Burnt out? Whether it’s spending quality time blowing bubbles or making schedule changes, learn how to use summer to detress and prepare for next school year
Editorial Page 20-21
With potential changes in the district’s property tax revenue and members on the Francis Howell Board of Education, the stakes were high April 7. Many voters placed signs in their yard representing who and what they stood for on the ballot.
The Francis Howell Board of Education introduces three new members following the term expiration of three directors.
by Carly Dyson cdyson683@g.fhsdschools.org
On April 7, at 6 a.m., polls opened, and tensions were high. They would close at 7 p.m. and St. Charles residents would learn that Jason Adams, Sara Dillard and Kevin McGuire were the newly elected individuals who would serve as directors on the Board of Education later that night. A total of six candidates ran for three open spots, given that the terms of board directors Ron Harmon, Mark Ponder, and Jane Puszkar would expire once the new members were sworn in. David Jaworski, Lauren Greenwood, and Puszkar (an incumbent candidate) ran together, as did Adams, Dillard, and McGuire. “I’ve always felt a need to serve my community,” McGuire said. “I found different ways through the years to do that. I’ve considered running for the board before, but I never thought I had the time available to focus on what it actually takes to be a good board member in my mind… but good things don’t happen just because you want them to– you have to put in the work.”
board members, with parents, with district constituents, and with students. I think a good board member makes themselves available to listen.”
All three of the newly elected BOE directors say that they wish to make their community better in some way, and they have specific long term goals that they wish to work towards to achieve that. A couple of specific items that the three plan to focus on are staff retention, overall stability and keeping partisan politics away from the BOE.
“What I would like to concentrate on is reducing staff turnover and trying to, once again, make our district a district of choice…”
“It’s great that you may want to make a change, but the very first thing that you need to do it listen, learn, and reflect,” - Jason Adams
Adams said. “And that’s going to take a lot of hard work, because without increasing revenue from somewhere, the only thing you can do is cut… so seeing what opportunities are out there to give our staff a reason to stay and for new teachers a reason to come would be a big focus of mine.”
by Grace Weldy gweldy196@g.fhsdschools.org
Starting next school year, FHSD middle and high school students will be given their own Chromebooks for everyday learning in the classroom, called the 1:1 plan. Chromebooks for use at school and at home will help students complete work and stay organized all throughout the school year. Teachers also wouldn’t need to keep Chromebook carts in their classrooms. These devices provide an easier and more efficient way to share assignments with students and keep them on track.
“Students will be able to do their own work more often especially if they don’t have their own Chromebook at home,” freshman Lily Figgemeier said.
A personal Chromebook would give students the opportunity to continue learning outside of school hours and manage their time more efficiently.
“Having my own Chromebook would definitely help me with my work so that I’m more focused,” freshman Izabella Jackson said.
Students having their own Chromebook also brings the benefit of giving students uninterrupted time to work by not having to share devices which limits classroom time. While others may think that the cost may be expensive for getting new devices, this is not the case. The Board of Education is only increasing the access of already purchased Chromebooks.
Throughout their campaign, the candidates invested considerable effort in advertising their interests for the community and the BOE. However, one idea in particular was very valuable to them, and that was to keep the campaigns tame. This meant attempting to reduce partisan politics, drama, and hate surrounding not only the six candidates but also the BOE.
“I have friends that are on both ends of the political spectrum,” Dillard said. “And while we can engage in some heavy discussions, at the end of the day we still know that we’re friends. That is the expectation that I will hold myself to with my fellow
The three have also expressed a shared desire of connecting and interacting with their community on top of their new responsibilities and goals. They have discussed planning events where members of the community can speak with them personally about issues they are concerned with.
“It’s great that you may want to make a change, but the very first thing that you need to do is listen, learn, and reflect,” Adams said. “Understand what your position is before you start coming up with those ideas. You want to know what you’re getting yourself into. It’s also important to run a campaign that, win or lose, you can go to bed at night after the results are in and know that you ran an ethical campaign, you didn’t take the low road, and that you treated people with respect.”
“One reason is financial. The school district will save tens of thousands of dollars by changing how we allocate Chromebooks to students,” President of Francis Howell Board of Education Steven Blair said.
One key idea is that providing each student with a Chromebook will support both school regulations and student reliance on technology. With rules such as the cell phone ban in place, students will need a consistent and reliable device throughout the school day. Having a personal Chromebook allows students to complete school work without interruption both in and out of the classroom.
“With the cell phone ban, the change in how we would assign Chromebooks to each person individually allows students greater access to checking their grades, emailing teachers and other uses that a Chromebook could provide,” Blair said.
Five FHN retirees talk a bit about their favorite memories, elationships they’ve built and the responsibilities they are now leaving behind, along with future plans whether that’s starting up a new job or settling down with their families. (Content by Zoe Lobato)
by Grace Weldy gweldy196@g.fhsdschools.org
While at state for Speech and Debate, the club competitors participated in a variety of events such as Speech, Puff and Debate. Each person chosen for state will have an individualized event that they advance to. State was from April 24-25 at Missouri State University in Springfield.
“I was pretty excited, it was a fun learning experience,” junior Alexander Ingrassia said.
Anne McPartland has taught German classes here at FHN since 2001 and made it a point to give every student the option to learn German engagingly. Her average day is spent teaching all five levels of German, then taking her leave after 5th hour so she can go to Hollenbeck Middle School and do the same. Deep connections were often forged as she is the only German teacher, allowing her to see some of her students grow and develop through both their middle school and high school years. McPartland, even after retirement, will continue to work, finding a part-time job where she will be able to have fun and provide entertainment for others. But, not before taking some well-needed rest, and travel time, where she will be able to enjoy her retirement fully.
