For the sake of privacy and safety, the names of all students have been changed.

 

Her family was laughing about some irrelevant joke, and it was distracting in a way that annoyed her. Glancing in the rearview mirror they asked if she was excited to see the landmark they had been driving hours to get to. She smiled politely, putting her headphones in and angling her shameful secret away. It was just romance, entertainment, she thought. Justifying the content that was graphic and mature for her young age. But at some point it hit her. The realization that no canyon or sunset, no holiday, no hobby, no friends or family, ever gave her that same high anymore. She had become addicted to pornography.

“I wish I was able to live in the moment more as a kid because my parents were definitely trying to give me a great childhood experience,” student Rose said. “I just ruined it for myself being so wrapped up in porn.”

As the internet has advanced, pornography has become one of the most accessible vices for anyone at any time or place. Even when not intentionally sought out, the average age of exposure is in the preteens. For a curious kid, it often becomes like a rabbit hole. Once they peek over the edge, technology algorithms become a guiding hand to lead the way.

Although not every teen who gets exposed to pornography will have negative consequences in the same way or to the same levels, this doesn’t mean the harms don’t exist. It can be damaging to one's self, relationships, and for the culture around sexuality as a whole.

“[Porn addicts’] joy of life is lessened. They don’t find as much joy with their friends, or the experiences, or just simple things in life,” said Mindy Sederquist, a coach with Reclaim. Reclaim is an organization that helps people overcome sexual addiction. “Everything in life becomes sexual, instead of rose colored glasses, they end up having sexual glasses on, so everything they see is sexualized.”

When looking at all of the problems porn can cause, one of the most upsetting is the feeling of isolation and loneliness that often comes. It creates a sinister shadow that follows users long after they view it.

“I feel like it did cause so much guilt and shame because I wasn’t telling anyone this was happening,” student Lily said. “It was just like, it made me feel like such a gross person for looking, for seeking out and watching it, but at the same time I couldn’t stop.”

 Pornography is a plague for teenagers, where many are stuck in the same cycles of shame and isolation. No doctor, parent, or friend can recommend a cure because the problem ceases to leave their bedroom. The side effects only grow internally, distorting life in ways that ruin moments and relationships that should feel special.

“I remember feeling guilty, one time my family was over for the holidays, and I remember watching porn in my room,” Rose said. “And someone knocked on my door and I had to hide it because my family’s in my house and I’m hiding in my room.”

When talking about something as sensitive as pornography, it is crucial to make sure victims know they are not alone. Pornography can be harmful, dangerous, and addicting. But it is not uncommon, a determination of self worth, or something that should remain taboo.

“One of the things that I teach the students that I work with is that this is just an experience,” Sederquist said. “You are not your experiences. So you are not the porn. You are using it, you're consuming it, but it’s not who you are.”

According to the source Culture Reframed, the way to get to a better place is to break the stigma and just talk about it. The word porn should open up a conversation. A conversation between parents and teens about bodies. A conversation about addictions, and overcoming them. For anyone reading who may be struggling with this, the most important thing to know is that help is out there.

“Shame is a fungus,” Sterling Whipple, Individual and Family Relationships teacher said. “It’s this gross nasty thing that grows in the shadows. But as soon as you expose it to direct sunlight, and start talking about it, and address it directly, it starts to go away”

If you want help talking through pornography addiction or other issues, there are resources available for you. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration SAMHSA helpline is 1-800-662-HELP-(4357).


Picture of Ridley's grocery story

Terrel’s says goodbye to Sanpete County

By Tanner Mickel • March 17, 2026
Terrel’s has been an icon and community loved landmark for many years. Now that Terrel’s is being sold to Ridley’s Family Markets, the community is searching for answers on what comes next. Although some might not like the idea of Terrel’s being sold, the old management thought that it was time to sell while Terrel Seely was still here. “The owner is getting older and you know, it was just time, to make sure that, that transition happened while he was still alive,” Blake Rosenlof said. The arrangements for the sale were finished before the original owner passed away. Seely passed away last week. While some are worried about changes, the purchase of Terrel’s and the five other stores previously owned by Seely will bring opportunities for many involved in the store. “What Ridley’s actually wants us to do is help incorporate what we're doing here,” Jared Mecham said, “cause now Ridley’s has 30 stores … They're a bigger company now. And so they actually want our help from the bakery standpoint of getting some of our products into their bakeries and in all 30 stores. So they don't want to change what we're doing, because we're one of the best bakeries in the state of Utah.” Many Terrel's employees are optimistic about this new opportunity. Ridley’s wants to keep the family friendly and supportive environment that Seely has built. The employees believe that it is going to be good for the business and just a good thing overall. “I think it will be a good change for most of the employees. And hopefully for the community as well," Rosenlof said. Terrel’s is going to begin the change and transfer over starting in the beginning of April, and it is planned to be a slow change. Terrel’s is planned to stay open throughout the entire process. Small changes will begin to start one by one, starting with things like the bags and milk. “I think it's gonna take some time to adjust to,” senior Quincy Benson said, “especially because Terrel's means a lot to the community. It's a place where a lot of people shop and it's been such a staple, but especially because Terrel Seely, everyone knows him, we love him.” They are not certain when the name will officially change. And though the name is going to be changed, Ridley’s still wants to keep the atmosphere and family supported environment. They plan to keep all the same staff and traditions and carry on what Seely has built. “One thing that Terrel has always let me do is, they let me bring my little kids in here to work, just to teach them how to work…,” Mecham said. “They've all worked here, and Terrel's allowed that. Most companies would never let you bring your kids to work. So I talked to the Ridley’s owners, they say the same thing, that we don't want that to change, we value teaching kids how to work.”

