2025 | The Lions' Den

Trump’s Tariffs: Effects on the US Economy

By: Ever Schmidt

President Donald Trump stopped tariffs for 90 days on goods that are transported to the United States from other countries.

“It’s affecting the world already, prices are starting to go up, the stock market is also taking a big hit,” accounting teacher Mr. Lou Downey said. “It’s going to be a tough adjustment for everybody, not just the United States.”

The current price of two dozen eggs at WalMart.

Photo by: Ever Schmidt

President Trump uses the tariffs to bring people who live in the U.S. to buy products made here. He made transported items more expensive, encouraging consumers to buy U.S. made products because they are made in America. They seem cheaper because the transported products have increased in price.

“I see why the president is doing this,” Mr. Downey said. “They have tariffs on our stuff, and we were tariffing them.”

According to CNN, Trump signaled a potential U-turn on the trade war with China. Chinese prices of items will come down, but the tariffs won’t be zero. China eventually refused to lower the prices on tariffs and have a 125% increase on US goods.

“Honestly I didn’t know much about tariffs, but I have noticed gas prices decreasing then rising again,” sophomore Bryland Haile said. “Whatever Trump decides to do everyone will have to deal with it, so I’m not letting it consume my life.”

According to Fox Business, the price of crude oil prices could be increased 10-20 cents when tariffs are back in effect for gasoline.

Not only have gas prices taken a toll, but students who buy from online stores such as Shein, Temu and Ali Express have also noticed a change in buying their items.

“Recently I have noticed how expensive shipping is,” junior Nova Miller said. “While shipping used to be only a few dollars, now it has become almost twice that. Honestly with the tariffs people are going to start buying U.S. made products, but many online stores are going to lose customers because no one wants to pay $10-$15 for shipping.”

New Year, New Resolutions

Posted on January 23 by gshslionsdenadmin

By: Rubee Stillwagon

As the new year rolls in, resolutions and goals are being made for success.

Reflecting on the past can show what worked, what didn’t and why. Understanding things that caused challenges and led to success can help set a more realistic goal.

“I don’t have many new year’s resolutions this year, but I do want to work on my procrastination,” senior Kylie Kolenc said.

Sometimes breaking goals down into smaller steps can keep people on track. Procrastination can be a leading factor in not completing goals. So, making checkpoints smaller can make it easier to see progress and stay motivated.

“My new year’s resolution is to stay active and try to work out more to make me stronger for dance,” sophomore Izabella Caruso said.

Izabella Caruso is captured mid-leap during a dance competition.

Photo courtesy: Izabella Caruso

Acknowledging that there might be situations that lead to setbacks is important so there can be a backup plan. Setbacks can be part of the process, so staying resilient and bouncing back is ideal.

For some people, writing down resolutions and goals so they can be visualized can be beneficial. They can be placed somewhere that is seen every day like a fridge or a desk.

“I plan to achieve them by maybe having a planner or something along the lines of that to help with deadlines,” Kolenc said.

For some, staying flexible can keep them more focused on the end goal. Regularly reviewing and adjusting goals can make it more realistic to achieve.

“I would like to connect more with my family and friends in 2025,” Science Teacher Mrs. Julie Firmstone said. “My motivation is that we never know when we won’t have that chance.”

Even celebrating the small things can keep motivation up. But other than individual things people do to keep themselves motivated, having a support system can go a long way.

“My motivation is my mom because she is my number one supporter and my team,” Caruso said. “I also think my dance teacher will help push me to be my best because all she has ever wanted was for her students to dance to their best ability.”

The people that surround a person can be the thing they need for success. Sometimes the smallest support can make a difference.

While continuing into 2025, staying motivated and on track is important for most and helps to create a more successful year.

“A retired teacher told me that it takes 21 days to form a habit, so I try to remind myself to keep up with something, so I am able to create the habit,” Mrs. Firmstone said.