I wasn’t disappointed about missing Prom. In fact, I had zero plans and still hadn’t bought a dress by the time school closed and we went into quarantine. I’ve gone to a grand total of two dances...

In the past five years, Project Water has raised over $80,000 to fund the creation of clean water wells for over 1,000 people living in Africa. The program is well-known and loved for the annual dodgball...

“I absolutely HATE online school. How do I make learning at home easier?” -du3dat3   Thanks to COVID-19, schools nationwide have been forced to close down and transition to online learning....

In a few weeks, I will wrap up my senior year at NA, a district I've been a part of since Kindergarten. I have been taught by many teachers who have all impacted me in one way or another. While I may not...

My story of balancing the demands of school work and a part-time job would, at any other point in recent history, hardly be unusual. It's quite common for high school seniors to join the workforce and...

How long have you been teaching? I have been teaching for 24 years. 23 years at NA and one year at Columbiana School District in Ohio. What is your favorite part about teaching at North Allegheny? I...

This week, Katie and Michael discuss scheduling changes as well as North Allegheny's new Pass/Fail Policy.

As many news stations and media companies rush to inform the public regarding the COVID-19 outbreak, the term “flattening the curve” has become very common. Despite its popularity, however, many people...

Matthew Morrell M.D., is an Associate Professor of Medicine in the Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh. He is also the Medical Director of Advanced...

The past few weeks have been some of the weirdest and craziest times I have ever experienced, and I know pretty much everyone is feeling that way as well.  I do not want to make light of the situation...

***As the dateline would suggest, the following article is an April Fools satire***   The first few days of quarantine flew by quickly, as seniors caught up on sleep and their Netflix library....

Even before the widespread emphasis on social distancing and state-suggested quarantines, I was nervous going out in public. But it was for a very different reason than you might expect. I had read about...

“I am trying to find a college roommate, and so far I haven’t really liked anyone I’ve talked to. How can I find the best college roommate for me? What even is a good roommate?” -coll3g3b0und Dorms...

News of the coronavirus has spread quickly and has raised concern about the possibility of a global crisis. Many officials have been deciding whether or not they should close schools as a preventative...

Birds of Prey is the best movie DC has released since Wonder Woman.  The movie follows Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie) after her breakup with the Joker. Harley has done a lot of bad things to a lot of...

This past Presidents' Day, conservative gun rights activist Kaitlin Bennett made a surprise visit to Ohio University. Her intentions for the visit were to film a segment for her YouTube channel, but upon...

Tonight at 8pm, the Girls' Basketball Team returns to a familiar place -- the WPIAL playoffs. The team is ranked 2nd in the WPIAL 6A and takes on Baldwin tonight at 8:00pm at Chartiers Valley High School...

What is your usual role in the school district?  I am the Assistant Superintendent for Secondary Education, and I typically supervise the principals in the secondary schools (middle school and high...

“My boyfriend broke up with me two weeks ago and our plans for Valentine’s Day were canceled. I’m sick and tired of seeing happy couples making romantic plans. How do I survive the holiday being...

North Allegheny’s music program is nationally recognized for its outstanding performances and talented musicians. On February 1st, 26 NA band and orchestra musicians represented the program at the Pennsylvania...

I was scrolling through Instagram the other week when I clicked through 22 -- and I am not being dramatic, 22 Instagram stories of people posting about Mac Miller’s birthday, who was a famous artist...

Think about your favorite books. Picture the main characters.  How many of those characters are anything other than white?  While things are improving across the board for representation in media,...

Ever since my freshman year, my biggest goal has been to graduate and attend college out of state. The idea of living away from home and starting a new, independent, chapter in my life excites me. I cannot...

Streaming services have taken over traditional media. Many viewers have even abandoned cable TV for services like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime Video. According to Forbes, the average American pays for...

What would you do if the person you’re in love with died? What about if the only person who understands your pain is their new boyfriend? In the novel History is All You Left Me, Griffin has to deal...

“In my neighborhood, there is a fierce competition between the residents to see who can put up the most Christmas lights. What can I do to step up my game?” ~hollydayz4life  During the holiday...

Cheesy Christmas movies and novels are a staple of the holiday season. With Netflix and Hallmark rolling out holiday rom-coms almost weekly and libraries stocking their book shelves with enchanting wintery...

As of writing this right now, I’ve applied to exactly one college. I did not apply because I found the college particularly interesting; I applied because some of my friends are. I had never even heard...

For Melinda Beck, special education teacher and Best Buddies adviser, a typical day at work is hardly typical by most teachers' standards.  Beck and her club, a full 70 students strong, frequently venture...

Just before the Thanksgiving break sent the student body home for rest and relaxation, nearly 100 NASH students took the meaning of the holiday to heart and headed to the gymnasium to give blood. Vitalant,...

The mission of the North Allegheny Foundation is “to enhance and enrich the educational experience of North Allegheny students” and “create vital connections with the wider community.” Every year...

“I am sick and tired of the same old recipes for my family’s Thanksgiving dinner. Any suggestions on how I should spice it up this year?” ~ turk3ylvr   For most Thanksgiving dinners, a...

Recently, I overheard a conversation between some of my peers about a party. They talked about who showed up and what happened -- all the normal gab regarding high school parties. But then I was caught...

