List of 20 news stories.

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  Labubu and the Illusion of Individuality

  Beatrice Lundberg ' 27 Assistant Op Ed Editor
  In 2025 there are three things that are unavoidable: death, taxes, and Labubus.

• Behind the Boards

  Elona Spiewak '26 Feature Editor
  Hopkins may sometimes lack senior presence at assembly or working Spikeball nets on the quad, but there is certainly no shortage of clubs. Hopkins clubs encompass a variety of organizations, from identity groups to special interest groups.

• Formidable Football Captain Tommy O'Connell

  Lukas Roberts '27 Assistant Sports Editor
  Named First Team All-League twice, Tommy O’Connell is currently playing his fifth season of Hopkins Football and his second as captain. He leads alongside Maurice Ellis ’27, Aedan Flanagan ’26, and Nate Levitt ’26.

   
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  Programmed for Perfection: How Hopkins Culture Drives AI Dependence

  Mary-Winter Szarabajka '27 Op Ed Editor
  Whether you’re new to Hopkins or months away from graduation, I’d like you to reflect on how many times you’ve heard the phrase “I just care about the grade,” in the last month.

• Rise of Reclassing Advantages and Disadvantages

  Hana Beauregard '26 Lead Sports Editor Elaina Pakutka '27 Sports Editor
  Reclassifying refers to a student’s change in their current chronological grade sequence. Typically, a student will reclassify to benefit from an additional year of athletic or academic growth

• Soaring Soccer Captain Nicole Tooker

  Beckett Ehrlich '27 Assistant Sports Editor
  Nicole Tooker ’26 captains the Hopkins Girls’ Varsity Soccer Team this season alongside Ryann Holden ’26.
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  Students Silenced: Freedom of Expression

  Rain Zeng '26 Lead Op Ed Editor
• 

  Woke is not a joke: taxing effects of performative feminism  

  Gitanjali Navaratnam-Tomayko '28 Assistant Op Ed Editor
  Recently, social media has been filled with mocking content about performative males: matcha drinking posers who pretend to care about women's rights.
  
  
  
  
  
• 

  Disparities and Differences: JSchool and Highschool Sports

  Elaina Pakutka '27 Sports Editor and Beckett Ehrlich '27 Assistant Sports Editor
  One unique thing about Hopkins is the Junior School, which gives seventh and eighth grade students the opportunity to experience the life of high schoolers, both in academics and athletics. However, there are differences between how Junior School and Upper School sports work.
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  Choosing Capable Commanders: How Captains are Selected

  Elaina Pakutka '27 Sport Editor
  Being a captain of a Hopkins varsity team is an honor saved for a select few students. Teams reward athletes with a title to reflect their leadership position on the team, however, the process of deciding who the team will award the position is different for every team.
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  Fast and Curious: Motorsports at Hopkins

  Hana Beauregard '26 Sports Editor Samantha Bernstein '26 Sports Editor
  Engines roaring, rubber burning, sparks flying, and breakneck speeds. In recent years, motorsport viewage has risen in the United States, according to NBC News. Generally, motorsports, such as Formula 1 and Nascar, refers to sports that utilize a motor vehicle, most commonly a car or motorcycle. However, the term is open to interpretation and which has sparked debate outside of the Hopkins community, a large percentage of Hopkins believes that motorsports are legitimate sports and watches them regularly.
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  Teachers and Trainers: Tackling a Twofold Task

  Lukas Roberts '27 Assistant Sports Editor Becket Ehrlich '27 Assistant Sports Editor
  Many Hopkins teachers choose to step into the role of being a coach, embracing a challenge that extends their impact far beyond the classroom. 
  
  

  A variety of individual and personal factors often influence a teacher’s decision to coach. For Spanish teacher, Varsity Field Hockey Coach, and Varsity Girls Tennis Coach Susan Bennitt, her decision stems from her time as a Premier League Field Hockey and Softball player in Spain, as well as her work as a translator for books on sports psychology and strategies for success.
  
  
• 

  Gallant Golf Captain: Zal Mody

  Lukas Roberts ’27, Campus Correspondent
  As Zal Mody ’25 concludes his career in the Hopkins Aquatics Program as the captain of the Boys Varsity Water Polo and Boys Varsity Swimming teams, he turns his focus to the spring season and captains the Varsity Golf team alongside Krish Garga ’25. 
• 

  Water Polo Wonder: Layla Kenkare

  Beatrice Lundberg ’27
  Affectionately dubbed “the wall” of her team, Layla Kenkare ’25, who co-captains the 2025 team with Josie Lipcan ’25 and Maggie Russell ’25, has been a fundamental part of the Girls Varsity Water Polo team since her freshman year. 
• 

  NIL Deals: Leveling the Playing Field for Athletes?

  Elaina Patkukta, '27
  After years of following rules that prohibited compensation, college athletes can now officially earn
  money through their sports. This change first came in 2021, when the NCAA implemented an interim policy allowing athletes to profit from their name, image, and likeness
  (NIL). Previously, college athletes were considered amateurs, and any financial gains went to their universities. The NIL policy has since enabled student-athletes to monetize their personal brands through
  brand deals and collectives.
• 

  Behind the Scenes: Awesome Athletic Crew

  Samantha Bernstein ’26 Sports Editor Hana Beauregard ’26 Sports Editor
  The Hopkins Athletics Program offers an array of team sports, informal sports, and student health.
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  Captivating Crew Captain: Katherine Tombaugh

  Micah Betts ’26 Assistant Sports Editor
  Katherine Tombaugh ’24 captains Hopkins Crew this year alongside Hanna Jennings ’24.
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  Laudable Lacrosse Captain: Eli Ratner

  Elaina Pakutka ’27 Assistant Sports Editor
  Eli Ratner ’24 is co-captain of the 2024 Hopkins Varsity Boys Lacrosse team alongside Brendan Cafferty ’24 and Toby Scheps ’24.
• 

  Hopkins Hilltoppers Power Through Preseason

  Hana Beauregard ’26 Assistant Sports Editor, Samantha Bernstein ’26 Assistant Sports Editor
  For the last two weeks of summer, fall athletes at Hopkins participate in preseason, which equips athletes for the upcoming season. Despite interrupting the last few weeks of summer break, it kicks off the fall season and prepares athletes for their upcoming sports.
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  Brandon Chung: Buoyant Baseball Batter

  Amir McFerren ’24 Lead Sports Editor
  Brandon Chung ’23 is co-captain of the boys Varsity Baseball this year, serving alongside Nate Seluga ’23 and Luke O’Connell ’23. He said that since a young age, “I liked baseball and my dad is a big baseball fan, so I’ve grown up around it my whole life.” He continued, “I started playing tee ball in Guilford when I was five, like every other normal kid.”