Note: This article originally appeared in Lemont High School's online newspaper, the Tom-Tom. In mid-November, just before most of us got around to basting turkeys, about 215 University of Central Florida students feared much worse than the potential dinner table catastrophes the Thanksgiving holiday brings. These senior-level business pupils faced expulsion after their instructor, Richard Quinn, accused more than a third of the class of cheating. Of the 600 students enrolled in the course, 200 acknowledged their deceit before the make-up midterm and were allowed to stay in the class. They …

Last Saturday at the IHSA state cross country meet, the Lemont High School girls varsity team ran their hearts out to set personal records and finish 16th overall for Class 2A. As I drove out to Detweiller Park in Peoria, I couldn't wait to meet up with my teammates. When I arrived, you could feel the nervous energy brewing as the girls waited anxiously for the race to begin. Being a former state runner, I knew the course wasn't going to be something a majority of us were fond of. Although the area was flat and open, runners thrive for the challenge of hills and having to brave treacherous …

It's getting more and more common these days: elevated college entrance standards have countless students spreading themselves way too thin.Many colleges and universities now judge their prospective pupils on more than mere academic achievement. Activities, awards, recognitions and even job experience are all taken into account on applications.To meet the ridiculous expectations their dream colleges present, some high school students join almost every club, sport and activity that comes their way. The ones that don't seek these opportunities will, more often than not, take on jobs that ask …

Any other time during the school year, men in tights and girls in princess costumes would be met with a lot of apprehension. This week, however, Lemont High School students make the ridiculous seem normal. During the five days leading up to the homecoming dance, LHS holds its annual Spirit Week to raise both school spirit and charitable donations. Each class (freshman, sophomore, junior and senior) earns "spirit points" by showing generosity and dressing up as wacky as possible. Every day, the top five costumes are announced during first period. So far this week, cowboys roamed the halls on …

For three long years, everyone has been asking us, "Where do you want to go to college?" It seemed far away then, but the moment of truth is finally here. So, where do we begin? Whether we like it or not, those pesky college applications won't fill themselves out. Many colleges--such as Illinois State University, DePaul University and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign--accept applications as early as Sept. 1. My advice to you: get started early, because deadlines sneak up fast. ISU's preferred filing period, Nov. 15, may seem far away now, but when November rolls around and you …