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Illuminating the News for the Students by the Students

Lamplighter Media Productions

Illuminating the News for the Students by the Students

Lamplighter Media Productions

Illuminating the News for the Students by the Students

Lamplighter Media Productions

Wenbo Fan

Wenbo Fan, Staff Reporter

My name is Wenbo Fan and this is my fourth year on Lamplighter. Since starting Lamplighter freshman year, I’ve learned that journalism can change the way people view important topics and opinions. I try to use this mindset when I work on stories we cover and events we inform others on. Lamplighter has inspired me to learn more about the things that can affect the world and how our actions impact others, because student journalism truly focuses on the student and what the students can do to change the world. My goal this year is to learn and try new things. 

In my spare time, I enjoy writing, reading books, and attempting to play with my cats.

All content by Wenbo Fan
Heaven's Design Team: An Educational Comedy

Heaven’s Design Team: An Educational Comedy

Wenbo Fan, Staff Reporter March 23, 2021

If you’re looking for a simple and light-hearted show to brighten your day, you need to look no further than the new anime release “Heaven’s Design Team." Amidst a season filled with action and thriller...

AP exams are drastically changing, with both in-person options and full digital tests offered.

College Board Announces Changes to AP Exams

Wenbo Fan and Max He March 15, 2021

Due to the pandemic and continuation of online learning, the College Board has decided to change Advanced Placement (AP) exams this year to be as flexible as possible, prioritizing the health of students...

Often times, people forget the things about Valentine's Day they can still enjoy without being in a relationship.

Why I Enjoy Valentine’s Day

Wenbo Fan, Staff Reporter February 14, 2021

Maybe it was the fact that we always got free candy from my classmates in school, or maybe it was because our teacher always let us have the day off to engage in crafts and baking, but ever since I was...

With international travel limited, families are becoming more split. Many students with families overseas have not been able to visit in the past year.

How COVID Has Impacted International Families

Wenbo Fan, Staff Reporter February 9, 2021

It was only a few months ago when my mom told us that my grandmother, her mother, was sick. Very sick. I knew my mom wanted to go back to China as quickly as possible, but she was hesitant about...

Genshin's distinct characters have added to the game's popularity.

How Genshin Impact Captured Hearts and Wallets

Wenbo Fan, Staff Reporter January 25, 2021

After three years of work and development, Chinese company miHoYo finally released their fifth game: Genshin Impact. Within a week of release, Genshin Impact managed to generate $60 million dollars. As...

While fans continue to celebrate the film in artwork, others maintain that it is a deeply disturbing movie.

The Polar Express: Holly Jolly or Horrifying?

Wenbo Fan, Staff Reporter December 24, 2020

“The Polar Express” is a well-known holiday movie that has circulated throughout the nation for 16 years. Not only is it still relevant and popular among kids and adults, but it has also won numerous...

Last year, students often obscured their faces on their lanyards, to the dismay of teachers and administrators. Now, teachers are thankful for any sign of a student's face at all.

Virtual Learning Solves

Wenbo Fan, Satirist December 3, 2020

Although the pandemic has stunted students’ mental health, social skills, and academic performance, several problems teachers and administrators would be running into during a normal semester have been...

Phasmophobia is the fear of ghosts--and this game will certainly make you scared. Phasmophobia has received high ratings on several gaming platforms for its psychological horror and realism.

Phasmophobia is the Good Kind of Scary

Wenbo Fan, Staff Reporter November 17, 2020

The indie game Phasmophobia, released by Kinetic Games in September, has gained popularity and received attention from several streamers online as well as players at home. The general premise of the game...

Dunbar's school psychologist, Mr. Patrick Ballard, gives insight on what students can do at home to stay mentally and emotionally healthy during quarantine.

A Chat with our School Psychologist

Wenbo Fan, Staff Reporter November 12, 2020

Dunbar's school psychologist, Mr. Patrick Ballard, is available for students to talk to if they want to discuss any mental health situations they are dealing with. Mr. Ballard was named Kentucky's School...

