance.

Let’s commit to supporting one another, embracing our differences, and creating a culture where kindness overrules hate. Only then can we hope to bring a future where everyone feels safe and valued, regardless of their beliefs.

by jhshyphen

Column: We must be the change to save our environment

by Harper Gordon

We are actively destroying our planet and we need to stop. 

As someone who wants to go into marine biology, climate change with animals is a very important topic to me and should be to you, too. Thinking about it now it doesn´t seem to matter but this is the plant we are inheriting. Over 100 million ocean animals die in a year. On average that’s 227,777 per day.

Graphic by Harper Gordon.

How does climate change affect ocean animals? Specifically whales and turtles? 

Climate change affects ocean animals through rising ocean temperatures, leading to habitat loss and migration; ocean acidification, which impairs shell and skeleton formation; and deoxygenation, creating “dead zones.” These changes disrupt food webs, alter migration patterns, and increase stress on many species, with some, like coral reefs and ice dependent animals, facing an especially high risk of extinction.

Whale Sharks

Climate change affects whale sharks by altering their food sources and forcing them into dangerous waters, increasing their risk of ship strikes.

Whale sharks are filter feeders whose diet primarily consists of plankton, krill, and fish eggs. They also eat small fish and squid. Despite their massive size, they consume these small food sources by swimming with their mouths open, filtering large quantities of seawater to strain out their prey.

Sea Turtles

Climate change affects sea turtles by causing more females to hatch due to warmer sand temperatures, leading to skewed sex ratios that threaten future reproduction. It also disrupts their food sources, alters migratory patterns, and endangers nesting habitats through rising sea levels and increased storm intensity. These combined impacts pose a severe threat to their long-term survival.

A sea turtle’s diet varies by species, with some being carnivores (like Loggerheads eating crabs and conchs), herbivores (like adult Green sea turtles eating seagrass and algae), or omnivores (like Hawksbills eating sponges or Olive Ridleys eating a mix of plants and animals). Other species, such as Leatherbacks, are specialists that primarily eat jellyfish and sea squirts.

As a person going into marine biology this is a big issue to me. We live our normal everyday lives acting like our earth isn’t crumbling and it is not acceptable. As an adult I plan to attend UCLA. So I can be the change I wish to see. 

We can and should all work together and be the change.

by jhshyphen

Column: High school athletes use social media to build on their success

by Spencer Robinson

The impact social media has on up-and-coming athletes 

From being an unknown hooper to now having a combined 600,000 followers across TikTok and Instagram sounds ridiculous. That’s exactly what undersized class of 2026 guard Troy Hornbeck did in the span of a few months.

In his videos Hornbeck has a series called “Road to D1.” Here, Hornbeck posts the day in the life of someone trying to make it to the Division One level. Being at the height of 6 ‘2 Hornbeck everyday makes sure he puts himself out there for college coaches all over the world to see.

Hornbeck is a great example of why social media can change athletes’ lives for the better.

Another basketball league that’s generating major buzz all over social media is the new league located in Atlanta, Georgia called “Overtime Elite.”  Overtimes’ whole goal is to boost an athlete’s rep and get them in front of the eyes of the biggest and best coaches in the world.

Overtime has accumulated 1.3 million followers on Instagram alone. Their media has set their high school athletes up for major success on the court and financially with the minimum salary being $100,000 a year. NBA players Amen and his twin brother Ausar Thompson have roots with Overtime. This is an example of how putting yourself out there can help you play at the highest level like the Thompson twins.

Also, the use of social media for young athletes teaches them core professional values.

True sport

  • Social media with athletes boost a player’s name, image, and likeness.
  • Athletes can keep up with the professional athletes in their respective sport and learn from the people at the highest level.
  • More opportunities for coaches to easily access your highlights and learn more about you. 

So, the next time you see Hornbeck’s “Road to D1” vlog or you look on Instagram and see Overtime hosting the best high school athletes in the country, know that these athletes are setting themselves up for a bigger and brighter future.

by jhshyphen

Column: One day at a time

by Audrey Ball

There’s a problem. Well, at least for me there is. Maybe people will agree with me. There are so many problems in today’s world that many don’t even realize that this is a problem. We don’t even realize what is actually going on behind closed doors.