How many years have you been playing football? I’ve been playing football since first grade. Is there anyone in particular that you feel has impacted your football career? My brothers, Tarik...

“As a 41 year old, Halloween is the only time where I can stock up on obnoxious amounts of candy and not be publicly shamed. Any tips for increasing my revenue this year?” ~Never2Old For centuries,...

Forgotten classroom policies are making a controversial comeback this school year, especially ones regarding hand sanitizer. In September, North Allegheny head administrators reminded staff that any alcohol-based...

Driving out of NASH after a school day is usually a slow-going process, but yesterday's line of traffic had a meaningful purpose.  As students were leaving the campus yesterday, the McCandless police...

Tonight is the night.  In a WPIAL semifinal match against their arch-rivals, the 20 girls on the varsity Field Hockey Team will face Pine-Richland to determine who advances and whose season comes to an...

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Being a student at North Allegheny is difficult enough, with the competitive nature of the district and tremendous amount of responsibilities placed on students' shoulders. But when teenage life also involves...

Here's a riddle:  Which school club is the quietest and also the most communicative?  Hint: You could answer with your hands. The Sign Language Club met last Wednesday with the hope of filling another...

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"I really like this girl, but I don't have a clue as to how I should ask her to Homecoming! What should I do?" ~ DesperateDate I totally understand. Homecoming can be crazy, and it's most stressful...

Kind of. Apparently all those stories about forcing a bot to watch something and then write its own script, like this one about Batman, are all fake. This was very upsetting news to me, but I still...

While most seniors at North Allegheny are just trying to decide what colleges to apply to, seniors Luke Colella and Jake Lugg have already committed to Ivy League schools and their football programs. I...

Carnival Row is an eight-episode series on Amazon Prime Video that was released over the weekend. It is rated TV-MA for mature themes, nudity, and violence. The show follows detective Rycroft "Philo" Philostrate...

Why did you become a teacher?  I love to work with people and the fact that as a teacher you can design your day, your lessons, and how the kids learn and work to make sure everyone is learning. I...

“Ever since you committed, you’ve been annoying.”   “My teacher told me I was gonna get attacked in class today.”   “Elizabeth Warren is all the colors of the wind.”   “I...

With summer right around the bend, many students are looking for activities to occupy their newfound free time. This summer, the cinemas offer up a wonderful place of entertainment, with dozens of new...

Poetry, photography, hand-drawn and digital art -- it's all in there.  Earlier this morning, the VARIATIONS staff released their annual literary and creative arts magazine. The publication has been...

Tissues? Check. Waterproof mascara? Check. Enough junk food to drown your sorrows in? Check. And now you're all set for our list of several total tear-jerkers. We wish you the best of luck, and...

By this point, everyone has heard about anti-vaxx movement through politics and the media. Despite passionate arguments from both sides and Twitter memes about "easily preventable diseases" and other jokes,...

Senior year has been the most expensive year by far during my time here at North Allegheny. Expenses this year range from Homecoming, Morp, and Prom tickets to a a Senior Banquet ticket, a graduation cap...

What was the application process like for the US Presidential Scholarship? I was invited to apply when I was selected as one of the Candidates for the 2019 U.S. Presidential Scholars Program based on...

The competition was fierce.  Pringles versus graham crackers.  PB&J versus turkey and cheese.  Fries versus cheeseburger. At the beginning of March Madness, AP Psychology and American History...

Prom. The big word that every senior had been thinking about since elementary school. Well, maybe not for everyone, but it had been for me. When I was in third grade, my family hosted a foreign exchange...

Have you seen your peers outside of the North Allegheny campus with water guns and seemingly running for their lives? Have you overheard people saying, "Shelby has Joe. She's getting him after school."...

Rants Don’t get me wrong, I am very excited for Prom, and I have been since I was little; however, the preparation for Prom is something that is not so enticing. I don’t really know how it is for...

In 2015, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, more commonly called “Mormons” or "the LDS Church," released a statement characterizing same-gender marriage by members as an “apostasy,"...

On Monday, April 15th at around 18:30 European time, a fire devastated the Notre-Dame Cathedral, an 850-year-old French Gothic building located right in the heart of Paris, France. Being one of the...

As I sit at my lunch table every day, a name may get mentioned and half of the table erupts in praise saying “I love her!” and “Oh yeah, he is really nice.” The other half goes on about how the...

Have you ever worked in a library before NASH? No, I have never worked in a library before I started here. I have only worked at NASH for a year and a half. How long have you worked here at NA? Well,...

I've always been told that grades, GPA, and extra-curriculars are the absolute most important part of my resume, especially when applying to college. More specifically, clubs like National Honors Society...

Senior Kristen Chomos is a three-sport athlete, Student Section Leader, TigerThon Head Captain, and PSU Schreyer Honors College admit. We demanded to know how she does it all! How were you able to manage...

No matter how old we get or how much we mature over time, it is always great to look back on our early years and remember the things that shaped our childhood. We think we speak for many people when we...

Have you ever not been able to touch the person you love? Not because you are separated by distance or because you just don't want to touch them, but because your health forbids you from going within six...

RANTS Now that the third 9 weeks are over, the wave of preparation for AP tests and finals has begun. Most teachers, if not already, have begun to discuss what the AP tests will be like and how to access...