Fan Zhang uses medical equipment like this at work every day

Living Through Two Epidemics

Wenbo Fan, Staff Reporter November 5, 2020

During the past few months, doctors and nurses have done their best to keep patients healthy throughout the pandemic. My mother, Fan Zhang, is a nurse who has experienced both the COVID-19 pandemic this...

Chinese audiences hate the new Mulan film.

Disappointed By Live-Action Mulan

Wenbo Fan, Staff Reporter October 20, 2020

To be honest, I quite enjoy Disney live-action adaptations like Aladdin and Beauty and the Beast, the CGI Lion King and Jungle Book. Needless to say, the original animations will always hold first place...

YouTube video describes new interactive features with the popular game Animal Crossing.

Entertaining Ourselves in Quarantine

Wenbo Fan, Staff Reporter October 12, 2020

During the beginning of the quarantine, people began using their technological devices to entertain themselves and hang out with friends virtually doing things like Netflix watching parties, Animal Crossing...

Minnow and Nova stare out the window, stuck inside like the rest of my family.

With More Time on My Hands, I Taught My Cats Some Tricks

Wenbo Fan, Copyeditor May 25, 2020

Lying in bed has become a frequent pastime for me, with little to do and boredom becoming the new normal. Luckily, an idea came to me one day when one of my cats hopped onto my pillow, scaring me awake...

Weathering with You movie poster.

Weathering with You Blows Away International Audiences

Wenbo Fan, Copyeditor February 14, 2020

Japanese director Makoto Shinkai’s latest movie, Weathering with You, has blown international audiences away. The movie was released on Jan. 17 in the U.S., with a Rotten Tomato rating of 92%, a  box...

A railroad with a train cart on top of it.

Unpaid Coal Miners Protest in Front of Railroads for Second Time

Wenbo Fan, Copyeditor January 15, 2020

For the second time in six weeks, Coalminers from eastern Kentucky blocked a coal train outside of Quest Energy mine on Jan. 13, claiming to have not been paid for several weeks. After three days of striking,...

The Farewell cast, bleakly looking at the happy grandmother.

Why ‘The Farewell’ is a Good Cultural Bridge

Wenbo Fan, Copy Editor November 12, 2019

The Farewell tells the story of a girl, Billi (played by Awkwafina) whose Nai Nai (grandma in Chinese) in China is dying of lung cancer. The family has decided not to inform her grandma so she can properly...

Fall is approaching which means we won't be able to escape pumpkins for months

Why I Hate Pumpkins

Wenbo Fan, Copyeditor October 9, 2019

There's something about limited edition that screams for people to get their hands on it. Now that it's fall, companies have reverted back to a yearly fad. Pumpkins. We all know what a pumpkin is,...

In God We Trust

In God We Trust

Wenbo Fan, Staff Reporter August 16, 2019

Kentucky lawmakers required all Kentucky public schools to display the phrase "In God We Trust" in a visible area. Signs were required to be up by the time school started on Aug. 14, so many school districts...

Discrimination has a way of making people feel sad about the state of their community.

Transgender Military Ban Displays Trump’s Discrimination

Wenbo Fan, Staff Reporter July 30, 2019

Buzzfeed announced what has been hinted at since Trump was elected: "Transgender ban on military personnel is now in effect." While the issue of discrimination has greatly improved since the Civil Rights...

The environment is the most important aspect of earth and should always be protected.

Gold Tree Awarded to Green Schools

Wenbo Fan, Staff Reporter May 20, 2019

The environment is the most important aspect of earth and should always be protected.

Mother's Day Gift Ideas for Teens

Mother’s Day Gift Ideas for Teens

Wenbo Fan, Staff Reporter May 7, 2019

Mother's day is soon approaching and children of all ages are frantically thinking of gift ideas for their mothers. However, several find that some gifts are too expensive to buy or not meaningful enough...

Angel vs. Devil Theme. Wikipedia: Is it good or evil?

Should Students Use Wikipedia?

Wenbo Fan, Staff Reporter March 16, 2019

Wikipedia is considered a free encyclopedia site, containing articles on many different topics and interests for people to access. Created in 2001, Jimmy Wales came up with the idea of making a publicly...

