Senior Sunrise: The First of Many Lasts
Ashwini Bandi and Addison Cox Long before the first morning bell rang through the halls of Marriotts Ridge, the senior Class of 2027 gathered at Dunkin’ Donuts to claim their boxes of donuts and coffee, hustling through the doors to get to the dew-damp fields of Marriotts Ridge before sunrise. They huddled around their picnic…
Letter to New Mustangs
Timmy Moon Dear New Mustangs, My name is Timmy; I am a senior and a fellow Mustang, and I want to welcome you to some of the most important years of your lives. For some, these years mean exploring new interests, having fun, and making new friends; for others, it is the set up to…
Mustang on the Map: Aadi Agarwal
Ashwini Bandi and Matthew Ivie Marriotts Ridge is home to a wealth of stellar students whose achievements extend far beyond the school community. Kicking off this year’s “Mustang on the Map” student feature, The Stallion turns the spotlight on a student whose innovation was already generating interest beyond Howard County before the school year had…
Girls Flag Football
Artem Dolgushev Ever since Howard County public schools opened their doors to students in 1952, football has stood as a centerpiece of high school culture. For the past 74 years, football has exclusively consisted of 11-on-11 men. However, this year a new JV and varsity sport has been introduced to HCPSS: girls’ flag football. Girls’…
Club Focus: Generational Club
Valeria Gutierrez and Isabella Kennedy Senior citizens often face struggles that the rest of the population doesn’t typically have to face, such as social isolation, chronic illness, or memory issues. In fact, according to a recent survey by AARP (American Association of Retired Persons), one in three senior citizens experience loneliness. These hardships are one…
You Don’t Need to Look Younger
Sophia Kibler Walking down the skincare aisle of the average drugstore, one can find a wide array of anti-aging creams, serums, and treatments. Seeing shelves stocked top to bottom with products promising a face free of wrinkles and rejuvenated skin leave many consumers (especially older women) feel as if there is an inherent problem in…
Rediscovering Boredom
Jesus Mirabal I have wasted over 9,000 hours of my life on one of today’s most common addictions. Around September of 2025, the white noise that occasionally resided within my head grew to a deep smog that took a toll on my mind, and my physical state. From that point I began to realize I…
Teacher of the Year
Kacey Richardson Seniors are gone and have made many great high school memories these past four years. From laughing with friends at lunch to bonding with their favorite teachers, high school was the place for many memories. As seniors stepped out of their favorite class, and walked into their young adulthood, they remember what teachers…
That’s a Wrap: Graduation 2026
Jesus Mirabal and Jacob Insley June 2nd marked a celebratory finale for seniors, which allowed them an opportunity to bid goodbye to their high school experience with a final walk across the stage. Graduation is a big step for many, marking a transitional period into the next step of life. For some, this leaps to…
Best Summer Volunteer Opportunities
Cas Bransford School is almost out for summer vacation, and many students will be looking forward to freedom, no classes, and all kinds of other summer activities. There will also be students looking for volunteer opportunities to build their resumé, gain experience, or simply serve their community. There are many options to consider for MRHS…
MRHS 2025-26 Sports Recap
Nibha Patil As the MRHS 2025-26 year comes to an end and spring sports wrap up, MRHS recognizes the tremendous accomplishments made by its student-athletes across every team. From nail-biting victories on the field to personal bests on the track, students have shown dedication, teamwork, and school spirit all year long. Each game, meet, and…
Receive a Free Yeti Beach Wagon
Timothy Moon A little red circle showing 99+ in the students inbox is hard to miss. Once they get a notification for another email, there is a brief moment of anxiety and unfamiliarity. The modern email is no longer just a digital mailbox, it is a field full of opportunities, rejections, and corporate greed. Full…
School Without Seniors
Sophia Kibler With hallways near barren and classes half empty, the lack of seniors in school will be felt by underclassmen starting May 25. Every year, seniors leave a few weeks before the rest of the school year ends in order to prepare for post high school plans and graduation. “A lot of my friends…
School Is Never Out
Isabella Kennedy The last school bell will ring on June 18th, and summer vacation will officially begin. But for many high schoolers, summer looks vastly different from the pool days and family trips that filled their elementary school years. Now, many MRHS students will be experiencing summer by building their resume: watching clouds pass from…
Concerts and Music Festivals to Look Out For
Valeria Gutierrez There are many local concerts and music festivals that students with different music tastes can enjoy without venturing too far out from Howard County. For instance, Indie pop artists like Mitski and Alex Warren to rock bands like Muse and The Strokes at Merriweather Post Pavillion. The All Things Go Music Festival, for…
Prom: A Picture Perfect Night