The Mock Trial state qualifiers finished 5th place at state March 2729 at Carnahan Courthouse in Saint Louis after successfully completing their regional competition. The team partcipated as the prosecution and the defense in a realistic court room simulation with specific rules during the competition.
After knocking out both preliminary competitions, the team was second out of 16 going into quarterfinals and finished as 5th at state overall. “I was really excited because we have a really strong team this year,” senior Vanessa Ng said.
State qualifiers for DECA competed in Kansas City on March 21-22. Individuals and duos placed in nine different categories. Highlighting those awards were Hussain Mushtaq in 4th place for Integrated Marketing Campaign, Luke Hollinger and Carson Howard in 4th for the entrepreneur Startup Business. Jackson Schneider and Nate Smith placed 6th place for Sports and Entertainment, and Grace Kim and Chris Brandt placed 6th for Hospitality and Tourism.
“One of the things I think I will miss most about teaching is that teaching a foreign language allows me to do all different kinds of things, whether it’s food, history, art, or music,” McPartland said. “So just finding an outlet for all my interests will be a challenge, for sure. Also, I really love student energy and enjoy watching students. Oftentimes, I get to know them as eighth graders or freshmen, and then to get to watch them develop and grow over their high
Kimberly Coil has been with the school for 32 years and has worked as both a social studies teacher and a National Honor Society sponsor. Coil has been at school for her entire life, beginning with her first day at kindergarten. She worked her way through the education system, went on to college, and finally went straight into teaching. Even when she left the country and lived in Canada, she still volunteered at her daughter’s school. In some way, shape, or form, she was found in a classroom, collecting fond memories she will be able to look back on as she moves on to the next chapter of her life, traveling the world with a friend, and her dream to someday sleep under the Northern lights will soon be fulfilled.
“One of my favorite memories was that last big alumni walkthrough held at the old building,” Coil said. “There were hundreds upon hundreds of people, many whom I recognized from way back when I first started teaching, not just students, but also staff, and even a few parents. Everybody was so appreciative of the efforts that we put into doing that particular day, and the next year, we had the big opening day of the new building. It was just amazing, everywhere I turned, there was somebody I knew, either a teacher or a student, and that was amazing.”
Diane Thompson is an English teacher and has been with FHN for a total of 28 years, two spent in admin, the other 26 in her current position. Along with teaching classes such as Creative Writing, she has helped prepare students for the ACT through her ACT prep classes and ACT boot camps. Her fondest memories are simply the time spent with teachers and kids, either teaching in the classroom or chatting in the hallways. Her next years will be spent resting with her grandchildren and partaking in new hobbies such as beading and making jewelry.
The Robaddies and Automated Chivalry Robotics teams made it to the Semi-Qualifiers for state at North Saint Louis on Feb 21. They competed with several other teams all around the state and competed in various challenges that required focus and maneuvering their custom robots. Making it to semi- qualifiers alone shows how hard these students work in engineering. “It was a really fun experience competing with teams from all around the state. It was just really cool,” freshman Nora Bauer said.
“My favorite memory actually happened in the old building, and it was painting the butterfly hallway at Old North with the students,” Thompson said. “Along with that, [I enjoyed] the hallway meetings between the teachers and me, and just talking about the good and the bad of teaching, and hoping for snow days... just being family. I think the staff member I’ll miss the most is Mrs. [Amy] Stoker, she was always a really good
Sara White, the Family Consumer Science Teacher, has taught at FHN since 2001. Her daily responsibilities consist of more than those of an average teacher, as she also manages the Knights preschool and has worked hard to provide a comfortable space for the kids who sometimes reside there. In this environment, she guides students on how to manage preschool behaviors and develop kindergarten readiness skills. Along with the standard of grading essays, she helps plan and run the Food and Nutrition labs by shopping for the needed groceries and collaborating with future teachers to help cultivate a strong foundation for life in the classroom. Finally, she helps prepare future parents and teaches the important topics: prenatal development, pregnancy, and labor. Her decision to leave was hard, but she leaves knowing she made an impact on her students.
“Every day is full of blessings and opportunities, and while there are loads of moments that stand out, it’s the collection of connections and positive relationships that I treasure the most,” said White. “Still being connected with students from more than 20 years ago, some of whom are now friends and colleagues, is the absolute best.”
Melissa Hanrahan has been a teacher at North for 23 years. Though sentimental to the old North building, she has made many memories at the new building as well. Her daily duties mainly consist of teaching Personal Finance and AP Economics, growing close with so many students and staff over the years. She cherishes the relationships she makes with students and the comradery with the staff. Her upcoming years are planned to be filled with much traveling, reading and attending sports events without all of the early morning commitments
“Every student that has come through here at some point, hopefully I have helped them with something and it’s always fun to see somebody after they leave high school… It’s going to be the kids I’m going to miss,” Hanrahan said.
“I think if the fields were done on time it would’ve been so much better for the soccer team because most of the time we had to
by Lily Thompson lthompson080@g.fhsdschools.org
As the school year starts to come to an end, summer school applications begin to open up. Students have the opportunity to either take summer school in person or online.
With a large group of athletes and only a few fields to work with, it’s hard to make room for everyone. FHN coaches and teams hope that the space from the old North building will change that.
by Lennon Sharp
lsharp744@g.fhsdschools.org
In wake of the destruction of the old FHN building, an empty field was left in its place. This has left many to question what administration may use this new space for. Whether it’s the varying array of teams that would potentially thrive on having more dedicated space for their sport or club, many have been left in the dark on what exactly will be done with this new plentiful area.
“It will be super useful when we have multiple sports that aren’t just using one field, like soccer and football in the fall can both practice after school instead of having to do one in the morning or later on,” soccer coach Tara Beveridge said.
