What is abuse?

Abuse, most of us have heard the word before. But what actually IS abuse? The dictionary definition of abuse is, the cruel, violent, or improper treatment of a person or animal, often involving physical, sexual, or psychological (emotional) harm.

Where does abuse most often occur? Unfortunately, abuse is likely to happen close to home in terms of child abuse, sexual abuse, and domestic abuse. Even though it may seem more widespread in the media that we consume violent crime, it is not as likely to happen randomly or from a stranger. Most abusers are people you may know or even trust, which, more often than not, makes reporting and understanding this kind of abuse even more difficult, as it can affect entire families.

“I think abuse could be a lot of things, physical, emotional, technological, etc, but, after all, it all equals the same definition, hurting someone who you love and care for,” says Hannah Knar, a 7th grader. This shows a student example of what they think abuse is, and in this case, they’re not too far off. Abuse IS hurting someone in those ways and more. However, it isn’t ALWAYS someone you are supposed to love or care for.  A lot of times, abusers don’t actually care about how their victims feel. They only care about what they think or feel.

The abuser may be drunk or in a bad mental state. Causing them to hurt people they should be caring for. However, that isn’t always the case; caring for the victim or having that close, almost parent-like, connection with the victim doesn’t happen in every situation. Abuse is widespread and more common than we want to admit. And unfortunately, so many cases of abuse go unpunished or even unheard of.

“I think abuse is where someone physically, emotionally, etc, hurts someone or animals,” says Anabelle Henry. She is almost dead on. All types of abuse can be summed up to someone hurting another person, pet, child, spouse, etc. How people see abuse is important. Because it determines how the next generation will deal with the thought and occurrence of abuse. How they treat it and those abused, is important.

Many victims feel as if they’re filthy, dirty, or even stupid for getting into a situation where they were abused. And these feelings are partly driven by the fact that some people blame the victim for what happened. But here’s the thing. It’s not. It’s never their fault. And for all the people out there who think like this. Screw them.

You’re not alone. Don’t be scared to ask for help. Someone will always listen.

Multiple discoveries for NASA this year

Many discoveries and breakthroughs have been made in the world of space exploration this year, including the James Webb space telescope, the premier observatory of the next decade that serves thousands of astronomers worldwide. Webb studies every phase in the history of our universe. Ranging from the big bang to the formation of solar systems capable of supporting life on planets like Earth. It is also the largest, most powerful infrared observatory ever built. 

Another breakthrough in NSSA is the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope (or the Roman space telescope) It is a future NASA infrared space telescope in development and scheduled to launch in 2026 or 2027. The Roman space telescope is based on an existing 2.4 meter (7.9 feet wide) field of view primary mirror and will carry two scientific instruments. The wide field instrument (WFI) is a 300.8 megapixel multi-band visible and near infrared camera, providing a sharpness of images comparable to that achieved of the Hubble space telescope over a .28 square degree field of view, 100 times bigger than imaging fields on the Hubble.  

The world of NASA is growing, and we are reimagining space as we know it as we speak. New people and ideas are being introduced through science and technology, and these discoveries are helping us better understand the world around us. Also, keep in mind that this is very dangerous, and these people are risking their lives for the sake of science. 

James Webb Space Telescope in action

The Hindenburg: sabotage or electric shock?

The Hindenburg disaster was one of the worst tragedies of America, along with the sinking of the Titanic and the destruction of the Twin Towers. The only difference between these tragedies is that we know the reason the Titanic sank, and the reason the Twin Towers were destroyed. The mystery of the Hindenburg has confused historians for 89 years, but shocking new evidence has resolved the mystery of those 36 deaths.

The Hindenburg was a marvel. An invention of the ages. On March fourth, the Hindenburg rose into the air for its first time and set off to get to Frankfurt, Germany, in only two days. Back in 1937, this was revolutionary. In two days, the passengers readied their stuff, but unbeknownst to them, they were not going to make it to the ground. 

The Hindenburg had six bags of hydrogen gas inside it, which exploded all at once. The silver canvas on the blimp easily caught on fire and only fueled the flames. The blimp came crashing down onto the pavement, and Civil ground crew worker Allen Hagaman died from third-degree burns instantly. Meanwhile, people in the Hindenburg are rushing out, jumping out of windows, and only sustaining injuries like broken bones and burns. The people who didn’t survive were the people who didn’t get out of the blimp fast enough, or the people who jumped out of the blimp too early and fell. 

