Why school should start later

Marina Skuban and Amy Tao

Staff Writers

Recently, there has been much discussion about school start times and students not getting enough sleep, especially for middle school and high school. New research shows that starting school later is beneficial for students’ health, safety, and school performance.

    Middle and high schools should start no earlier than 8:30 am, according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, the leading professional society dedicated to the promotion of sleep health. However, 93% of high schools in the U.S start before 8:30, including our own. As children mature, they experience a delayed circadian rhythm, causing later sleep onset and later morning awakening. Most teenagers cannot fall asleep before 11:00 pm. Adolescents need 8-10 hours of sleep every night for optimal well-being, so a teenager who falls asleep at that time should sleep until 7:00 am, at the least. Schools should recognize these biological shifts and start high schools and middle schools later while starting elementary schools earlier.

    70% of students do not get adequate sleep, resulting in many consequences. Many teenagers do not get enough sleep due to late nights dedicated to school work and early mornings to get to class on time. Students who don’t get enough sleep are at risk of being overweight, suffering depression, and performing poorly in school. Not getting enough sleep can also put you at risk for other medical issues such as high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, and permanent cognitive issues.  Young drivers also have a higher accident risk when sleep deprived, so later start times is crucial for safety.

    In order for students to perform to their best ability, they need a good night’s sleep. In order for this to happen, school start times have to change.

The Great Holiday Nog-Off: Who makes the best commercially available eggnog?

Joey Tebben

Layout Editor

Eggnog is the supreme winter holiday beverage. Milk, eggs, sugar, and spices combine  to make an unbeatable concoction. There are many brands of eggnog available for purchase in New Hope, but until now, nobody has delved deep enough into nog-craft to truly discover the greatest eggnog.
     The ‘nogs provided by Hood, Merrymead Farm, Southern Comfort, Turkey Hill, and Wawa were pitted against each other in the ultimate eggnog battle: The Great Holiday Nog-Off. The Lion’s Tale resident taste testers, Colin Keyes and Felix Timmons, partook in a blind taste test presided over by an independent adjudicator, Joey Tebben, to decide the greatest eggnog available for purchase in the New Hope area.
    Eggnogs were tasted blind and given a rating out of 10 by both reviewers. The points were added together for a final ‘nog score. Here are the final results. For an all-access viewing experience of the tasting process, visit the Lion’s Tale website to see the video review.

5. Merrymead Farm

(Colin: 6, Felix: 4, Total: 10/20)

The wildcard of the bunch was from Merrymead Farm in Lansdale, PA. The ‘nog made from farm-fresh milk and eggs was the favorite coming into the test. However, in the blind taste test, it was aptly compared to a “watered down vanilla ice cream” and the reviewers found it “too foamy.” Not only was it the most expensive of the bunch; it was the blandest of the bunch. Merrymead’s offering was entirely disappointing and the worst  eggnog experience by far.                                      

4. Turkey Hill

(Colin: 7, Felix: 8, Total: 15/20)

The Pennsylvania favorite was one of the more familiar ‘nogs, but it fell short in the taste test. With an artificial, alcohol-ish, mediocre flavor, it dropped to second to last in the rankings. It’s definitely drinkable if that’s the only thing available, but there are much better choices on the market.  

3. Southern Comfort

(Colin: 8, Felix: 8, Total: 16/20)

One of the two nationally available brands in the taste test, Southern Comfort is more well-known for their adult beverages, but they sell a non-alcoholic eggnog mix. Their ‘nog was possibly the tastiest, but it tasted more like a liquid cinnamon roll than an eggnog. If you’re looking for a traditional eggnog, Southern Comfort is not for you. But, if you want a delicious twist on a holiday classic, pick up some Southern Comfort ‘nog.      

2. Hood

(Colin: 9, Felix: 9, Total: 18/20)

The other of the two nationally available brands, Hood was the underdog coming into the test. The 172-year-old company’s packaging did not exactly catch the eye, but it provided a fantastic ‘nog experience. The fantastic ‘nog caused an instinctual human reaction in Felix: “Oh [expletive] that’s good.” Colin echoed these sentiments in a less vulgar way and Hood’s eggnog joined the upper echelon of ‘nog glory. Hood’s product was fantastic, but it could not quite beat our winner.

1. Wawa

(Colin: 9, Felix: 9, Total: 18/20)

 WHAT!? Everyone reading this paper is probably asking: “Wawa received the same score as Hood, how did it win?” In the blind taste test, Wawa did tie with Hood. It was a fantastic ‘nog, but it wasn’t quite good enough to pull ahead of Hood. This led to a sudden-death battle of supremacy between Hood and Wawa to find the true best eggnog. In the second blind taste test, Wawa reigned supreme. Wawa’s eggnog was less sweet and had a milder flavor than Hood’s, but that is what put it on top. It was not too sweet, not too thick, not too thin, not too eggy… it was just right. Congratulations to Wawa, the Great Holiday Nog-Off champion!

     Colin Keyes and Felix Timmons contributed to this article.