Though the issue of overlapping practices with not enough space had been addressed largely with the construction of the new football field last year, it brought forth a new issue. Many overlapping spring and fall sports have had to practice together on the football field, creating inconvenient practice hours.
those impacted have input on these changes.
“...We’re going to have to make a document to reserve the space just like we do for the gym’s during practice,” Beveridge said.
Coaches are not yet being afforded a say on the topic, given the fact that the field is relatively early in development. It is likely that discussions regarding the space will be taking place closer to the finished construction, regarding which sports or groups will be taking the space or when they will be using it. Between soccer, football, baseball, lacrosse, band and etc. It’s a lot to decide as it is currently undecided how much will be cleared in total.
“It will be super useful when we have multiple sports that aren’t just using one field.”
Havermale had this to say about whether or not they had reached out to coaches or families;
- Tara Beveridge, Soccer Coach
aren’t ready to use them yet I don’t think so, we know that band is going to have their own space, football and soccer are also gonna have their own space… once we have a definitive date we will sit down and kind of work out, you know who’s using which field and when.”
“The plan is for them to be ready by spring of next year, and Mr. Weiskopf has been good about communicating those things,” stated Assistant Activities Director and soccer coach Matthew Havermale. It is important that families and individuals are kept in the loop about happenings regarding these sorts of developments. This field movement can result in many changes in transportation and scheduling for those who are involved with or are in charge of someone who is involved with these activities. It’s also important that people are not just kept updated however, but also that
For most, the benefits of these new fields are no doubt greatly significant. For those who are a part of any of the sports or after school activities that require everyone to exist together efficiently down in one field, it is limiting for the range of activities that these students can partake in to hone themselves and focus on their sport.
“We’ve been practicing later in the evenings so the impact will be huge, once we get the fields, we simply won’t have to do that anymore, everyone can practice right after school, I think overall everything will just be greatly streamlined,” Havermale said.
“Summer school in person is a much shorter time, you’re having to do one subject for seven hours a day for two weeks, which I could see some kids preferring, but it can be a lot and doing it online I think is a good alternative; it just depends on the students preference,” the counseling department chair and junior year counselor, Lorraine Smith said.
The program offers both credit recovery and credit advancement. Credit recovery allows a student to retake a core course they failed, while credit advancement gives students the opportunity to complete a class over the summer instead of during the regular school year.
“I think all students who need credit recovery benefit from doing it over the summer, that way you’re not having to double up on classes the following year,” Smith said. “It can be a mental thing, like starting fresh the following year and not having that looming over you.”
Registration for FHN’s summer school program was open to all students until March 31, with classes running for several weeks in June and July.
“Registration was a little chaotic for a little while because the systems a little bit new, but I think it’s more efficient, so I think it’ll go good,” Smith said.
LAUNCH
Type: Virtual
Session I: June 1-26
Session II: July 6-31
Registration Deadline: May 10 for session I June 14 for session II
GRANDVIEW: MOSI
Type: Virtual Session I: May 26-July 25
Registration Deadline: June 25
FHSD SUMMER PROGRAM
Type: In-Person
Session I: June 1-26
Registration Deadline: March 31
by Katie Paul Kpaul371@g.fhsdschools.org
The Teacher of the Year Award was presented to Joe Brocksmith, teacher of 21 years, to recognize his hard work and dedication in the classroom.
Brocksmith became a teacher to share his passion for nature while building strong connections with students.
“Learning [student’s] names, getting to know them well, forming those relationships and those bonds with them, because it motivates them, or at least encourages...” Brocksmith said.
His humor also helps with student connections, making the classroom more engaging and interesting.
“He is really funny,” sophomore Katie Ayres said. “He just makes a positive environment in the classroom.”
Despite the recognition, Brocksmith looks beyond the award. His focus remains on educating students and preparing them for success.
“I don’t like the notoriety,” Brocksmith said. “My number one priority at school is to be here for the kids.”
by Aerilyn Ide aide261@g.fhsdschools.org
FHN band students saw great success at District Solo and Ensemble on Saturday, March 7. Four soloists and three ensembles received exemplary ratings and will be advancing to State Solo and Ensemble on May 1, in Columbia. Each soloist and group received feedback from judges on their performance, giving specific aspects of their compositions to improve on in preparation for state competition.
“They gave us some critiques, mostly dynamics, not playing too loud or too quiet in certain spots, and making sure it’s clean and sounds good together,” junior Chase Monroe said.
Some of this year’s state qualifiers are veterans at this competition, having competed as far back as middle school.
“I’ve done it all four years of high school and eighth grade,” senior Sierra Getz said. “All five years I’ve done a solo, but last year I also participated in
by Ashlyn Thies athies277@g.fhsdschools.org
Educational support counselor Barry Morrison has been chosen as the Support Staffer of the Year. This is Morrison’s 12th year in the district and here at FHN. Morrison’s main job at FHN is to provide additional support for students that need any mental health or crisis intervention and social or emotional support.
“I think FHN is a great school,” Morrison said. “I love the staff. I love the kids. I think there’s a lot of good support. There’s a lot of great teachers in the building. And I think, you know, there’s a lot of very good kids as well. So it makes it a fun place.”
Morrison affects many people’s lives, whether it is in school or on the field, as he is the head coach for junior varsity softball and baseball.
“What I love about Mr. Morrison is that he always knows what to say when people are down, and he’s really a good person and always brightens my day,” senior Amari Jones said.
an ensemble. I like my solos better. With solos, you trust the work and practice that you’ve put in. It’s always guaranteed that you get the result that you put the work in for.”
Each soloist or ensemble will be allowed five minutes for their performance that is scheduled anytime from morning to evening. Though the times are assigned largely at random, the time of day can affect performance.
“I was later in the day [at regionals], so I guess I was more fatigued, but I still performed well,” sophomore Evin Gamage said. “I need to practice note accuracy and the parts I missed more.”
