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2024 Year in Review

Here’s a look back at some of the top news stories of the year.

The Next President

Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Americans chose their next leader. On November 5, Donald Trump was elected the 47th president of the United States. He defeated Kamala Harris. Trump won back the job he’d held from 2017 to 2021.

J.D. Vance will be Trump’s vice president. They will be sworn into office on January 20. 

Spreading Joy

This year’s biggest movie is packed with emotions! Since it came out in June, Inside Out 2 has made nearly $1.7 billion worldwide. It’s now the top moneymaking animated movie of all time.

© 2023 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved. 

The GOAT

Naomi Baker/Getty Images

Sports fans love to debate who’s the GOAT. That stands for “greatest of all time.” When it comes to gymnastics, many people say it’s Simone Biles. She won four medals at the Summer Olympics in Paris, France, in August. She now has 11 total Olympic medals. That’s more than any other American gymnast.

Simone’s Moves
See Simone Biles in action!

Double Disasters

Jim McMahon/Mapman®

On September 26, Hurricane Helene hit northern Florida. On October 10, Hurricane Milton struck. Both storms led to major flooding and damage in several states. More than 250 people died. 

Miles Kexel, 11, and his family live in Asheville, North Carolina. The city was one of the areas hit hardest by Helene. Miles talks about what it was like to live through the storm. 

Courtesy of family

Miles Kexel with his parents and his sister, Eden

On the night Helene hit, we slept in the basement. All we heard was the wind and rain. It was so loud. The storm was bigger than we’d expected, and I was scared. 

We lost power, cell phone service, and running water. Branches had knocked down power lines. A big tree blocked the road. We didn’t leave our neighborhood for three days. 

Downtown, it looked like a bomb had hit. Bridges had caved in. Telephone poles were splintered.

A family friend found an apartment where we could stay. It was in Floyd, Virginia. We went back and forth for about a month. It was stressful. I’m glad to be home for good.

ALLISON JOYCE/AFP via Getty Images

A police car trapped in mud in Lake Lure, North Carolina, on October 2

What You Need to Know About Hurricanes
Watch a video to learn more about these powerful storms.
  1. Based on the article, why do many sports fans call Simone Biles “the GOAT”?
  2. According to Miles Kexel, how was his town affected by Hurricane Helene?
  3. What are three facts you can learn from the map on page 7?
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