Oh, here we go. Not again. One after another. Problem after problem. Am I the problem? What did I do wrong? Always asking myself what is wrong with me. Why am I not loved? House after house. Family after family.

Why can’t I have a family? 

I know I’m not perfect, but I don’t deserve this. Holding on to hope that I will make it out. Call after call. Picture after picture. Hoping one day someone will help me. Why won’t my case worker help me? I called. I have proof. Pictures, videos and even recordings. Still nothing. I’m still stuck.   

Being a foster kid is not for the weak. In today’s world the foster care system is so corrupt. Children and teens today are put in situations that no one should be put in. Some people are just not meant to be case workers. Or foster parents. 

One of the biggest issues is the lack of oversight and accountability. When case workers are overburdened or just simply not doing their jobs properly, it can lead to children and teens being placed in unsafe or neglectful homes. The system needs to be doing more checks and balances to ensure that children and teens are being protected and that foster parents are providing accurate care. 

Additional checks and balances will help children and teens that are in danger. Not everyone has or had a bad home. Or maybe even a bad case worker, but I did. I wasn’t allowed to eat when I wanted. Shower when I wanted. I had to ask for toilet paper. I wasn’t allowed to have a roll. I wasn’t allowed to shut my door. Not even to change. I had to use the bathroom to change. These were just some of the major rules I had. 

Many people don’t realize how foster care can really be. They don’t talk about all the little issues inside the home until you’re in the home. They also don’t mention how foster siblings can be, either — from stealing our belongings to giving them away. Sleeping in your bed. Using your personal belongings as theirs. To physical fighting, to late night arguments, it seriously never ends.  

This is why I think the foster care system is corrupt because of the experience I had. Calling for help and being ignored. There are so many children and teens that struggle from the same experience I had. It’s not fair. It’s not fair that children and teens are getting abused mentally and physically because the foster care system has failed to provide them a safe and loving home.   

Children and teens have resources like school or a trusted adult. There are many resources to reach out to. It’s important to speak up, even when it’s hard. Being in the foster system doesn’t mean your voice isn’t heard. You just have to find the right resources to help. Living through a difficult experience doesn’t mean you have to have a sad story. 

I’m not a sad story. I went through something traumatic, but holding on to the past wouldn’t help me move forward. I have good grades now. I have a job. A future, even after going through that traumatic experience. 

My favorite quote is, “Never be a prisoner of your past; it was a life lesson not a life sentence.” I carry that around with me everywhere. I sit and think about the lessons I learned instead of holding on to what happened in the past.

It can get better. Reach out to those around you. Check up on them. You never know what someone could be experiencing.

by jhshyphen

Column: Life is fast, so look around for a while

by Jada Belser

If I have one operating philosophy about life, it is this — life goes by so quickly. Without realizing it, you just look up in the time already past you.

“Life moves pretty fast; if you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” 

– Ferris Bueller

We always have to be so serious about everything, never having fun or acting wild for the hopes of making other people happy, mostly our parents. It makes me think about everything I did in the beginning of freshman year, always home, never out. Stressing about school work or grades. That wasn’t living, just merely existing.

Until one day I did. 

I remember it like it was yesterday. It was the beginning of my junior year.

“Before we let these worries drown us, let’s just look around for a while.”

My friends wanted to go to the Jeff versus Floyd Central football game — theme Frat. We all made a plan to dress fratty. Jean shorts, long sleeve button up, strip tie, drawn-on mustaches. A little basic, yes, but still, it was the greatest time I ever had. We took pictures, laughed, joked around and got “sendy” like frat boys do. 

We didn’t stay at the game after Floyd had scored 12-0 — we knew we were going to lose. So we went to Sundae Paradise ice cream across the street. We stayed there for a while, then left to go to Vissing Park. When we arrived at the park, the feeling of the night felt different. A good kind of different — electric even.

As we walked around in the woods area near Vissing Park with our flashlights, we laughed so hard we couldn’t breathe because it was so dark. It was better to laugh it off then worry so much on the matter.