Overall, students are excited to perform at this year’s state competition, hoping to receive recognition for their advanced musicianship.
“I’m very excited,” junior drum major Rylan Trotter said. “I’ve just been working on the small things that I was told to improve on. I think I’ll do fine.”
by Katie Paul kpaul371@g.fhsdschools.org
FHN’s Knights of Excellence is set to host the KOE Picnic on May 1. to celebrate students who meet standards such as maintaining a 3.0 GPA, earning Knight of the Round Table or Student of the Week or achieving at least a 90% attendance rate. The picnic is on the football field during the day, where students can enjoy food and participate in a variety of games.
“It gives them something to look forward to,” KOE sponsor Kristen Johnson said. “Often times, those kinds of informal or unstructured parts [of] high school are what they remember the most.”
For students, the picnic is a chance to relax, step away from routine, and spend time with friends.
“[I like] the freedom,” senior Avery Sanders said. “[Last year] we were on the track all day, and you could go get food and play with your friends and run around.”
“My
for a little while.” Emily Clausner, 12
“My favorite has got to be the blow up wrestling area.” Christopher Scott, 10
A list of the top 10 Minecraft mobs that reside in players’ hearts, whether out of pure hatred, annoyance or adoration, these mobs are mobs that nearly every Minecraft player has strong feelings toward. (Content by Mahdi Abdallah, images from the official game Minecraft by Mojang).
The Wolf
1
The most loyal mob in Minecraft that will follow a player through lava and will never leave their side. The Wolf will protect a player from any danger and all because they gave it a bone. It sits forgotten in many abandoned worlds, waiting for the player to return no matter what. No other mob can even begin to rival its loyalty, making it one of the best.
2
The Creeper
The creeper is the symbol of Minecraft, it’s the most well known mob in the game and although it may be very annoying and can ruin hours of progress in seconds, it’s still a favorite mob among players that will always hold special place in a Minecraft player’s heart, whether that place is pure hatred or pure love. “I like the fact that it blows up.”
Josie Pingel, 11
3
The Iron Golem
The Iron Golem or more commonly known as “big guy” are chill mobs who are only there to protect the villagers. They are very useful in the beginning because they drop iron when a player kills them. Making them not only one of the most chill mobs but also one of the most useful.
The Zombie
The zombie, the second most iconic Minecraft mob, is a great way to introduce players to the mobs that attack them. They are easy to take down, but they can very easily group up on the player and overwhelm them if they’re not careful enough.
“I feel like it’s an original character in the game and it’s been there since the beginning.” David Wovhr, 9
Spiders are often horrifying in real life and Minecraft is able to perfectly capture their scariness and cuteness in one mob. They are the only mobs that can climb up walls and that makes them unpredictable in all sorts of ways.
“They’re really pretty and they don’t attack you immediately like other mobs.”
Rylan
Trotter, 11
7
The Copper Golem
Players were robbed of the Copper golem in 2021, it was a long awaited for mob that was unfortunately outvoted by the Allay. It was a necessary golem that was added in 2025. Its cuteness and practicality for farms makes it a great mob.
8
The Axolotl
The axolotl is a relatively new mob that is a great pet to keep, it protects players against underwater aggressors and can give players the regeneration effect if the player and the axolotl are together in ocean monuments.
“The axolotl is cute and I would keep one as a pet in Minecraft if I could find one.”
Lucas Hansen, 12
9
The skeleton
Skeletons are one of the original mobs in the game and can be incredibly annoying, they come out of nowhere and hit a player from far away and are very hard to reach. Despite this they are incredibly useful, they drop bones so players can tame wolves and they drop bows and arrows as well which makes them incredibly useful.
5
Happy Ghast
The Happy Ghast is a new mob that was added in a recent update, it’s a peaceful version of the Ghast and a player can ride it making it one of two methods of air transportation, and the best part is that the player does not need to beat the Ender Dragon to obtain it.
10
The Horse
Horses are one of if not the most useful mob in Minecraft. Minecraft is very limited in methods of transportation and Horses solve so many issues for players. They are easier to tame now as players can craft saddles rather than having to search for one like they previously had to do.
Most Minecraft worlds have a theme or something that the builder is aiming for. Sophomore London Postier based her world off of one of her favorite shows, “Stranger Things.” This world was originally a world for testing out new copper items, however it unwhirled into something stranger.
“I tried working on like a “Stranger Things” rift, this was before season 5 came out and I tried to make it like a big gate,” Postier said.
Although disappointed by the Stranger Things finale, Postier is still passionate about the rift as it’s currently still in production.
Junior Jobanjit Dayal has been playing Minecraft since he was 4 years old. One of his most recent creations, a mega base, required a lot of attention.
“I made a mega base, and it was around an ocean monument, so that was pretty fun,” Dayal said. “It was pretty hard clearing out all the water.”
Dayal’s grind has not slowed down after nearly a decade as he is currently in the process of building a massive farm.
Most Minecraft players build their world on something that they are interested in, whether that would be their favorite TV shows, or just something that they want to build. Junior Joshua Clapp’s builds range from statues to victorian manors.
“I like to landscape a lot,” Clapp said. “I tried making a dinosaur statue.”
Clapp is dedicated to completing this dinosaur statue to add on to his collections of builds. Although statues and houses are a big part of his world, Clapp prefers to landscape.
by Ashlyn Thies athies277@g.fhsdschools.org
A fictional George Orwell book, “Animal Farm” continues its impact in the world with a new movie coming out May 1. The book includes animals on a farm who are trying to overtake humans because they believe they are superior to humans. For sophomores at FHN, Animal Farm is a required book when taking honors English II, teaching students lessons about the role of leadership in society. With the new movie coming out, there is hope that the message will be similar to the book.
