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The Student News Site of Vel Phillips Memorial

Sword & Shield

Sword & Shield

Sword & Shield

The Student News Site of Vel Phillips Memorial

2025 Senior Honors Convocation Overview

Max Knight June 1, 2025

Every year, Memorial holds an honors convocation to celebrate students who have been awarded scholarships or honors by the school. This year, the Fifty-Eighth Scholastic Honors and Awards Convocation was...

Thoughts On The Grown-Ups

Thoughts On The Grown-Ups

Amalia Weix June 1, 2025

VPM Drama absolutely knocked it out of the park with their production of The Grown-Ups. It’s a very well-written play, and was further elevated by the amazing performances of the cast. Everyone did a...

2025 Demonstration of Learning Preview

2025 Demonstration of Learning Preview

Nina Zhu, Student Life Editor June 1, 2025

It’s that time of year, Spartans! With around a week left of school, we just have to finish our semesterly Demonstration of Learning, or DoL, before we can enjoy our summer. Here’s this year’s DoL...

AP Test Review

Patrick Mulkey, co Editor in Chief, Sports and co News Editor June 1, 2025

School is almost over for the Spartans and the AP tests have come and went. I was lucky enough to take five of them and will be sharing the good, the bad and the ugly about the AP exams this year. To start,...

AP Testing 2025: A New Era of Digital Exams

AP Testing 2025: A New Era of Digital Exams

Nina Zhu, Student Life Editor June 1, 2025

After weeks of studying, late nights, and countless flashcards, AP testing season has officially ended! Congratulations to all the Memorial students who took an AP test or class this year. AP tests are...

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...

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