Skip to Main Content
The Student News Site of Vel Phillips Memorial

Sword & Shield

Sword & Shield

Sword & Shield

The Student News Site of Vel Phillips Memorial

Spirit Day 2025

Spirit Day 2025

Nina Zhu, Student Life Editor May 1, 2025

Spirit Day is back, Spartans! If you didn’t know, Spirit Day is an annual volunteering event organized by Spartan Youth Service (SYS) that brings close to 300 Memorial volunteers to our feeder elementary...

AP Exams 2025

AP Exams 2025

Nina Zhu, Student Life Editor May 1, 2025

AP exam season is right around the corner, and most students are nervously preparing and reviewing a year’s worth of content for a several-hour test at the Alliant Energy Center. As a reminder, here...

Prom 2025

Prom 2025

Nina Zhu, Student Life Editor May 1, 2025

Happy May, Spartans—Prom is right around the corner! This year, Prom will be on Saturday, May 3rd, from 7:30 to 10:30 P.M. at the Alliant Energy Center. The theme will be “Santorini Nights,” and...

VPM Drama's "The Grown Ups" On May 9,1 0 and 13

VPM Drama’s “The Grown Ups” On May 9,1 0 and 13

Ben Thom, Arts & Entertainment Editor May 1, 2025

As the 2024-25 school year ends, VPM drama is going out with a bang! The Grown Ups is about a group of 5 summer camp counselors trying to make it through a very...well, "difficult" political climate....

School Parking Lot Now Valet-Only

School Parking Lot Now Valet-Only

Nina Zhu, Student Life Editor April 1, 2025

DISCLAIMER: THIS ARTICLE IS SATIRE AND MEANT FOR ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY. For the hundreds of students and staff who park their cars in our parking lots every day, Memorial’s newest policy could...

Spring Break Extended One Week

Spring Break Extended One Week

Nina Zhu, Student Life Editor April 1, 2025

DISCLAIMER: THIS ARTICLE IS SATIRE AND MEANT FOR ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY. Last week, Memorial announced that spring break would be extended one week, meaning that students and teachers will not...

AP Exams Now Open-Note

AP Exams Now Open-Note

Nina Zhu, Student Life Editor April 1, 2025

DISCLAIMER: THIS ARTICLE IS SATIRE AND MEANT FOR ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY. With May just around the corner, AP exams are on many students’ minds. However, this year, the College Board has decided...

STEM Club Spotlight

STEM Club Spotlight

Nina Zhu, Student Life Editor March 1, 2025

Are you interested in science, technology, engineering, and math? Or just want an opportunity to try cool experiments and get free treats? STEM Club is the perfect place for you! STEM Club meets every...

Daylight Savings

Daylight Savings

Nina Zhu, Student Life Editor March 1, 2025

Spring is quickly approaching, Spartans! Every year, that means daylight savings time, or DST, begins on the second Sunday of March and ends in November. This year, daylight savings time will begin at...

March ACT: Five-Day Weekend and Tips for Juniors

March ACT: Five-Day Weekend and Tips for Juniors

Nina Zhu, Student Life Editor March 1, 2025

Good news, Spartans--we only have one five-day week in all of March! All students have no school on March 7 for parent-teacher conferences, March 10 for a staff professional learning day, and, for everyone...

Getting to Know The Cast of “Something Rotten”

Max Knight February 1, 2025

With February upon us, that means another annual event is almost here: VPM Drama’s winter musical! This year, VPM is putting on a production of Something Rotten, a musical about musicals, romance, comedy,...

Black History Month: 10 Hidden Figures in African American History

Black History Month: 10 Hidden Figures in African American History

Nina Zhu, Student Life Editor February 1, 2025

Every year, Black History Month is an opportunity to honor the struggles and achievements of African Americans in American history. While notable figures like Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks are...

Load More Stories
en_USEnglish
Donate to Sword & Shield
$150
$650
Contributed
Our Goal