“I think it’s good,… seeing that different leaders have different strategies and abilities and the good and the bad of both of those,” English teacher Tara Beveridge said. “I think Animal Farm does a good job of having those different leaders…I would still want that to be a part of [the movie].”
Animal farm is taught in a unit meant for the argumentative side of English, teaching ethos, pathos and logos. The point of reading Animal Farm is to not only learn about argumentative writing, but to also be able to support claims with evidence. Messages can be kept from that book that can be used for a lifetime.
“I would like people to remember that you shouldn’t just believe someone for what they say,” Beveridge said. “Be aware of the other things going on, make your own judgment”
Currently, students watch an outdated version of the movie while reading the book, but since there’s an animated version coming soon, teachers may transition to playing that movie for students instead.
Some students don’t think the book was necessary and thought it was more complex and confusing than other choices would have been, leading to thoughts that the movie may not make an impact on students as they don’t feel the book was necessary.
“I think the book shows a good message, sophomore Makenzi Foley said. “I just think if we’re going to read it in school, we need more guidance to make sure everyone’s fully understanding the purpose of the book.”
Junior Ryan Nuekomm’s dinner table turns into a second home as she hosts a campaign in the tabletop role-playing game, “Dungeons and Dragons”
Take a glimpse into the storyline of junior Ryan Nuekomm’s Dungeons and Dragon’s group and their characters during a game session (Photos by Bri Taliaferro)
this, Lou heals Oleander, and Caleb is back in the
Though, the fight is not over. While BowligGreenly escapes the demons, the Harvest Terror is still alive, and Bowlig-Greenly has to roll to keep demons away from Lou.
It is now Caleb’s turn. Caleb decides to have Oleander heal Lou, giving him almost full health and ends his turn by attacking the Harvest Terror. While he only manages to damage the demon by 4, it screeches in fury, knocking Lou down with 10 damage. Haunted corn stalks begin wriggling their way around the players, forcing all living players to roll dice in order to flee. Lou is the only one to make it out.
A Corvodaemon approaches Biscuit’s character, Kip. Biscuit puts his hands over his face, contemplating. He rolls. Minimal damage is done
It’s back to Bowlig-Greenly, who escaped the maze and arrived at The Harvest Terror. Using a “Divine Smite” spell, she hopes Lou will have a clean attack “Would it be greedy to hope for another 20?” she says. She rattles the dice in her hand and throws it onto the table. After taking a peak, Bowling-Greenly looks at the ceiling, laughing in disbelief.
The “Harvest Terror,” The Crooked Moon beast that Neukomm’s players fight, described by her as a “bird demon with metal parts” (Illustration by Bri Taliaferro).
“Look at it,” she whispers.
Another 20. The team shouts in excitement.
Bowlig-Greenly begins scrawling numbers on her sheet.
“I gave you one turn,” Neukomm laughs. Bowlig-Greenly and Neukomm begin excitedly describing the events. With this roll, in one motion Lou throws a barrier of ashes for protection and thrusts his sword into the demon. Neukomm imitates The Harvest Terror by screeching a caw!” Its body sizzles and crackles from the 70 damage attack, withering in agony. Ash settles onto the ground, the battle won. The Anti-Heroes clap in celebration.
While the victory is met with bittersweet ends with the loss of Anton, the Horrific Anti-Heroes can begin to move onward in their journey with a successful end to the battle with the Harvest
I ReALLY just dont understand what you’re so shaken up about.
There! just beyond that window, listening right now
worried i really think you better lie down
The North Star comic characters have lost the items pictured below, can you find them?
Students shared their favorite songs for the summer. Here’s a look at the tracks that make their summer.
by Katie Paul kpaul371@g.fhsdschools.org
“Your Love is My Drug by Kesha, because it’s fun to listen to, especially because I like walking. It’s fun to just skip around like a maniac outside and pretend no one would see me.”
Maggie Gibson, 9
by Lily Thompson lthompson080@g.fhsdschools.org
Starbucks is one of the most recognizable coffee chains, offering a wide range of drinks from classics to seasonal favorites.
“Definitely Boom Clap by Charli XCX because it reminds me of childhood and playing outside with water balloons.”
Caliyah Brown, 10
“Socks and Sandals by Dutch Criminal Record. I feel like it really encapsulates summer [with] the rhythm, the melody, and the lyrics, [they] fit really well with summer.”
Daniel Riggs, 9
“My favorite song is Passion fruit by Drake. It just puts me in a good, happy mood. This song makes me feel like it’s summer.”
Ben Hughes, 10
“Sweet Ever After by Ellie Holcomb... I like that the melody is really upbeat, and there’s just some fun instruments in there, and the lyrics hit really good.”
Kiley Harris, 12
“My favorite song is probably Amber by 311, and I really like that song because it’s just really positive and it has a good beat, and it just kind of brings out positive energy.”
Kasey Lewis, 11
“I prefer Starbucks, because I had one drink at 7 Brew and I didn’t really taste the coffee, while at Starbucks I did,” senior Marissa Inman said.
7 Brew has quickly gained popularity after its St. Charles opening in March of last year, being known for its fast service and energetic atmosphere.
The founder of the band, Murdoc is the token bass player and also the token nuisance for the other members, especially 2D.
2D is the frontman of the band, and he provides the majority of the vocals. The reason why he has no eyeballs is because Murdoc hit him with his car. Twice.
Noodle shipped herself to the band’s front door at 10 years old in a box after seeing their ad for a guitarist. A child guitar prodigy, she wrote the entirely of “Demon Days” herself.
Often overlooked, Russel is the drummer. As well as providing beats, he provides a guest rapper that appears on several tracks due to being possessed by his ghost.
