Charlotte Calmès

In Focus: Christopherson and his camera

Charlotte Calmes and Olivia Plangger
Apr 29, 2022

Madrigals returns in-person [photo gallery]

Charlotte Calmes and Nayonika Banerjee
Dec 24, 2021

The 21st annual Madrigals holiday performance returned live on Friday, Dec. 3 and Saturday, Dec. 4. With COVID-19 restrictions prohibiting food service, tickets for the Chamber Choir and Madrigal singers’ Christmas concert were $5, their lowest price in years.

[Photo] Madrigals temporarily deserts dinner service, offering lowest ticket prices in two decades

Inkspot Staff
Dec 3, 2021

Leslie Burton and Aubrey Simpson served dinner to the audience of the 2019 Madrigals Dinner performances, the last year the show was able to provide food service.

Opinion: After festival tragedy, Travis Scott must be held accountable

Eli Schneider and Charlotte Calmes
Dec 1, 2021

Travis Scott isn't known for calm, cool, and collected concert performances. His headlining appearances make headlines. In 2015, the Houston rapper encouraged Chicago's Lollapalooza audience to climb over security barriers and storm the stage. In 2017, after encouraging fans to bypass concert...

Students, staff ‘Sound Off’ on their favorite Taylor Swift songs [video]

Charlotte Calmes and Nayonika Banerjee
Nov 12, 2021

Community students and staff 'Sound Off' on their favorite Taylor Swift songs in honor of "Red," Swift's fourth studio album, being rereleased on Friday, Nov. 12.

Theatre program jumps back into action with fall comedy ‘Zap!’ [review and photo gallery]

Nayonika Banerjee and Charlotte Calmes
Nov 2, 2021

80 minutes, give or take, is the time it takes to watch two episodes of Netflix's "Squid Game," ½ of "Titanic," or to listen to 25 Taylor Swift songs. 80 minutes of "Squid Game" delivers suspense and drama. "Titanic" provides viewers with romance and tragic adventure. T. Swift packs hours of tears,...

Theatre program ‘Zaps’ back on stage

Charlotte Calmes and Dylan Wehmeyer
Oct 15, 2021

The Theatre program returns to the NCHS stage with "Zap!"'s premiere on Oct. 15. Friday's opening night marks the first in-person production at Community since February 2020's staging of "Clue." Last November, the Theatre program collaborated with the three area high schools and ISU to produce...

The king is dead

NCHS eliminates Homecoming King, Queen titles; elects Homecoming Royalty

Charlotte Calmes, Editor-in-Chief
Sep 30, 2021

Seniors Drexel Douglass and Joey Fela were crowned as the inaugural “Homecoming Royalty” at the kickoff of Friday, Sept. 24’s Homecoming football game. NCHS opted for the more inclusive term “Royalty” in place of “King” and “Queen” terminology. As a result, two male candidates,...

[Photo] Juniors win powderpuff [photo gallery]

Nayonika Banerjee and Jonah Kramer
Sep 27, 2021

New Faces of Normal: A Q&A with NCHS’s new hires

Charlotte Calmes, Laynee Scheck, Eli Schneider, Dylan Wehmeyer, Nayonika Banerjee, Jonah Kramer and Victoria Wilson
Sep 14, 2021

In addition to welcoming over 500 new students at the start of the 2021-2022 school year, Normal Community welcomed 19 new staff members. The Inkspot hosted a Q&A with the new hires that would allow Ironmen to familiarize themselves with the New Faces of Normal.

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Life Flight lands at NCHS [video]

Charlotte Calmes and Laynee Scheck
May 18, 2021

OSF Medical Group provided Mr. Justin Steve and student teacher Mr. Brad Smith's third-hour Bio-engineering students with an overview of the Life Flight program, which involved a helicopter landing on the NCHS football practice field.

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Big Macs for Big Decisions: Counselors host Decision Day 2021 [video]

Laynee Scheck and Charlotte Calmes
May 10, 2021

Counselors hosted a drive-thru Decision Day April 30 for all seniors -- remote and in-person -- to declare their post-secondary plans.

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Army Adventure Trailer visits NCHS [video]

Charlotte Calmes, Laynee Scheck and Zach Holliday
Apr 30, 2021

The College and Career Center hosted the U.S Army's Adventure Trailer where students experienced a variety of digital simulations.