While many people puzzled about the cause of the explosion, new research has come to light that explains the incident. The theory that the Hindenburg exploded due to an “electric shock” primarily refers to electrostatic discharge—a spark caused by a difference in electrical potential between the airship and its environment. Both the original 1937 German and American investigations, as well as modern research, conclude that a static spark likely ignited leaking hydrogen gas during the landing process in stormy conditions.

Pinecones serve an important purpose

Pinecones have been around for over 300 million years and belong to a group of plants called gymnosperms, and it can take over ten years for a pinecone to fully mature, The pinecones that we’re familiar with are actually all female and produce seeds, while the males produce pollen, Species, like the Jack pine and Lodgepole pine, are serotinous, so their cones are sealed with resin and need the heat of a wildfire to open and free their seeds. The Coulter Pine cone is the heaviest (up to 10+ pounds), while the Sugar Pine cone is the longest (up to 24+ inches). The seeds are winged so they can travel through the air. The Pineal Gland in the human brain is named after the pinecone due to its shape.

The Jeffrey Pine, often confused with the Ponderosa, has scales with inwardly turned, non-prickly prickles, and its bark famously smells like vanilla or butterscotch.

The Knob Cone Pine is known as the hardest pine cone in the world. A knob cone is a closed cone that relies on the heat of a wildfire to open it up so the seeds drop. 

The Pinyon Pine was prized by local Indians who not only enjoyed the large edible brown nuts but also used parts of the tree for a variety of medicinal purposes. Placing cones near a fire opens the scales so nuts can be easily removed. This is the only “one needle” pine in the world. Most pines have 3-5 needle sheaths.

Students at the junior high had many positive things to say about pine cones. One sixth grader, Nathaniel Townsend, said, “They smell good.” An eighth grader named Penelope Allshouse said, “They are tasty.” Another eighth grader, Macy Evans, said, ”They taste good.”

Image of a pinecone (stock photo)

Valentine’s Day ideas for you and your partner

Have you planned something for Valentine’s Day yet? If you’re looking for ideas, then you’re in the right place. With ancient roots, Valentine’s Day has evolved into a global phenomenon, known for expressing love. Every year on February 14, people in relationships stress about what to get or where to take their significant other. 

We have interviewed various junior high school students and teachers on what they would do for Valentine’s Day. Here are some ideas that students thought about, 

Khloe Previte said, “I would give them a teddy bear.” While Kevin Dienes said, “I would give them fancy cheese.” Chocolates and flowers were also a common answer from students. Eli Hilliard said he would get his partner “A box of chocolate.”

Many of the teachers suggested that taking their partner to a restaurant was a good idea. For example, Mr. Karcher said, “I would take my wife to our favorite restaurant in town, Naps!” Other teachers also said that they would take their spouses to other fancy restaurants. 

While many believe that buying something for your partner, or buying them something, is the best thing to do, others believe that the best thing to do is other types of dates. Some may wish to go to the movies or go on a picnic, or even bake something. 

As it turns out, there are many different ideas for things to do on Valentine’s Day from various students and teachers throughout the school, such as going to a restaurant, buying chocolate or flowers, and going to the movies. So with this information, we urge you to do something meaningful with your wonderful partner this year.

IJHS weighs in on movie genres

Movie genres are a way to sort movies based on setting, mood, and overall emotion of the film. Some examples of these genres are romance, horror, and comedy. Comedy movies are generally funny and bring an upbeat mood. Horror movies generally produce the opposite, causing fear and suspense. Each genre is different, but which one do the Junior High Students love the most?

32 students were interviewed about their favorite movie genres. The options were romance, action, horror/thriller, mystery, sad movies, fantasy, comedy, and dystopian. The most liked genre was Romance, having 9 votes out of 32. Action was a close second with 7 votes out of 32. 

“10 Things I Hate About You is my favorite romance movie,” said eighth grader Lennon Resenic. 

Romance and Action were the leading genres, but many students preferred comedy and horror over all the other genres. 

The comedy genre had 3 out of 32 votes. One movie was the most liked in the category. 

“Happy Gilmore is our favorite movie,” said sixth graders Nolan Stitt and Xavier McCunn.

Horror movies had 4 out of 32 votes, and one movie also topped as most liked in the horror genre. 

“IT is my favorite horror movie,” said eighth-grader Lucy Peter. 

Four more movie genres were less preferred. Fantasy only held 5 out of 32 votes and dystopian held 4 out of 32 votes. Mystery and sad movies didn’t get any votes from students, meaning they are the least preferred genre in the Junior High. 