7 Brew mostly sells drinks like energy drinks, coffee, lemonades and carbonated drinks called “fizzes.” 7 Brew’s opening week drew in customers with their sales and giveaways.
“I feel like 7 Brew has better drinks and I like the energy most there,” junior Maddie Petty said.
As “Swig” started to expand their locations, eventually coming to St. Peters in October of last year. Swig is a drink place
(Illustration by Claira Price)
by Claira Price cprice948@g.fhsdschools.org
Gorillaz is a band formed in 1998 based on the unique idea of having all of the band members be cartoon characters. Their breakthrough single “Clint Eastwood” gained them popularity in the early 2000s. Their newest album, “The Mountain”, released February of 2026, marks a new phase for the band with newer sounds.
Coach Chris Brown first heard of Gorillaz around 2005, when “Demon Days” came out. Both the album and one of the songs on it, “Dare”, were number one on the charts at the time and were being played all the time on the radio. This was most people’s introduction to the band’s music.
“It was something different that I hadn’t heard before,” said Brown.
Something about the band’s personality and creativity stuck with people for decades, and they are still bringing in fans today. In fact, some students’ introduction to their music was hearing “Clint Eastwood” in DreamWorks’ “Trolls.”
Junior Mackenzie Dunn has been a fan since seventh grade. She prefers their older music to their newer music.
“I love the vibes they kind of give off. For every album, it’s a little bit different, and they approach larger issues with a lot of passion,” said Dunn.
that primarily sells dirty sodas, mixing classic sodas with syrup and creamer.
“I like how it sells a bunch of combinations of soda instead of just energy or coffee,” junior Avery Anderson said.
Swig offers a wide variety of flavor combinations for its customers, allowing people to order any mix of drinks they want.
“My favorite drink is the ‘Texas Tab’ because I like coconut and Dr Pepper together,” sophomore Dagemawi Teshome said.
by Sienna Randle srandle854@g.fhsdschools.org
On April 24, the Michael Jackson musical drama biopic, “Michael,” was released in theaters. The movie features Michael Jackson’s nephew, Jaafar Jackson as the starring character, covering what Michael’s life looked like throughout his time involved with the “Jackson 5” and his solo career.
The biopic has sparked many different reactions from students. Some see the movie as cool and a fun way to represent his character again after all these years.
“It’s good to get a film about him out there,” sophomore Barret Nussbaum said.
“After all of these years since he’s passed away, being able to still represent him and portray his character is very admirable.”
Though other fans of Jackson believe that it just isn’t possible to replicate the charm and spirit from the once living artist. Michael Jackson lifelong fan, Arianna Dangi has an autobiography of his that she deems more important, she’s read it about 14 times.
“When I think about people replicating Michael Jackson, singing a Michael Jackson song, I think that’s great, that’s awesome,” junior Arianna Dangi said. “But when they try to look like him and dress up as him and do a whole performance, I just don’t necessarily love it the most. I feel like a movie is just not super necessary”.
Lessons in leadership, discipline, and organization learned through service influence how educators teach and connect with their students.
by Jersey Dubis jdubis410@g.fhsdschools.org
While some people decide to start their college experience sitting at a desk and listening to lectures, others begin their journey in places that shape leaders before shaping students. Years of serving in the military push individuals to think on their feet, take responsibility and lead under pressure, lessons that don’t fade once they step into a classroom. Many veterans later choose to become teachers and carry the lessons they learned in the military into their classrooms.
“The first thing they instill in you is that the idea of quitting is taboo,” sophomore counselor Kyle Harris, who served in the military for three years, said. “You are not allowed to ever say, ‘I quit, I can’t do this.’ In the moment you’re like, ‘This sucks, I can’t stand this,’ but looking back, it instilled in me a stubbornness toward my goals. My mind always goes to, okay, how can I work through this, or how do I get over this? It’s never resulted in me needing to quit and get out of here.”
an objective,” Dalton said. “If you want to achieve something, you must be able to come up with a plan to meet that objective. Being able to plan effectively and track your progress, and if something goes wrong, being able to adapt and adjust.”
While Harris focused on resilience and Dalton emphasized planning, other veterans said the military also taught values that go beyond goals and discipline. For substitute David Barlow, a veteran who served in the military for seven years, one of the most important lessons he carried from his service was integrity.
“Integrity, if you don’t have it, you don’t have a life, because it affects everything you do.”
- Christopher Dalton
“Integrity, if you don’t have it, you don’t have a life, because it affects everything you do,” Barlow said. “Every job I have ever had, or every relationship, whether it’s personal or professional, if you have no integrity, those things, they won’t last.”
Harris notes that the military doesn’t just teach skills like integrity or discipline it can also change how people interact with others. Being part of different teams and facing new challenges helps service members understand and respect other people’s perspectives.
“I would say he’s [Mr. Harris] very encouraging when it comes to wanting you to have a good future and prepare for it.
Allison Birk, 10
“He’s [Mr. Harris] never gave up, he’s never lessened his effort. He’s always kept it the same that helps not just me, but other students a lot.”
Junaid LovelletteButt, 10
“Mr. Dalton’s influenced me to grow more interested in the biomedical sciences. I think he’s passionate about what he does, and I think it’s very inspirational to have”
Hailey Krekeler, 10
Drivers Ed. teacher Deric Edwards and students give out tips and tricks about driving for new drivers getting permits and licenses over the summer
(Content by Carly Hedrich)
While driving, listening to music is a great way to entertain but can be a distraction when skipping or changing songs. It is good to play a radio station or playlist one enjoys to avoid taking eyes off the road.
“With the rise of electronics and cell phones the number of car crashes rose with it,’’ Drivers Ed teacher Deric Edwards said.
Once the music has been chosen, the driver should place their phone away, so that they are not distracted by it.