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The Inkspot’s Cutest Canine Contest

A photo gallery of the Inkspot's Cutest Canine Contest entries submitted by NCHS students in celebration of National Puppy Day

Charlotte Calmes, Editor-in-Chief
Apr 5, 2021

Obsessed since seven: Listening and loving 1D since elementary school

Charlotte Calmes, Editor-in-Chief
Mar 7, 2021

I don’t think I’m alone in saying that One Direction was my childhood. My elementary school classmates and I would constantly talk about the band. At lunch, on the playground during recess, when waiting in line at the drinking fountain, we would be talking about the group’s breakout hits “What...

Two takes on One Direction

Charlotte Calmes is an O.G 1D fan; Kelsey Kern is a recent convert -- the two Inkspot staffers share their love of One Direction

Charlotte Calmes and Kelsey Kern
Mar 6, 2021

One Direction. When those two magical words are spoken, they have the power to make minds jump to the products of the group's instant "X-Factor" successes. Songs like "What Makes You Beautiful" or "One Thing." Or to chart-topping singles -- "Sign of the Times" and "Slow Hands" -- songs that gave...

2020: Monumental year in music

Top albums of 2020

Charlotte Calmes, Editor-in-Chief
Feb 1, 2021

2020 was a monumental year in music. While the pandemic, political turmoil, and the underlying uncertainty in nearly every aspect of life could have served as distractions and hampered creativity -- artists did what they have always done best. They prevailed, releasing career-defining masterpieces...

GOLF le FLEUR* collaboration expresses outward individuality

Charlotte Calmes, Editor-in-Chief
Jan 12, 2021

Before the pandemic, fashion was an expression of outward individuality, highlighting different aspects of their personalities. Before we locked down, when we still had a reason to put on shoes and leave the house, fashion provided an outlet for our different personas. Each day, we could channel our...

“Dreams” awakens new generation of Fleetwood Mac fans

Charlotte Calmes, Editor-in-Chief
Dec 18, 2020

Fleetwood Mac vinyl records, including 'Tusk' (1979), 'Mirage '(1982) and 'Tango in the Night' (1987), are now sold at Walmart in Normal.

NCHS alum Jarrett Johnson nominated for Grammy

Charlotte Calmes, Editor-in-Chief
Dec 4, 2020

NCHS alum Jarrett Johnson, a member of the Class of 1997, was nominated for Best Arrangement - Instrumental or A Capella at the 63rd annual Grammy Awards. “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” arranged and performed by Johnson and ten-time Grammy award winner Alvin Chea of Take 6 was released in...

Opinion: It’s a beautiful day in America

Charlotte Calmes, Editor-in-Chief
Nov 8, 2020

Four years of racism. Of sexism. Four years of every -ism imaginable. Four years of irresponsibility. Of lies. Four years of inadequate leadership. Four years of the compromising all moral decency. For four years, President Donald Trump has served as a grand humiliation of what the United...

In It for the Long Run

Freshman Ali Ince leads Lady Iron towards victorious season

Charlotte Calmes, Editor-in-Chief
Oct 30, 2020

Her first 5K was when she was six. Her first State title was in seventh grade. So was her record-setting second. But the former junior high track and cross country standout is in uncharted territory, as the IHSA 3A Granite City Regional race marks a new level of competition for the freshman cross country runner.

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The Adventure Continues: Netflix Original ‘Outer Banks’ to return for second season [review]

Charlotte Calmes, Editor-in-Chief
Sep 28, 2020

Netflix has a history of providing some of the most bingeable television shows available to stream: "Friends", "The Office", "Parks and Recreation", "Shameless"... As many of the company's licensing deals expire and shows migrate to up-starts and competitors, Netflix is left with a hole in its content...

New Faces of Normal

Charlotte Calmes, Colin Flack, Kelsey Kern, Hannah Kocar, Eli Schneider and Olivia Plangger
Sep 17, 2020

The New Faces of Normal Combine large, bold images with the beautifully crafted words of your story.

Unit 5 Executive Cabinet member tests positive for COVID-19; District officials quarantined

Superintendent Dr. Kristen Weikle and members of her Executive Cabinet working remotely through Sept. 10

Charlotte Calmes, Editor-in-Chief
Sep 1, 2020

A member of the Unit 5 Superintendent's Executive Cabinet tested positive for COVID-19 on Saturday, August 29, according to Director of Communications and Community Relations Dayna Brown. In response to the positive test, multiple Unit 5 Cabinet members -- including Superintendent Dr. Kristen Weikle...