We all got tired of walking and running, so we went to sit at the park. My friend Zoe and I sat on swings, seeing who could swing the farthest. Eventually, we stopped and started to feel sick as we slowed down and swayed back in further on the swings.

I looked around and saw all my friends talking and laughing. Then it hit me that this is what I’m going to remember most from high school. Not all the tests or the drama. These are the people that make life worth living and make my “high school experience”  feel like a dream. These are the people I hope I get to grow into adulthood with.

When we look back on these memories as adults and future college graduates, we’re not going to remember what score we got on the SATs or the grade-point average we had.

We’re going to remember these key moments in our lives that really shape who we become as a person. We only live once. We will only be this young once in this era of time.

Before the worries about college and jobs, or the fear of choosing the wrong college major, or possibly getting a job we may hate…

Or becoming like our parents, jumping from job to job and living from paycheck to paycheck…

Or working ourselves to death just to make a decent living…

Before we let these worries drown us, let’s just look around for a while.

by jhshyphen

Column: Stay true and push through — it’s always worth it

by Amaya Hipsher

Everyone has a different high school experience. Hanging with your friends, finding out who you are as a person. Let’s just say mine was not so great. I learned a lot of lessons very fast in a short amount of time. This not only affected my feelings, but also my character.

Let’s start off with freshman year. I had just started a new school. I was going to school with my sister. I had just started a relationship with someone, and I had a lot of friends.

Sounds like fun, right? That went downhill quickly. My relationship lasted for a while, but then we broke up. I fell into a really bad depression for about three months. I would come to school looking messy, sleep or cry somewhere, and I would go home and cry for hours. I got into a fight and got suspended, came back, fought again, and went to alternative school.

Then, I came back to regular school the second semester of my sophomore year. I came back with little-to-no friends, but that was nothing new. It just made me realize who really cared for me and who didn’t when I left.

I started to keep distance from everyone to realize the kind of people I wanted to surround myself with. I started to just sit back and listen and try to figure out who I wanted and needed to be. I also realized was that I needed to focus on my future.

After that, I entered junior year. I still talked to some people, but it was rare. I was usually by myself or with my best friend, I’Yonna. I also became really close with another friend, Brionna. I tried to stay focused on school but kept slipping. But then, I picked it up and ended up getting better grades. Towards the end of the year, I’Yonna and I decided that we wanted to graduate early. That  was the end of our junior year.

Now, it’s senior year, and I’m trying to make sure I stay on task and I keep my friend group very small. I learned that high school goes by fast, but it also teaches us many life lessons. When I came to high school I thought everything was going to be cake. Oh, boy, was I wrong. High school taught me just to be myself and stay true to myself to bloom into who I truly am. 

Moral of the story – high school can change your life in different ways. No matter what happens, stay who you are and push through – it’s going to be worth it. Keep pushing and work through it. It may seem like a weight and a burden, but it will always be worth it.

by jhshyphen

Column: We must reduce school shootings by taking action on gun laws

by Kaylee Borelli

The topic of gun laws is very sensitive. Some people believe that you should have the right to have a gun because of the Second Amendment, while others believe that there should be more restrictive laws because of gun violence and school shootings. I think that people should be allowed to have firearms, but they shouldn’t be handed to people who have the wrong intentions. 

According to CNN, as of September 23, 2025, there have been 53 school shootings in 2025. 27 of these shootings occurred on college campuses, and the other 26 were on K-12 school grounds.

Source: Source: https://www.cnn.com/us/school-shootings-fast-facts-dg. Graphic by Kaylee Borelli.

The number of school shootings so far this year hasn’t been as high as in previous years, but this number is still too high. According to a CNN chart, the number of school shootings has mostly risen since 2008; last year had the highest number of school shootings, with 83 of them. But even before 2008, there were problems with school shootings.

For example, Columbine is one of the most notorious school shootings. It occurred on April 20, 1999, and led to 13 deaths, many injuries, and physical and emotional trauma to the survivors. As a result of this devastation, there was a national reassessment of school safety and a significant change in school security and policies.

