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Whatever you are interested in, we've got it covered.

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To donate blood students must be at least 16 with parental permission and 110 lbs. Licensed Image: Envato
Student Council, Red Cross club to host blood drive amid critical need
I’Aria Blackmon, Ania Gwarda and Maddie Lane Feb 6, 2025

With the American Red Cross facing a critical blood shortage due to severe winter weather and the California wildfires, Student Council and Red Cross club are partnering to host a blood drive on Friday, Feb. 21. The drive, held in the school’s multipurpose room from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., aims to surpass last year’s total...

In September 2024, while campaigning for re-election, Donald Trump made a “pledge to close the Department of Education in Washington, D.C.” 
In early February of 2025, the Trump administration renewed that pledge. Image Courtesy: Department of Education // www.ed.gov
What happens if the Department of Education is eliminated? Local school leaders weigh in
Inkspot Staff Feb 6, 2025

President Donald Trump’s proposed elimination of the Department of Education—echoing Republican efforts that date back to when the department was established in 1979—raises questions about how federal funding would be redistributed, how student protections would be maintained and what responsibilities would fall to states. Dissolving...

Mental health in athletics is no longer a silent struggle. At Community’s annual Stay Another Day night, athletes took the floor not just for competition but for a cause—supporting alum Mackenzie Nelson’s growing movement.
Stay Another Day night: How a Community alum’s message is changing the conversation on mental health [video]
Bella Green, Editor-in-Chief • Feb 3, 2025

Community’s annual Stay Another Day night highlights the growing impact of alum Mackenzie Nelson’s mental health movement, showing how a personal mantra has become a nationwide call for awareness and support.  

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Community's competitive cheer team heads to the IHSA State competition for the first time under head coach Ms. Heather Gotschall on Friday, Feb. 7.
Image Courtesy of: IHSA
Cheer punches ticket to State for first time since 2019
Elijah Conda, Staff Writer • Feb 7, 2025

For the first time under head coach Ms. Heather Gotschall, Community’s competitive cheer team has secured a spot at the IHSA State Finals after earning third place at the Mascoutah Sectional competition on Jan. 31. Gotschall, in her third season leading the program, guided the Ironmen back to State for the first time since...

Unblemished: Ironmen wrestling caps historic 20-0 season; Individuals chasing more milestones
Unblemished: Ironmen wrestling caps historic 20-0 season; Individuals chasing more milestones
Inkspot Staff Feb 3, 2025

For the first time in program history, the Ironmen are perfect. The wrestling team closed out the season with a spotless 20-0 dual meet record, securing its place as the most dominant squad the program has ever seen, the first undefeated season in program history. Senior Caden Correll has been the driving force behind...

Community isn't as strong in the relays as seasons past but boast three strong legs with the Pyle brothers and Sam Grojean. 
Coach Budak is looking to the improving times of the sophomore class to round of the Iron's relays. 

Photo Courtesy of: Mr. Jeff Christopherson
Swim takes 2nd at Intercity, Iron eye postseason push
Brady Phelps, Staff Writer • Jan 31, 2025

The boys swim team took second place at the Intercity Meet on Jan. 28, finishing 42 points behind the Normal West Wildcats. The junior duo of Sam Grojean and Wade Pyle led Community, combining for three first-place individual finishes and propelling the team to a pair of runner-up relay performances. Grojean captured the...

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Hollywood’s game plan: 3 video games begging for screen adaptations
Hollywood’s game plan: 3 video games begging for screen adaptations
Carter Hull, Staff Reporter • Jan 2, 2025
The clash between Hollywood and video games began in 1993 with the release of “Super Mario Bros.,” a box office disaster now immortalized on “Worst Movie of All-time” lists. For years, video game adaptations struggled to level up, the victim of flimsy plots, awkward pacing and a lack of respect for the source material. 
The 2024 Game Awards: Who deserves the spotlight this year
The 2024 Game Awards: Who deserves the spotlight this year
Bryce Hickman, Senior Staff Reporter • Dec 11, 2024
The 2024 Game Awards has cemented its status over the past decade as not just the biggest night in gaming, but one of the most celebrated award shows across all entertainment industries.
Promotional Image Courtesy of: Studio Ghibli
Top 5 Studio Ghibli films
Bryce Hickman, Senior Staff Reporter • Dec 2, 2024
I didn’t grow up with Ghibli films like a lot of the studio’s fans—a casualty of my parents’ “quality control,” turning off anything they deemed “stupid.” Anything animated, like “Adventure Time” or “Regular Show,” automatically fell into this category.
Image Courtesy of: Netflix Promotional Materials
Tyson vs. Paul: Community weighs in on boxing’s generational showdown [video]
Carter Hull, Staff Reporter • Nov 15, 2024

Boxing legend Mike Tyson, 57, is stepping back into the ring to face YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul, 27, in a highly anticipated exhibition match on Nov. 15. The bout, set to stream live on Netflix at 7 p.m., will follow a modified rule set with eight two-minute rounds and fighters wearing 14 oz gloves, as requested by Tyson. While...

