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The Student Voice of North Allegheny Senior High School

The Uproar

The Student Voice of North Allegheny Senior High School

The Uproar

The Student Voice of North Allegheny Senior High School

The Uproar

Rachel Morrell

Rachel Morrell, Staff Writer

Rachel Morrell is a senior at NASH and excited to be on The Uproar staff again this year. She enjoys running, watching Downton Abbey, and eating chocolate.

All content by Rachel Morrell
Advice is Wrong: Online School Edition

Advice is Wrong: Online School Edition

Rachel Morrell, Staff Writer May 12, 2020

“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....

Target and other essential businesses have remained open throughout the pandemic, though the way they do business has significantly changed.

Fatigue and Good Fortune: The Life of a Teenage Essential Worker

Rachel Morrell, Staff Writer April 30, 2020

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...

courtesy of The Boston Globe

Flattening the Curve

Rachel Morrell, Staff Writer April 10, 2020

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...

Dr. Matthew Morrell, M.D.UPMC Presbyterian

Expert Advice: COVID-19

Rachel Morrell, Staff Writer April 8, 2020

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...

Advice is Wrong: Finding a College Roommate

Advice is Wrong: Finding a College Roommate

Rachel Morrell, Staff Writer March 13, 2020

“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...

A crowd gathers around gun rights activist Kaitlin Bennett at Ohio University.

Kaitlin Bennett vs. Ohio University

Rachel Morrell, Staff Writer March 4, 2020

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...

The Advice is Wrong: Valentine's Day Edition

The Advice is Wrong: Valentine’s Day Edition

Rachel Morrell, Staff Writer February 13, 2020

“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...

Hitting the Right Note

Hitting the Right Note

Rachel Morrell, Staff Writer February 11, 2020

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...

An exciting new life awaits college-bound seniors, but with graduation comes the inevitable feeling of losing all that was once familiar.

Missing Out in College

Rachel Morrell, Staff Writer January 15, 2020

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...

The Advice is Wrong: Christmas Edition

The Advice is Wrong: Christmas Edition

Rachel Morrell, Staff Writer December 17, 2019

“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...

Book Review: Let it Snow

Book Review: Let it Snow

Rachel Morrell, Staff Writer December 10, 2019

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...

The annual NHS Blood Drive took place last week, just in time for Thanksgiving.  The event was co-sponsored by Vitalant.

Every Drop Counts

Rachel Morrell and Meg Rees December 3, 2019

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 Advice is Wrong: Turkey Recipe

The Advice is Wrong: Turkey Recipe

Rachel Morrell, Staff Writer November 27, 2019

“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...

Hollywood has normalized teenage drinking, but in reality the costs can be far more severe than many high school students realize.

Loaded but Lost

Rachel Morrell, Staff Writer November 13, 2019

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...

Driving in Darkness

Driving in Darkness

Rachel Morrell, Staff Writer November 1, 2019
The ups and downs of my pitch-black morning commute
The Advice is Wrong: Halloween Edition

The Advice is Wrong: Halloween Edition

Rachel Morrell, Staff Writer October 31, 2019

“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,...

Alcohol-based and sanitizer is not permitted in district classrooms.  But until recently, many students and teachers were unaware of the policy.

Hand It Over

Rachel Morrell, Staff Writer October 30, 2019

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...

Senior Ella Backauskas practices her sign language skills with Sign Language Club sponsor Mrs. McAfee.  "I taught my mom and brother a little bit, so sometimes we just sign to each other for fun," Backauskas said.

Signing In

Rachel Morrell, Staff Writer October 3, 2019

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...

Here's some advice ... that you shouldn't take!

The Advice is Wrong: Homecoming Asks

Rachel Morrell, Staff Writer September 19, 2019

"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...

Good Talk: Ms. Allen

Good Talk: Ms. Allen

Rachel Morrell, Staff Writer September 9, 2019

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...

Must-See Movies: Summer 2019

Must-See Movies: Summer 2019

Rachel Morrell, Junior Co-Editor May 31, 2019

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...

Measles Reported in Allegheny County

Measles Reported in Allegheny County

Rachel Morrell, Junior Class Co-Editor May 22, 2019

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,...

Compassion Over Condemnation

Compassion Over Condemnation

Rachel Morrell, Junior Co-Editor April 29, 2019

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,"...

RANTS & RAVES: Spring Edition

RANTS & RAVES: Spring Edition

Rachel Morrell, Junior Co-Editor April 3, 2019

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...

By Force of Habit

By Force of Habit

Rachel Morrell, Junior Co-Editor March 28, 2019

We all have bad habits. From procrastination to constantly sleeping in late, the human population has always suffered from making habitual mistakes. After meaningful conversations with friends and a bit...

Searching for the Driver's Seat

Searching for the Driver’s Seat

Rachel Morrell, Junior Co-Editor March 21, 2019

It’s 6:55 am. The wave of high school buses starts to pour in, drops dreary teenagers off at school, and then rushes away to pick up all the middle school kids, then elementary. This cycle repeats early...

When the need for ibuprofen requires frequent trips to the nurse's office, often during class time, it's time to rethink the policy.

Policy of Pain

Rachel Morrell, Junior Class Co-Editor February 22, 2019

Everyone knows of the basic rules and regulations regarding the possession and use of illegal substances on North Allegheny school property. Most of my peers whom I’ve talked to follow these rules and...

The Truth about One of Us is Lying

The Truth about One of Us is Lying

Rachel Morrell, Junior Co-Editor January 17, 2019

After hearing from a student in Contemporary Novels class that the book, One of Us is Lying, was phenomenal, I decided to put it to the test. Now I normally don’t reach for the mystery shelf at the library,...

Supplement or Substitute?

Supplement or Substitute?

Rachel Morrell, Junior Co-Editor January 10, 2019

It’s 10:45 PM, and you still have about 60 pages of assigned reading due for tomorrow. Do you sacrifice your sleep to read the assigned pages or use the common cop-out -- an online summary source? This...

Pit Perfect

Pit Perfect

Rachel Morrell, Junior Co-Editor November 28, 2018

11/8/2018: It’s opening night for our school’s fall play: The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. All the actors and musicians are excited but a little bit tense. In my spot on the loft above the...

CW Show Reviews

CW Show Reviews

Melina Tripoli and Rachel Morrell November 14, 2018

Over the past couple of weeks, the CW, a popular television network, has released multiple season and series premieres. Many students at NASH are excited about new episodes of The Flash, Supergirl, Riverdale,...

Defined by Numbers

Defined by Numbers

Rachel Morrell, Junior Co-Editor October 1, 2018

The school year has been in session for about five weeks now, and I have already heard many stressful conversations about someone’s GPA or how they did on their first graded assignment. Come on, people!...

RANTS & RAVES: Back to School Edition

RANTS & RAVES: Back to School Edition

Samantha Solenday and Rachel Morrell September 3, 2018

RANTS Sam ~ Why are students no longer allowed to eat in places other than the cafeteria? I understand avoiding peanuts and tree nuts because of allergies, but an entire ban on food is just ridiculous!...

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