For many people, the year 2018 flew by. It can sometimes be hard to keep up with everything that’s happened, especially with this year’s news, as there was a lot of it. If this past year was a blur, here’s a 2018 recap to get you up to speed.

In national news, the midterm elections took place this year. The Democrats gained control of the House of Representatives, and the Republicans maintained control over the Senate. There was also a school shooting in Parkland, Florida that killed 17 people. This shooting led to the national march called the March For Our Lives, and school walkouts across the country. This was a push for stricter gun laws in America. The recent California wildfires devastated many Californian communities and led to the destruction of over 1 million acres of land.

International news this year also included many events that attracted global recognition. In July, 12 Thai boys and their coach were rescued after getting stuck in a cave for three weeks. They were rescued by a Navy SEAL who in the process of rescuing them, unfortunately lost his life. The World Cup also took place in 2018. The cup took place in Russia, with France and Croatia making it to the final. France won, making it their second World Cup championship ever.

“International news this year also included many events that attracted global recognition.”

Many changes have come about to Jamesville-DeWitt High School and the Syracuse area this year. Major school construction was started  over the summer, continuing into the school year. Currently, the auditorium is undergoing construction as well as the large group room. Bathrooms were renovated in every hallway, and the band room was re-done as well. J-DHS welcomed a new staff member, Officer Tiffany Pienkowski, the school’s new SRO (School Resource Officer). In Cicero, a new Chick-fil-A branch opened and was highly successful, attracting diners from all over the Syracuse area.

These are just a few of this year’s highlights, but this recap should help to untangle 2018 a little more and get us set for the new year.