Nolan Stitt and Bryce Allen demonstrate the King of the World pose from the movie, Titanic. Taken by Serenity Newman, McKenzie Gonos, and Molly Du Plessis

The Top Ten Best Things of 2025

Stranger Things Season 5 (image taken from Netflix)

2025 had come and gone. While many bad things happened, Indiana Junior High School students focused on the bright side of things. After a tumultuous start marked by global challenges, 2025 unexpectedly blossomed into a year of remarkable progress, proving that even amidst turmoil, innovation and compassion thrive. From curing rare diseases to landing probes on the Moon, humanity took giant leaps forward, reminding us that hope often emerges from the most unexpected places.

Ten students were interviewed and asked what their favorite thing about 2025 was. After asking Anna Quintero, she immediately said, “Wednesday!” Frankie Branscum had a more sentimental approach. Branscum said, “I liked making new friends.” Alyseia Mitchell agreed on that matter and said, “My friends.” 

Other things, like TV and food, were mentioned. Dr. Fu said, “I loved Kpop Demon Hunters!” and Madyx Wheeling Jevicky mentioned Stranger Things, specifically the new and final season. Mason Hetherth had said, “The Five Nights at Freddy’s movie was great.” 

Karina Bishop brought the matter back to friends and said she’s thankful for “the friends she made.” Kipp Koak has mentioned his birthday, but he emphasized the WORST thing about 2025 was the Steal A Brainrot memes. Phoenix had thought that the summer break was the best thing about 2025 for her, and Madyx Wheeling Jevicky remarked, “ I LOVED Stranger Things.  

Robbery of the Louvre

As many people are aware, the Louvre (an art museum in Paris, France) was recently robbed on the 19th of October, 2025. The perpetrators disguised themselves as construction workers to access a window of the Apollo Gallery where they broke through and stole various different items. These items consisted of eight historic jewels from a French crown, a tiara, necklace, and earrings from Empress Eugénie, an emerald necklace and earrings from from Empress Marie-Louise, and a sapphire diadem, necklace, and earrings from the Marie-Amélie display.

Authorities in France are still actively investigating, though it is believed there were four individuals involved. There have been many people accused, but nothing is to be confirmed as of now. Most items stolen are still missing, with only Empress Eugénie’s crown located, which was found damaged; it is speculated that the riches were broken apart then sold separately to avoid identification.

The Crimson Arrow interviewed several people about what they know and/or think about the Louvre Heist. The first person we questioned was Erin Petersal, a sixth grader. She said, “I know like some people stole a diamond necklace and they weren’t ever caught.” The second (and last) person we inquired was another sixth grader named Julia Henry. She said, “I think it’s a big museum and I think it got robbed a couple months ago, but I don’t know any details.”

The investigation into the major October 2025 Louvre jewel heist is still very much active, with ongoing police work, evidence analysis, and searches for missing jewels, even as the museum has reopened with enhanced security measures and life generally continues, showing resilience against theft. The Apollo Gallery was closed for a period but has reopened, though the large-scale theft investigation, involving multiple arrests and forensic work, continues to seek recovery of priceless items like Empress Marie-Louise’s necklace and Empress Eugénie’s tiara. 

The Louvre Museum in Paris, France during sunset

The United States carries out boat strikes

Recently, there has been drama about the Boat Strike videos, starting with a grainy video Trump posted on Truth Social of the first boat strike, then a video was shown to lawmakers of survivors clinging to the boat and waving before a second missile hit the boat, which was allegedly a Venezuelan drug boat.

The controversy continued when he said he had “no problem” releasing the rest of the September 2nd footage on December 3rd when interviewed by an ABC news reporter. 

But backtracked on his statement on December 7th and 9th, saying, “I didn’t say that,” then on the 9th, followed up with, “Well, it looked like they were trying to turn back over the boat. But I don’t get involved in that. That’s up to them.”

The Trump administration is being sued by multiple activist groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union, the Center for Constitutional Rights, and the New York Civil Liberties Union, bringing the number of lawsuits to 253 active cases challenging the Trump administration’s actions. 

22 strikes have been conducted, killing a total of 87 civilians, which, highly illegal by the way, according to the Geneva Convention under law four, “The High Contracting Parties specifically agree that each of them is prohibited from taking any measure of such a character as to cause the physical suffering or extermination of protected persons in their hands. This prohibition applies not only to murder, torture, corporal punishment, mutilation, and medical or scientific experiments not necessitated by the medical treatment of a protected person, but also to any other measures of brutality whether applied by civilian or military agents.” Which means, you can’t kill civilians.