“I take my phone out of my pocket and put it in a cup holder,’’ senior Trey Duncan said.
Recognizing the different signs, shapes, and colors are very important to the rules of the road to know if to yield or not, watch for pedestrians, basic rules or danger.
“Each color means something different, and then obviously the signs meaning,’’ Edwards said.
Many teachers note that the military doesn’t directly change their teaching style, but it does alter their mental mindset and how they approach challenges. Science teacher Christopher Dalton, who served in the reserves for over 10 years and deployed three times, emphasizes the importance of setting goals and accomplishing them.
“The military taught us how to meet
“I’ve been exposed to people from all over the country and the world, from so many different backgrounds,” Harris said. “It really made me more sensitive to different perspectives and understand that just because something went a certain way for me, it doesn’t mean it’s the same for everyone else.”
“Mr. Dalton has definitely influenced the way I studied by telling me how to go about it.”
Katie Schmidt, 12
When driving, don’t assume all other drivers are going to follow the traffic laws or not. For example, traffic lights, turn signals and yielding.
‘’Don’t assume that somebody’s gonna drive the speed limit or stop at that stop sign or stop light or use their turn signal,” Edwards said.
“My
favorite
Pop is the Funfetti one because the sprinkles remind me of childhood birthdays.”
Mason Scott, 11
“The Funfetti Cake Pop is my favorite because it tastes so good, I wait for it to come back every week.”
Brayden Prouhet, 12
What had started as a kind gesture for friends became something students look forward to everyday with senior Brisa Dimas’ popular cake pops
by Bella Vassoller ivassoller054@g.fhsdschools.org
Senior Brisa Dimas has found her friends to be one of her biggest supporters in life, in ways she says she would never have imagined.
Last school year, she was looking for a way to show appreciation for her friends when she began making her famous cake pops.
“I just wanted something to give to my friends, and I was just looking around to see what I could get. I came across cake pops, and they seemed cool,” Dimas said. “It took me a while to actually learn how to make them but when I did, I really liked them.”
At first her cake pops were only sold to her friends. Soon enough, despite her uncertainty they became much more.
“From the beginning, I was very supportive of her, I thought that her work was good, and it definitely should be getting money,” junior Scar Mulka said.
“And if I was willing to buy them, because I thought they were very good, others would be too.”
At first Dimas wasn’t convinced, but around mid December she began to grow her reach and test how far she could go.
“I didn’t know if people would like them at first, so I would make smaller batches,” Dimas said.
Now, Dimas has created a routine, baking for almost five hours on Monday and Wednesday nights to have her cake pops ready to sell the next morning.
“First I bake the cake, I crumble it up and then, mush it together, after that, I form them and let them chill for a while, then I finally start chocolate coating them,” Dimas said.
Dimas’ cake pop’s popularity has significantly grown since December, students around FHN now look forward to trying different flavors every week.
“I heard about her cake pops at first through her bringing them, and also everyone was raving about these cake pops,” senior Kailyn Curtis said.
make would probably be confetti, because I like all the colors in them and I just love mixing in the sprinkles.”
Despite something that began as appreciation for her close friends, Dimas became known by many students, with her now even having two dollars handed to her without question.
“I think it’s very impressive how she’s managed to keep this ongoing throughout multiple semesters...”
“I haven’t had very many yet, but I like the lemon one, and I had the chocolate one, which is also very good.”
Dimas will often times try her best to make flavors that she hasn’t the week before, or in a couple weeks, or even through a customer’s request.
“I have a variety of flavors, I make vanilla, confetti, chocolate, Oreo, red velvet, lemon, carrots, strawberry…” Dimas said, “My favorite one to
- Scar Mulka, 11
“I think it’s very impressive how she’s managed to keep this ongoing throughout multiple semesters, just because I think a lot of people start stuff and don’t keep them going,” Mulka said. “I just think it’s very cool that she’s had this going on for such a long time, and that she’s managed to make it as successful as she has.”
Even though not all weeks are perfect with Dimas trying to manage school work, whenever she has the time she can be found with a pan in her hands.
“I think it makes her different only because she’s really the only one who does something like that, and she stands out in such a good way,” Curtis said.
Holi and Boba night was held at FHN on April 2 from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. This event let students celebrated a Hindu holiday Holi with boba, water activities and colorful chalk. The event let students emerse themselves into Asian culture. (Photos by Amirah Lamone)
Holi is a Hindu festival that can also be referred to as “Festival of Colors.” This festival is held to celebrate the arrival of spring, and the triumph of good over evil.
Dunyah Almuttan stands covered in chalk powder during a Holi celebration at FHN. She became covered after participating in activities like throwing chalkfilled-bags, which stain clothing for that moment and then washes out.
by Canyon Dubis cdubis608@g.fhsdschools.org
Nestled between Sushi AI and Dierbergs off of Zumbehl sits Fan’s Asian Corner. New to the space, having opened in February, the restaurant is known for its authentic soup dumplings, dim sum and Chinese burgers.
“So obviously we serve soup dumplings and a Chinese sandwich, which has a Chinese name called roujiamo…” Eden Chan said. “The other category [we serve] is dim sum. We figured out a combination of those that will attract customers, so that is how we created [the menu]. Plus, we serve some specialty drinks, which a lot of people like, including myself.”
Jung Zhau, the owner of Fan’s, and his business partner, Chan, started the restaurant to showcase traditional Chinese cuisine.
“We wanted to show the St. Charles people Chinese street food, “ Zhau said. “There’s a lot [of businesses] right here, and we’ve just opened, and I think we’ve been doing pretty good.”
Zhau and Chan were both originally from China, with Zhau coming from the northern portion and Chan from the southernmost point. When the two met, they bonded over the game of pool and their shared bond of food.