Ai kort

By Kortney Mitchell • March 17, 2026
A group chat filled with teenagers from all across the globe bonding over common interests. These people, who in any other circumstance would have never met, become best friends because they decided to play the same online games. With growing worldwide access to the internet, it has become common for teenagers and young adults to have online friendships. These connections can mean a lot to a person. “The relationships I have online are closer to my heart than those in real life,” junior Brittlyn Church said. With a generation who has been online their entire lives, online friendships are less taboo than ever. The results from a NS Times survey showed that 47 percent of students have had an online relationship, whether that be platonic or romantic. These relationships can have similar benefits to in-person friendships. “I feel like I am a lot more confident around people that aren’t seeing me face to face constantly. It's just easy to talk to them about something,” Church said. While there are some benefits, the biggest concern around online and AI relations is the increased number of social issues and lawsuits. ABC News and BBC News have both covered issues involving AI users replacing human contact with AI. “My concern is that, much like how pornography is pyrite of intimacy, I worry that these AI relationships will be pyrite for actual human connection,” behavioral health teacher Sterling Whipple said. “And people chase them because it feels good in the short term, but it leaves them unfulfilled in the long term.” According to the Britannica, the first AI chatbot was created in 1966 as a test to see if a computer could gain sentience. The responses given were often jumbled but it gave a baseline to work off of. With AI advancements, chatbots can now respond in real time to any conversation or prompt that the user puts in. These bots can have pre-set personalities or even mimic celebrities or fictional characters when given the right directions. “At some points it did kind of feel like they were more of a real person when I was talking to them, like a real funny person,” junior Nolun Neilsen said. “Then I realized, ‘Oh yeah, this is just a computer. This is just a bunch of other things compiled together to create this.’” Even with how realistic AI has gotten, there are still bugs that make it feel like exactly what it is, a computer trying to be a human. “I feel like just a real human experience will always be better,” Nielsen said. “I don't think it's ever gonna get quite as perfect because it's always better to just talk to someone in person and that feels more real.” The essential need for human connection is why these new developments with AI and online relationships should be taken seriously. “AI needs to be taken seriously,” Whipple said. “The effects on the human mind need to be taken seriously. I just hope that doesn't push us too far into a knee-jerk fear response, a panic response, because I think there's a lot of potential for good as well. But on young minds, we have to be really careful because they are so easily shaped.”

Speech and debate places 2 at region

By Jennifer Solis • March 17, 2026
On Feb. 21 the NS speech and debate team placed 2nd at region with 88 points. “I was very proud of our team,” advisor Alex Bailey said. “This was the first year where we've had enough people or a large enough team to be more competitive.” Juniors Andrew Madsen and Hannah Holbrook placed 1st in public forum, senior Katie Jones placed 1st in Informative Speaking, senior Ethan Mendicino placed 1st in Foreign Extemporaneous Speaking, Holbrook placed 2nd in National Extemporaneous Speaking, Wyatt Bills placed 2nd in Student Congress, Jazmin Solis and Sage Ivory tied for 2nd in Interpretive Performance, and Bills placed 3rd in Original Oratory. Preparing for region took a lot of practice, preparation, and effort from the team. In the weeks leading up to the competition, students dedicated time after school on Thursdays working on their speeches, practicing their performances, and making improvements. The advisors gave feedback to ensure that students could be ready to compete at region. The regional competition was a great experience for the team, as it allowed students to challenge themselves, learn from other competitors, and reflect on how hard they had come during the season. Competing against other schools gave the team the opportunity to see new performances and see what they can change so that they could do better moving forward. “Speech and debate provides a lot of positive opportunities, and I have learned a lot about myself through speech and debate,” Madsen said. “I think anyone who does speech and debate discovers something new about themselves.” The regional competition involved four schools from across the area, and because of this students knew they would face experienced competitors that required them to step up and practice harder. The team felt both nervous and excited to see how the region would turn out. “For me, [competing] is pretty easy just because I've been doing it for four years,” Jones said. “But when I started out, it was terrifying.” The team felt confident in their performance, even if they didn’t take first. “I feel good, but it's always a tough competition every year,” Ivory said. “Sometimes you can do really good at region and then there's just a school that'll just wipe you out.” Despite challenges that come with the events, most members tend to look on the positive side and see this as an opportunity to learn. Preparation helped these competitors feel more confident when it came to competing. Many students found that placing in region gave them a great sense of joy and showed the effort that they put in throughout the season. “I'm just so proud of everything they've all individually accomplished, and then what they've accomplished as a team as well,” Bailey said. “No matter how we do at state, I feel like we've already won to some extent.” As the season begins to come to an end, the speech and debate team is now preparing to move on to the state competition, bringing with them months of practice, dedication and the hope that all of their hard work will help them perform well. “My hopes for state is that myself and my teammates will have a successful weekend,” Bills said. "I hope that all the hard work we have put in this year pays off and hope that we can take home a lot of medals this year.”