Students aren’t as involved in civics

People often talk about politics, but do the people who the policies will actually affect know what’s happening? The Crimson Arrow interviewed students at IJHS, and as it turns out, virtually none of them read/watch the news or know anything about politics.

Of the 31 students asked whether they care about politics in any way, 17 said yes, and 13 said no. Many students who said no believed that it doesn’t affect them, or that “Politics are for old people,” according to one student. Students who said yes believed that politics often affects them and other people; thus, they should be paid attention to.

Despite many students saying they care about politics, 5 of the 25 students asked said they occasionally watched/read the news, and all of them only watched/read one network. Only one student said they often watched/read the news. This means that despite children claiming to know or care what’s happening, very few actually know what’s going on.

Although the absence of knowledge of civics is partially due to the parents not knowing about civics, it is also the fault of the school system. IJHS does not offer a mandatory civics class.

“I’m only 13, I shouldn’t care about politics,” said an eighth grader. Many students believe that they are too young, or that it doesn’t matter. But this is not true. The policies of our government will affect them. This is why students need to be more educated in civics and current events.

IJHS hosts annual Veterans Day assembly

On November 7, the IJHS Student Council hosted a Veterans Day assembly to celebrate and recognize this important national holiday. The event was at the IJHS auditorium. Indiana County’s Sheriff, Robert Fyock, visited to talk to us about this holiday.

Many different school groups participated, including the school band, which performed songs. The vocal ensemble sang “God Bless America” and the “Star Spangled Banner.”

Other students made signs to represent the branches of the military, including the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and Space Force, and presented them to the student body.

Sheriff Fyock spoke about how Veterans Day became a holiday and what each flag fold means. The Boy Scout troops helped fold the flag while Sheriff Fyock explained each fold.

To conclude the event, a slideshow was presented to acknowledge other Veterans in our community. 

IJHS students participate in the Veterans Day Assembly

Many students enjoyed the assembly. According to Nolan Stitt, a 6th-grader, “The slide show” was the most memorable part of the events. Bryce Allen, 6th grade, said he enjoyed “seeing the sheriff.”

Crimson Arrow hosts Halloween dance

The school newspaper, Crimson Arrow, hosts a Halloween Dance every year. The dance will be held on November 1st at IJHS in the cafeteria and gym from 6:00-8:00 p.m. The dance is planned at the beginning of the year and is used to raise money for the club.

In the years prior, the Halloween Dance was held on Fridays after school. However, the fall play is scheduled for Friday, October 24th, and the borough’s trick-or-treat night is scheduled for Friday, October 31st. Students had mixed opinions about the change. Markerah Taylor said that the dance being planned on a Saturday was “Stupid.” Another student, Jamil Sidikou, said, “Good, so we can sleep in after the dance.”

The Crimson Arrow will decorate the gym, the cafeteria, and the hallway between the two with Halloween decorations like ghosts, spiders, spider webs, skeletons, and more. For food and drink options, there will be pizza, sodas, water, juice, chips, and maybe even Cane’s chicken strips. There will be games and coloring for people who aren’t interested in dancing. The DJ, Mixmaster Mike, will play music based on what is trending with students.

Costumes must follow the dress code. This includes no masks, no blowup costumes, no real weapons and/or fake weapons. If these rules are not followed, the student may be asked to leave, take off whatever is violating the dress code, or face discipline consequences. Inflatable costumes are not allowed because students can hide inappropriate items inside. Students are not allowed to bring fake weapons because they can be used as a threat.  No masks allowed because adults and other students won’t be able to identify who is under the mask, and that can be harmful to our school. Students will also be required to follow school dress codes.

Last year’s Halloween dance was a success in the eyes of the Crimson Arrow staff. There were a variety of snacks, including chips, pizza, and drinks like Coca-Cola, and Sprite. The photo booth was popular. There were coloring pages, games like bowling and bean bag toss. According to Emma Yackulich, last year’s dance was “Fine.” Triston Howe said it was “Alright.”

This year’s Halloween dance may not be a traditional school dance because it is on the weekend, but Crimson Arrow still hopes it will be fun for everyone. Tickets will be sold during lunches the week of October 27th through the 31st. Tickets will be $8.00. Make sure not to lose a purchased ticket, but if it happens, remember the ticket number. 

Students enjoy the 2024-2025 Halloween Dance.

IJHS holds PBIS kickoff

Students enjoy a bouncy castle in the gymnasium

The annual PBIS Kickoff was hosted on Friday, September 29th, 2025, by the Junior High and consisted of 3 different activities in the auditorium, gymnasium, and the cafeteria. The staff would probably tell you it was great, but those are biased opinions. So, what do the students think of the event? What even was there to do? 