While these changes seem like a good solution at the moment, these security measures aren’t working. I believe that, in addition to the security measures, there should be more action on gun laws and more research into how these tragedies can be prevented. 

Many gun laws have been proposed in the past, but these laws haven’t been passed, and if they are passed, they could cut down on school shootings. In other countries, the gun laws are much stricter, and there isn’t widespread availability and accessibility to firearms. In Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Italy, and the United Kingdom together, there have only been five school shootings since 2009. In contrast, there have been 288 school shootings in America since 2009. This data alone should be enough for there to be a crackdown on gun laws, and still, it seems as if people don’t care enough to take action.

Another important part of preventing school shootings is preventing adolescents from having access to firearms.

According to the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Service, the average age of adolescent school shooters is 16 years old. Since these kids aren’t legally able to purchase a gun, they have to turn to stealing it from their parents. Most of the time, these guns are loaded and easily accessible, rather than being locked away. This poses extreme danger. Guns should be required to be locked up and in a safe place where a kid cannot access them. Studies have also shown that when children and teens live in a home with firearms, there is an increased risk of firearm injuries to them.

Since so many teens have had access to firearms, there have been huge problems along with it, like firearms being the number one cause of death in children and teens.

According to Harvard Medical School, since 2020, firearms have been the number one cause of death among children and teens. Along with those deaths, many children and teens also suffer from injuries as a result of firearms. These deaths and injuries cause mental health problems in both the families and the children. These mental health problems seriously affect the people suffering from them and can last a lifetime.

With all these dangers and risks, many students are nervous coming to school with the possibility of getting shot. It’s also not just students worried about a school shooting happening at their school; their parents also share the same concern.

In a Pew Research study, 57% of teens say that they are worried about the possibility of a shooting happening, with one-in-four of these students saying they are extremely worried about it happening. For parents, 63% said that they were somewhat worried about a shooting happening at their children’s school.

If action isn’t taken on gun laws, there will continue to be school shootings. It’s not just school shootings that are the problem, but also mass shootings in general are a major problem. Without any control over gun laws, students are afraid to go to school, and some people might be scared to leave their houses. These shootings have taken a toll on mental health, and if people really cared, something would have already been changed. I think it’s about time for important people to actually care about this problem, so that something can change, hopefully for the better.

by jhshyphen

Column: Not all comets follow the rules

by Liddia Waterbury

Not all comets follow the rules.

3I/ATLAS is an interstellar comet from another solar system, discovered in July 2025, and is the third ever found in ours.  

Normally, comets only form a visible coma when sunlight melts their ices and compounds, but 3I/ATLAS developed one far from the sun, leading some to speculate it might be an alien spacecraft. Even though it isn’t, and there is evidence to prove it.

3I/ATLAS has a normal gravitational motion, meaning its orbital path is simple. There are no signs of an artificial thrust or course changes.

Graphic by Liddia Waterbury.

As well as a normal gravitational motion, it also shows normal cometary activity, as the formation of a coma and tail is a natural reaction to the sun’s heat. It is not something you’d expect from a solid, artificial object.

Studying 3I/ATLAS’s abnormal qualities can inspire teenagers and young adults who enjoy space science. It can also help us uncover new evidence about other solar systems and the wider universe.

When I was little, maybe around three or four, I went to my stepmom’s aunt’s house for a party. I can’t remember what kind of party or how long I was there for, but I remember how big the house was. 

In the living room, there was a ladder that led to a loft with a window. My step-siblings and I climbed up the ladder and found a telescope. One of my older cousins was looking out of it and helped us see out of it, too. I remember looking out the telescope and seeing the stars and the moon. I was astonished by the beauty of space.

When I heard about this unusual comet, I immediately thought of this memory and how much space interests me.         

This comet can also bring new interests to us teenagers.

Since the comet came from another solar system, it shows that our solar system isn’t isolated. Learning more about 3I/ATLAS could inspire us, young people, to study astronomy and space science. 

Not all comets follow the rules, and 3I/ALTAS is one of them. Its unusual coma and path show how surprising space can be. Discoveries like this can inspire teens to look deeper into space.

by jhshyphen