Dunbar Cares Food Drive Underway

Wenbo Fan, Staff Reporter November 18, 2018

According to Marketplace, the average cost of a Thanksgiving dinner in 2017 was $49.12, while the average cost for meals per week was around $550, $6.11 per meal. This means that the average Thanksgiving...

No Halloween Masks Allowed

No Halloween Masks Allowed

Wenbo Fan, Staff Reporter October 30, 2018

While many high school students have given up on the notion of going door to door getting candy from neighbors, some still have a desire to keep Halloween a playful and fun experience, while others feel...

Chinese Government Bans Peppa Pig and Pooh

Wenbo Fan, Staff Reporter May 15, 2018

Ever since Chinese President Xi Jinping began his second term in office, his strict restrictions regarding content posted online have only made citizens frustrated. The latest ban the government enforced...

Technology Student Association Conquers State Competition

Technology Student Association Conquers State Competition

Brooke Abell and Wenbo Fan May 11, 2018

The Technology Student Association (TSA) is a club meant to help students explore future areas in career and college. TSA offers members opportunities within areas of leadership, innovation, design, engineering...

Do Schools Favor Extroverts?

Do Schools Favor Extroverts?

Wenbo Fan and Brooke Abell March 30, 2018

Introversion and extroversion are common personality traits that are used to label individuals. A quiet, silent person in the back of the classroom is more likely to be called an introvert, while a loud,...

Facebook Privacy Scandal

Facebook Privacy Scandal

Wenbo Fan and Brooke Abell March 29, 2018

Mark Zuckerberg, the chief executive officer of Facebook, was interviewed by the Senate April 10-11. He was questioned about Facebook allegedly leaking users' information in the 2016 election, and gathering...

The History and Development of Computers and Programming

The History and Development of Computers and Programming

Wenbo Fan, Staff Reporter March 24, 2018

My first so-called computer was a tiny, pink, Leapfrog with a 3x5" screen. It taught me the alphabet and how to count to 10. My young self believed that this computer was the most magical and advanced...

The boys' academic team poses for a photo with their newly earned Governor's Cup trophy.

Dunbar Academic Team Competes in Governor Cup

Wenbo Fan and Brooke Abell March 24, 2018

On March 17, Dunbar's academic team competed at the statewide Governor's Cup and placed fourth overall. The Governor’s Cup recognizes and awards the exemplary academic achievements of students. Over...

The Inside Scoop on Lamplighter

The Inside Scoop on Lamplighter

Brooke Abell and Wenbo Fan March 14, 2018

Lamplighter is a student-run organization which produces weekly broadcasts, articles, photos and the Torch podcast at Dunbar. Among its many awards, Lamplighter won the NSPA Multimedia Feature Story...

Voices Spoken

Voices Spoken

Brooke Abell and Wenbo Fan February 15, 2018

On Jan. 23 at 7:57 a.m., shots were fired at Marshall County High School, killing two students and injuring 17. One day earlier, a video of suspect Gabe Parker being bullied and teased was posted on Snapchat....

Preparing for the ACT: For Students, By Students

Preparing for the ACT: For Students, By Students

Wenbo Fan, Staff Reporter February 1, 2018

The ACT is a standardized test used by many American universities to determine a student’s admission and, according to PrepScholar, has been shown to be more popular than the SAT in recent years. Last...

Caffeine: The Socially Acceptable Drug

Caffeine: The Socially Acceptable Drug

Wenbo Fan, Staff Reporter December 15, 2017

Imagine relaxing in the evening, watching Netflix or cramming for a test, and suddenly it's 1 a.m.? Most students have found themselves in this situation at some point. The next morning, many look for...

Standards Based Grading: How's it Going?

Standards Based Grading: How’s it Going?

Wenbo Fan, Staff Reporter December 15, 2017

Dunbar transitioned to a full implementation of Standards Based Grading this fall. At the end of the first semester of full implementation, there are conflicting opinions regarding standards based grading....

When Will it Stop?

When Will it Stop?

Brooke Abell and Wenbo Fan November 28, 2017

On Oct. 1, at 10:05 P.M. a gunman opened fire on a large crowd during the Harvest Music Festival on Route 91 in Las Vegas. This was the deadliest mass shooting in modern history, leaving 58 dead and over...

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