Before the activities, there was a pep rally in which the band played a song that the cheer squad danced to, then the cheer squad had a cheer, and finally the dance team performed a dance on stage. The gym had a bouncy obstacle course and a rope climb; there was also music playing in the background. Right outside of the gym, Builder’s Club did a no-tobacco promotion with a poster to sign your name on. In the cafeteria, there was a dance floor with music playing, and popsicles were outside the cafeteria in the hallway. The auditorium had Dr. Minnick talking about PBIS points and rules.

8th-grader Penelope Allshouse plays the xylophone

Students were interviewed to rate the kickoff over all out of 10 and state their favorite activity, First, Gavin Jodon in sixth grade said the cheerleaders were his favorite part and rated the kickoff a ten. Sixth grader Erin Petersal said her favorite part was band and rated the kickoff an eight point five. Finally, seventh grader Jael Duchesneau, said her favorite part was the dancers and cheerleaders, and rated the dance a 6, and said, “That was outstanding.”

Students seemed to enjoy the pep rally and the band playing, and liked the kickoff as a whole. Each quarter, students can earn PBIS points for good behavior and use the points for future PBIS Reward Days at the end of each marking period.

Is the price right? Dubai chocolate

A photo of Dubai chocolate; stock photo

Everyone has hopefully heard of the new Dubai chocolate trend. This one piece of chocolate’s price has quadrupled in price since it came out in stores, and people have very mixed opinions about its quality and price. Some students think it’s the best candy in existence, and others dislike the chocolate bar.

How did the “Dubai Chocolate Trend” start? At its humble beginnings, the Dubai Chocolate bar was created by an entrepreneur by the name of Sarah Hamouda. The bar was created to help with Sarah’s pregnancy cravings, and afterwards, she decided to sell it. When TikToker Maria Vehera discovered the chocolatey treat, she posted a video of herself enjoying the candy, her video caught the attention of tens of millions of people, sparking many people’s interest and making the chocolate internationally famous.

So, who genuinely likes the Dubai Chocolate, and who is just following the trends? The first person we interviewed was an eighth grader named Brynn Stracka-Sateriale. When we asked Brynn about the chocolate and price, she exclaimed, “I haven’t actually tried the chocolate, although I am interested, it is WAY too expensive!” A 7th grader named Addie O’lear told us that “ It was a good chocolate, but the price is absurd!” The final person we decided to interview was STUCO supervisor, Mrs. Woodrow. She exclaimed, “After careful consideration, my friend and I decided to go to Gold Belly to buy the chocolate we bought a one-pound bar for $50, and it was DELICIOUS.” Mrs. Woodrow also told us that she believes that the price was right and she would totally buy it again.

In conclusion, the Dubai Chocolate trend is seen through different eyes as either a waste of money or a total success. This chocolate has totally skyrocketed in popularity throughout the world, and it will be interesting to see where it goes next.

Stuffed animals fill up the Junior High

In the school, there are stuffed animals that have been brought to school by various students. 

One notable stuffed animal is the IKEA green alien. Some students who carry them are eighth grade students Jayden Elliot and Kenzie Byers. Jayden has her green alien named “Kidney Stones” while Kenzie named their alien “Moldy Cheeseburger”. These stuffed animals are known to have various unusual names. 

Jayden with Kidney Stones:

Another group of stuffed animals being brought to school are Jellycats. Jellycats are on the more expensive side of stuffed animals, as they are said to be made ethically. Jellycats could be described as the Vogue or Dior grade stuffed animals. Kenzie Byers has been seen to bring a Jellycat to school as well. They carry a green frog named Franklin. Emma Wells has also brought her Jellycat capybara to school. 

Kenzie with Franklin:

Mrs. Helm has been spotted with various stuffed animals in her room. She has a red lobster named Larry. 

One of Mrs. Helm’s students with Larry:

A final group of stuffed animals that have been spotted around the school are Squishmallows. Squishmallows are also one of the more popular stuffed animals online. They are a more affordable option. These stuffed animals are typically round and circular and based off of various animals or characters in media. Emily Matty has brought her fairly large Squishmallow to school. 

Emily with her Squishmallow:

These stuffed animals, especially the Jellycats are able to add a fun spin into class. One day in chorus, some of Kezie’s friends had Franklin and were messing around with him. They ended up tying his arms together so he looked like he was in a straight jacket to pass the time while the teacher was working on something else. 

All in all, stuffed animals bring a positive spin on the school day.