Taylor Swift’s ‘Folklore’: new sound adds to artist’s lore [review]

Charlotte Calmes, Editor-in-Chief
Jul 28, 2020

To say that Taylor Swift has made a name for herself within the music industry would be an understatement. Swift has practically dominated the genres of pop, country, and rock, and fans like me have grown to love her ever-evolving style. But when the artist abruptly announced on July 23 via social...

Unit 5 announces Return to School plan

Charlotte Calmes, Editor-in-Chief
Jul 21, 2020

Unit 5 released the Return to School plan for the 2020-2021 school year Monday afternoon which will be voted on during the July 22 School Board meeting at Normal West. An email sent to Unit 5 families included the Return to School plan and video explaining the available schooling options to ensure...

COVID-19 Update: In-person schooling suspended in Illinois through end of year

Charlotte Calmes, Editor-in-Chief
Apr 17, 2020

Governor J.B. Pritzker suspended in-person learning in Illinois schools for the remainder of the school year during his daily coronavirus press briefing Friday afternoon. The suspension of in-class learning comes as a result of the 27,575 reported cases of coronavirus in Illinois and 1,072 total deaths...

Top 10 underrated Taylor Swift tracks

Charlotte Calmes, Editor-in-Chief
Mar 21, 2020

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...

Coronavirus Update: “Stay-at-Home” order [3/21 8:00 a.m.]

Charlotte Calmes, Editor-in-Chief
Mar 21, 2020

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...

Coronavirus Update: Local impact and Illinois’s response [3/20 2:35 p.m.]

Charlotte Calmes, Editor-in-Chief
Mar 20, 2020

The McLean County Health Department confirmed McLean County’s first case of coronavirus on Thursday, March 19. The man in his 70s with “no history of travel or exposure” is currently being treated for the virus at Advocate BroMenn Medical Center in Bloomington, according to WGLT. While preventative...

Coronavirus impacts grocers shelves [photo gallery]

Charlotte Calmes, Editor-in-Chief
Mar 20, 2020

On Thursday, March 19, McLean County Health Department Administrator Jessica McKnight reported the county's first case of COVID-19. The man, in his 70s, is in good condition and being treated in isolation at Advocate BroMenn Medical Center in Normal. Before this report, the impact of Coronavirus could...

Why the nation is rooting for Netflix’s ‘Cheer’

Charlotte Calmes, Editor-in-Chief
Mar 19, 2020

Cheerleaders are victims of generalization: thought of as overly energetic blondes whose lists of skills include nothing more than chanting and shaking pom-poms. As the more popular teams take the field or the court, cheerleaders are restricted to the sidelines - with the main job of maintaining a smile on their face and keeping the crowd entertained when play stops. What is often concealed about these athletes is the amount of skill it takes to do their true job, skill which is hidden by the makeup and rhinestones that blind spectators who are unfamiliar with the sport.

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Transcript: Superintendent, Unit 5 district officials address Coronavirus

Charlotte Calmes, Editor-in-Chief
Mar 12, 2020

The following is a transcript of recorded statements at the Unit 5 Board of Education Regular Meeting on Wednesday, March 11 at Kingsley Junior High, where Dr. Mark Daniel, Superintendent; Dayna Brown, Director of Communications and Community Relations; and Michelle Lamboley, Executive Director of Special...

Styles’ new album ‘Lights Up’ the music industry

Charlotte Calmes, Editor-in-Chief
Jan 14, 2020

Harry Styles has been keeping a low profile in the music industry since his first solo album Harry Styles debuted in 2017 and his concert tour “Harry Styles: Live On Tour” came to a close in 2018. When the artist took a hiatus from social media in July of 2018, millions of fans were desperate...

Madrigals host 19th annual dinner performances

Laynee Scheck and Charlotte Calmes
Dec 19, 2019

Madrigals host 19th annual dinner performances December 6 and 7, 2019

Lacrosse meeting reveals new details for the first co-op season

Charlotte Calmes, Editor-in-Chief
Dec 11, 2019

Students and parents from all three high schools gathered in the NCHS cafeteria on Thursday, December 5 to learn more about the BNL co-op.

Reflecting on varsity volleyball season; looking at future goals

Charlotte Calmes and Laynee Scheck
Nov 14, 2019

The Lady Iron volleyball team concluded their season at the hands of Minooka on Monday, November 4. The Indians defeated NCHS in two matches -- 25-12; 25-15 -- in the IHSA 4A Sectional semifinals at Ottawa Township High School. Hitter Mallory Oloffson (‘21) could describe Minooka in one word: good...

Charlotte Calmès, Editor-in-Chief