RCMS students and teachers have opposing feelings of excitement and nervousness about going back to school after almost a year of being at home. “I am a little nervous about the changes but very excited to go back in the building,” said Abby Greger, eighth-grade RCMS student. Out of RCMS’s almost 1,500 students, approximately one-third…

Despite the challenges with online school students found a surprising benefit — that students are getting judged on their work instead of their physical appearance.  “I used to get mean looks from people who were judging me — I felt left out,” stated Lily, a seventh-grader who didn’t want to use her last name. “But…

“Since I haven’t been to clubs, games, or school, I don’t feel like I am actually part of Carson, and that I’m actually in school,” says Simone Shah, an RCMS seventh-grader.  Many students are struggling to adjust to the online learning environment, especially with the extended screen time. To help, FCPS plans to start bringing…

The usual Christmas for some is the smell of pine needles and burning candles, a warm fireplace filled with life and color.  For others, it may mean a vacation to somewhere where it’s warmer, or the tidying of the house to welcome family home.  But for hardly anybody does a usual Christmas mean trying to…

After a day of staring at a laptop, many people might relax; however, not everybody knows the hidden risks of sitting. “I haven’t been able to play outside as much as I used to,” says Anay Bansal, a seventh-grader at RCMS. Even though many students cannot play outside because of COVID-19, people must continue exercising…

RCMS held a mock election for both seventh- and eighth-graders this year. The mock election is held every two years, and this year students were voting on who they wanted to be president. Students could either vote for Joe Biden, Jo Jorgensen or Donald Trump. “The most important factor when voting is knowing what your…

“The country will be shaken and torn about because of the results,” says Alexander Yu, an RCMS student. With all 2020 has brought, the election was more important than ever for the citizens of the United States because it decided the future of the country. After a race between President Donald Trump and Former Vice…

Americans owe a collective $1.54 trillion in student debt in 2020. In a Forbes survey, it was exposed that 73% of adults in the U.S. admitted to living paycheck to paycheck last year. How did this happen? Millions of students get their first paychecks and spend them needlessly. Two teachers at Rachel Carson have worked…

Keeping track of school assignments without organization can be quite confusing, but there are many ways to stay on track during school and to stay organized.  Every student at the beginning  of the year is given a Daily Assignment Book (DAB). You can use it to keep track of your assignments and homework to keep…

Students and teachers at RCMS celebrated Veterans Day Nov. 11 online. “I think that Veterans Day went really successful this year,” said Vishwa Makesh, an eighth-grader. Veterans Day is a day of commemoration, patriotism, and gratitude. Every Nov. 11, Americans take a day to honor the people, dead or alive, that have served for our…

Covid-19 has caused many Thanksgiving celebrations this year to be very different from prior ones, but the students and teachers at Rachel Carson MS still managed to enjoy the time off in different ways, such as Zoom calls and immediate family gatherings instead.   “I’m excited for Thanksgiving because even though we aren’t hosting guests, I…

After the RCMS first quarter ended, teachers and students are left with negative and positive feelings. According to Mrs. Lori Molnar, “I feel that a lot of students are distracted by their home environment and tend to lose focus, but online schooling removes a lot of the stress put on students.” Online learning can benefit…