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Lily Mavros’ voice has taken her to magical worlds, mythic battlefields and Broadway-inspired stages. Her passion for musical theater began with "The Secret Garden" and was reignited this summer when she performed in "The Six."

Photo Courtesy of": Mr. Jeff Christopherson
From the fourth-grade talent show to center stage: Lily Mavros’ musical journey
Inkspot Staff and Brayden Blackwell Feb 5, 2025

Lily Mavros’ love for music began with an impromptu fourth-grade performance, but her journey didn’t stop there. From local productions to starring roles, the Community senior has worked tirelessly to hone her craft. In this episode, we explore how she balances AP classes, voice lessons and performances—while preparing...

Photo Courtesy of: Bodie Thompson
Skipping school for a rare bird? Meet the teen who’ll drop everything for a sighting
Inkspot Staff and Kirsten Santana Feb 4, 2025

At 6 a.m., before Community’s hallways fill with groggy students, Bode Thompson is already outside, scanning the tree line for movement. Fall migration is in full swing, and warblers—small, colorful birds that dart through the branches—are passing through. Thompson, a senior, spends his mornings chasing birds before...

The Boy Wonder goes to college
The Boy Wonder goes to college
Zachary Knox-Doyle, Sports Editor • Jan 16, 2025

Whether it’s another blowout victory under the Friday night lights or a tense, final-possession battle on the basketball hardwood, whether the roar of the crowd erupts in triumph or falls to an anxious hush, one constant cuts through the noise at Normal Community High School–the familiar, booming voice of Mr. Dana Starkey.  The...

The Normal Marching Band went from "seed to bloom" in their 2024 show, performing a song list of: "Flower Duet" by Léo Delibes, "Singing in the Rain" by Nacio Herb Brown, "Country Gardens" by Perry Grainger, "A Road, A Path" by Roy Magunson, "Kingfishers Catch Fire" by John Mackey and "What a Wonderful World" by Louis Armstrong.
Seed to bloom
Bella Green, Editor-in-Chief • Nov 22, 2024
The Normal Marching Band cultivated success and harvested a bounty of accolades this season with their plant-themed performance, “Seed to Bloom,” culminating in a flourishing finish at the Illinois Marching Band Championship on Oct. 26, their final show of the year.
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The top 5 hottest presidents
The top 5 hottest presidents
Inkspot Staff Feb 4, 2025

Top 5: Iconic Snoop Dogg albums
Top 5: Iconic Snoop Dogg albums
Carter Hull, Staff Reporter • Sep 26, 2024

Every day, Snoop Dogg seems to make headlines for something new—whether he’s lighting up the Olympic torch, giving up smoke or joining “The Voice” as the show’s newest coach.  This “whatever” attitude has been central to Snoop’s three-decade reign as one of hip-hop’s most enduring icons. In a genre where...

Top 5 must-have expansion packs for ‘The Sims 4’ Fans: From family drama to island escapes
Top 5 must-have expansion packs for ‘The Sims 4’ Fans: From family drama to island escapes
Lyra Townsend, Staff Reporter • Sep 18, 2024

It’s been a decade since “The Sims 4” hit the shelves in September 2014. Yet, the digital dollhouse remains a staple of the simulation video game genre.  At its core, “The Sims 4” distills the essence of daily life, cranked up to 11.  It is more than just a life-simulation game; it’s a place where the mundane...

Promotional Image Courtesy of: Warner Bros. Discovery
Top 5: Most mind-bending ‘Rick and Morty’ episodes
Charles (Charlie) Faulkner, Staff Writer • Aug 30, 2024

“Insane” barely begins to scratch the surface of “Rick and Morty.” It's far too sane a word to describe the hit’s straightjacketed madness.    For seven seasons on Adultswim, the animated sci-fi comedy series has made a name for itself a concoction of utterly chaotic characters and absurdist storylines.    Since...

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