By: Sai Velamala and Abby Allen After weeks of planning and anticipation, MRHS held its annual prom on April 24th at Martins West, where students gathered from 7:00 to 10 p.m. for an evening themed around Casino Night. The venue featured elaborate decorations, a dance floor encircled by tables, and a spread of food that…
Goodbye Winter, Hello Spring! 2026 Pep Rally
By: JP Yeich and Jesus Mirabel While the flowers bloom in the late days of April, students at MRHS are given the chance to display their pride for the school during the school’s annual Spirit Week concluded by the Pep Rally, an event in which students are invited to participate in high energy activities in…
Mother’s Day: A Lifetime of Love
By: Mahira Rahman Mother’s Day is a beloved and important holiday in which people can show gratitude and thankfulness towards the woman they owe their lives to. Whether through a bouquet of flowers, a special dinner, or a handmade gift, there are plenty of actions students often take to appreciate their mothers on this special…
When Trditions Collide: Graduation During Senior Week
By: Lucy Cronin All throughout Howard County, high school seniors have spent months scheduling and preparing for the highly anticipated senior week. This annual celebration is one of Howard County’s most thriving student traditions, a trip to Ocean City, Maryland where graduates of the year meet as a way to start off their summers and…
Splashin’ into Summer
By: Sid Raghunath and Mason Machiran As the weather gets warmer and senior year nears its end, students across Howard County are occupied with more than just finals and graduation. Senior Assassin, a water gun game played off campus, has quietly taken over neighborhoods, parking lots, and social media feeds. With eliminations happening at the…
MRHS Goes to Nashville
By: Isabella Kennedy The spring trip is the highlight of the year for many MRHS music students. This year, it was a five-day trip to Nashville, Tennessee. The students got to take a cruise on the Cumberland River, explore downtown Nashville, compete against other schools for the chance to win a trophy and maintain their…
Navigating Through Summer Jobs
By: Matthew Ivie and Hana Austin As school ends and temperatures rise, high school students begin to shift into summer break, however as they get older, the main concern becomes not having enough money. Not being able to rely on their parents, the only solution for many is to finally get a job. During the…
Sack is Back
By: Spencer Grams and Brody Jackson Across the country, hacky sack has once again become a sensation for students. For the first time since the early 2000s, the leather pouch is a staple on high school and college campuses. At Marriott’s Ridge, the hacky sack isn’t just a callback trend from the 2000s. It’s a…
Two Minute School Extension
By: Jacob Insley With all the snow days Marriotts Ridge has experienced in the winter months, the county has made a bold executive decision; all schools are going to enforce an additional two minutes. The two minute extension will take place on May 4th and will be added to the first period of the day,…
HoCo Film Fest: Student Films for Every Taste
By: Valeria Gutierrez May 1st was the 22nd annual Howard County Student Film Festival. The HoCo Film Festival is a student-run organization created in 2004 as a creative outlet for students where they can demonstrate their filmmaking and acting skills. The film festival is open to both middle and high school students. They may submit…
The Mystery of a Crush: Is a crush just a lack of information?
By: Sophia Kibler The thrill of the chase can be all-consuming, especially as a teenager. With endorphins and new emotions running high, a crush can be the most exciting thing in some teens’ lives. Though it can be futile. Many people tend to be enamoured with the idea of their person of interest rather than…
So, What Are We Supposed to Do With All This Time Anyways?
By: Hannah Ahn For the longest time, I hated nostalgia. Avoided the feeling of it entirely, in songs, films, books. My reasoning was simple. Nostalgia isn’t very efficient. And in the act of looking back, you’re missing something zooming past your eyes at that very moment. How many rom-coms have been derailed by the protagonist…
A Recap of Senior Year: Melancholic Memories
By: Sophia Feldman Nostalgia fills my brain as seniors of 2026 collectively listen to Landslide by Fleetwood Mac while looking through photos of friends through high school. As seniors start the final year at Marriotts Ridge, we venture into a year designed to congratulate us on their achievements through secondary education. Many events have traditionally…
A Game of Numbers: The Culture of Academic Fraud
By: Timothy Moon A school valedictorian is a student who achieves the highest academic rank. The highest GPA. The highest score on tests. There sits the school valedictorian, two-thirds into the final exam and nearly finished. Next to them is a well-known cheater who has the answers to every test. They finished the test five…
Fitness At Its Finest
By: Tyler Solomon and Artem Dolgushev Many students may take interest in improving their physique and overall health. However, with social media, biased reviews, and a focus on consumerism, it may be difficult to make accurate choices. This list hopes to guide students on unbiased choices for their fitness journey. Underrated: Sleep: Many prioritize their…
