After 5 rounds of the first-ever Inkspot March Madness Teacher Tournament, only two teachers remain. Mr. Dave Feeney of the English department and Mr. Jeff Christopherson addressed the media going into the final day of fan voting. Cast your vote for NCHS’s favorite teacher from the core four departments...

The English department's Mr. Dave Feeney and Social Studies' Mr. Kelly Keogh were early favorites in the first-ever Inkspot teacher tournament, a trend that continued through the first four rounds of voting. In the Semi-final round, Keogh's run came to an end at the hands of Mr. Jeff Christopherson....

With the COVID-19 pandemic shutting schools down until at least April 30, students have more time to fill than ever before. The current chaos across the globe is stressful for all - and nothing helps us to calm down like a familiar film. With shelter at home orders requiring us to stay inside, streaming services offer a plethora of potential watches. Here are five classic movies available to rent or stream from the comfort of your living room.

The conclusion of round four of the first-ever NCHS' Favorite Teacher competition left only one teacher from each core content area. Mr. Dave Feeney from the English department defeated Mr. Brad Bovenkerk; Ms. Lori Endsley from the Math department took down Mr. Lance Bergmann; Mr. Jeff Christopherson...

In the most creatively produced episode of The Social Buddies podcast, the Buddies practice social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic.

With the COVID-19 pandemic shutting schools down, students have more time to fill than ever before. Students might have longed for Spring Break before the COVID-19 strike, but time away is not the utopia imagined. Due to national guidelines recommending social distancing, students face boredom as the days pass by. This is the first in a series of articles detailing things to do during this unprecedented time. Each column will focus on a specific theme, starting with Keeping Your Mind Active.

Editor's Note: According to the IHSA, "April 8 is the target date" for the resumption of spring sports. "However, there are state governmental, educational and health bodies that will need to approve this action... It is too early to say definitively that IHSA activities will resume on April 8." Neither...

After graduating 14 seniors, the Ironmen varsity baseball team began their 2020 season with clear goals and high hopes.  The goal isn’t “really about doing any better than last year,” Head Coach Ryan Short said, but “just trying to do as well as this group can.” Prior to the postponement of the season, Short was optimistic about the team’s potential, saying he  “think[s] this group can do really well.” After last year’s exit on a rainy day in the Regional Championship game against Moline, Short is determined to make it a step further this year, and he thinks the Ironmen are up for the challenge. On their journey to Regionals, Short hopes to win the Big 12 Conference since NCHS is currently half a point ahead of Peoria Notre Dame for the all-sports trophy. “We spring sports need to pull our weight,” Short said. Short believes that the key to the team pulling its weight and reaching its full potential is camaraderie and chemistry, something he doesn’t think will be an issue for this group, which will make it easier to focus on and achieve season success.

When round three of the first-ever NCHS' Favorite Teacher competition ended only 8 remained. In the English department, Mr. Dave Feeney secured the most votes; Ms. Lori Endsley led the Math department; Mr. Jeff Christopherson was the front runner in the Science department; Mr. Kelly Keogh held his...

Taylor Swift has become one of the most loved and hated artists to dominate the music industry. Those who are unfamiliar or unwilling to accept the artist’s success have tried to drag her down, but most - if not all - have been left unsuccessful. In 2009, Kanye West famously interrupted Swift’s...

With the COVID-19 pandemic shutting schools down, students have more time to fill than ever before. Across the nation, people are curing their boredom through podcasts - with over 150 million people tuning in to podcasts of their choice each month. If you have already listened to the Inkspot’s very own podcasts like Social Buddies and Point of Two, here are five diverse podcast series that should appeal to a wide variety of audiences. Tune in through Spotify or the Apple Podcast app.

Former Ironmen head football coach and current physical education/driver's education teacher Mr. Wes Temples has been hired as the next athletic director of Normal West. Temples will be replacing Mr. Stan Lewis, who is retiring at the end of the school year.  Athletic director has been a goal on...

Before COVID-19 indefinitely shut down professional and amateur sports alike, a bright spot emerged in the ordinarily dark time after the Super Bowl. The NFL season concluded on February 2 with the Kansas City Chiefs being crowned league champions. In years past, the days and months after the NFL...

Illinois governor J.B. Pritzker issued a statewide stay-at-home order on Friday, March 20, which will begin at 5:00 pm on Saturday, March 21 and will remain in effect until the end of the day on Tuesday, April 7. Pritzker also announced that all Illinois schools will now remain closed until April...

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the College Board has announced a revamp of Advanced Placement (AP) testing. Keeping in line with recommendations for social distancing, there will be no in-person AP testing for the 2019-20 school year. Instead, students will have the opportunity to test online. Tests will...