Irish Insights

School delivering all emotions
Although the past two weeks have marked success in both academics and athletics, talk about career day and mixed feelings about an updated phone policy have been rampant amongst the junior and senior classes …

Success all around
The academic team had its first competition Oct. 14, triumphing over Cushing. Led by captain Joseph Coats, the team won both rounds it competed in, sending the Irish to the regional round.

“We made a couple of mistakes, and then we learned from it,” coach Nicky Goff said.

As a senior-heavy team, Coats said there’s been a need to change because of new members and shifting dynamics. Coats added that the team is confident after the win and expects to compete at state.

On the volleyball floor, after success at regionals, the Irish moved on to its state competition. That meant more intense practices. Coach Kelli Miller said the team worked on fine tuning before state and carried good morale.

“I love seeing them in good spirits,” Miller said.

The Irish speech team also found success at their first tournament of the year, victorious with 22 regional qualifiers.

“We ranked first overall as a team,” Coach Brett Young said. “I was very proud.”

Both the Fundamentals of Speech and Competitive Speech classes participated in the tournament, allowing for a clean sweep in the standard oratory, prose and extemporaneous speaking categories. For many Fundamentals of Speech students, the tournament was one of their first experiences with competition.

“It was a lot of fun,” Freshman Emory Eckles said. “The whole thing was an amazing experience and I can’t wait to continue competing.”

Updated phone policy
The school administration held a mid-semester checkup for the senior and junior classes, introducing an updated cell phone policy. The policy, enacted as a result of “inappropriate phone usage,” requires students to place their phones in pocket holders during class. Many students are unhappy with the new policy, but thought it was inevitable.

“I kind of expected it honestly because everyone’s always on their phones and it was a big distraction,” Junior Dalayja Armstrong said.

Principal Andrew Worthington said “there will be no opportunity to use them” during class, unless students have accommodations or special circumstances. Worthington added that the policy is similar to other cell phone policies in schools around the state.

PSAT/Career Day
Recently, the freshman, sophomore and junior classes took the Preliminary SAT, which helped them practice for future SAT testing. For many freshmen, the test was a first-time experience.

“It was definitely intimidating at first, but overall it was nice to get the experience,” freshman Anna McFadden said.

For juniors, the test determined if they would qualify for national merit. While the lower classes took the PSAT, the senior class had its annual Career Day, where McGuinness hosted more than 20 representatives to talk to students about their respective careers. Guest speakers John Lopez and Steven Dexter spent half the day with the class, talking about different career paths and the necessary schooling requirements.

Seniors Maxwell Schomas and Lucas Stone said they thought the speakers and representatives were informative.

”I think it’s cool to see, especially if it’s actually what you want to do when you’re older,” Schomas said.

Stone added that he thought the experience represented a large range of careers, which he was able to learn from.

Senior service
Throughout recent weeks, the senior class has been in preparation mode for its service project, which will be a Halloween celebration, or “Monster Fest,” at the Boys and Girls Club. It held a bake sale to raise money.


Photo: The Irish varsity volleyball team posed for photo after a win at regionals. Photo Elise Grim.