“We met in the US, and I do speak a little bit of Mandarin, so it helps us to communicate,” Chan said. “But we are also pool buddies, we play pool at the same time, a lot, so that’s how we met.”
With the menu curated to combine the two’s favorite dishes, customers enjoy the majority of the traditional tasting menu.
“I feel like [their food] was very traditional,” junior Valerie Rojo said. “The chili wontons were my favorite because they were sweet and spicy but not too overbearing. A lot of reviews said it was very traditional to how soup dumplings would taste in China, so it was a cool experience.”
What really makes their dumplings special is that they are made in-house, and the process can be watched within the restaurant.
“One of the most important things… is that all of our soup dumplings are freshly made and made through our see-through window,” Chan said. “You’ll have to look through the window [in order to see how they are made]. It’s a pretty complicated process, and of course, it’s a commercial secret.”
The park is a great place to do lots of activities. These activities are some common ones that students enjoy doing at the park. (Story by Alexis Hick and Illustrations by Aerilyn Ide)
Taking pictures in parks is something that is very common, especially around different holidays, and during school dances. Parks have a natural beauty that makes a great background. Taking pictures in the park can boost creativity, foster a deep connection between people and nature, and provide aesthetic pictures for Instagram posts.
Walking in a park is one of the most popular activities to do, and it’s a break from social media. It’s also just a way to enjoy the weather. Walking can also be a significant stress reliever, and boost mental and physical health.
“People should go to parks more, because it’s something you can do instead of sitting on your phone. It also just gives you time to think, and just relax and enjoy the nice weather.”
Brynn Morning, 9
Sports is one thing that can bring people together with family, friends, and sometimes strangers. Sports can be competitive, or just for fun. Playing sports can lower blood pressure, improve health, and help prevent diseases, while giving a fun way to practice and hang out with friends.
“A lot of my friends and I are on the basketball team here at North. So we just go to the park to practice and have fun.”
Hunter, 11
Biking is something a lot of people do at one point in their life. During summertime you see kids biking with their friends, adults biking just for fun, and usually people do it at a park. Biking can help improve muscle strength, cardiovascular endurance, increase joint mobility and give people something to do.
“Biking is a good way to get outside and hangout with friends. It is also a good way to strengthen your muscles, and it’s an easy workout.”
Brooklyn Woods, 9
Playing on the playground is a favorite for many kids. Kids and teens gravitate towards playgrounds at parks because they might have different elements at that playground that other activities may not. Playgrounds can help develop physical strength and hand-eye coordination. It can also help kids and adults just to focus on having fun.
Across the city of St. Charles, a closer look is taken at both trendy chains and local shops and how each brings their own unique flavor and brand to the cookie scene (Content by Zoe Lobato) AVERAGE PRICE PER COOKIE MOST POPULAR COOKIE? WHAT MAKES OUR COOKIES DIFFERENT? FRESHNESS?
“Our most popular cookie is by far the chocolate chip cookie because we do an ice cream scoop on top, so it’s really thick and gooey,” said employee Veronica Erwin.
“Our bakery is cheaper, and they aren’t as sweet as places like, crumble so you don’t get a stomachache afterwards,” said Erwin. “And for our chocolate chip and double chocolate chip cookies, we do an ice cream scoop on top of the cookie.
“Based on the sales report, our gooey butter and chocolate chip is our most popular, and it seems to be the thing people order the most,” said manager Melissa Ausbury. “Most likely because it’s a classic and you can’t beat the classics.”
“Our cookies are simple,” said Ausbury. “They’re nothing extraordinary and are something that you could bake at home.”
“The most popular cookie at our store is the chocolate chunk cookie because it is the most similar to the classic chocolate chip cookie,” said employee Mary Dyte.
VARIETY OF COOKIES? YELP REVIEW
Freshly baked every morning
Eight different types of daily cookies, and a monthly cookie
“Oh my goodness the smell alone is enough to make you pop in and see what they have,” said Michelle L. “This is a cute shop with all kinds of deliciousness inside and great prices on everything that they offer.”
Frozen
Thirteen cookies offered year round
“The cookies were very soft and warm,” said Ashley R. “We ordered a half dozen with chocolate chip and snickerdoodle. I also ordered an icing cookie sandwich with snickerdoodle and omg so good.”
“They’re not quite as sweet,” said Dyte. “They’re more enjoyable. You’re not clouding your palate and getting over sugared on one cookie; you can sit down and enjoy a few.”
“Classic Pink Sugar because it’s the here at Crumbl,” said employee Ellie Rigdon. “When people think of Crumbl, it’s the first cookie they think of, so it’s our most popular cookie and the one that brings the most customers
“The thing that makes us the most special is our rotating menu,” said Rigdon. “We can offer multiple different choices every week, and it gives everybody a chance to find a flavor they love It also brings in a lot of people because they want to try all of the flavors.”
Freshly baked every four hours
16 different cookies, three different brownies, and some limited-time options, depending on the time of the month.
“Just walking in the doors you feel warm and fuzzy,” said Taylor R. “The smell of fresh cookies in the air was amazing. Got a cookie for me and my friend, one triple chocolate and one confetti cookie that was warm, soft and fall apart even.”
Freshly baked every
Six classic cookies and four new flavors
“Great new spot for the grand opening month,” said Taylor L. “ always. helped get me a cookie figure it out. just needs sitting inside.”
prepares the team for a game. (Photo by Samantha Shoulta)
by Elise Grimshaw egrimshaw432@g.fhsdschools.org
Coming into this season, the North girls varsity soccer team had high expectations. With the team returning with nine starters from the previous season, they have a very experienced team that has strong chemistry. In addition to experience, the team has an immense amount of raw talent from two committed players who are eager to have an impressive final season. This impressive final season has become reality as the team has a record of 7-2, and recently were named the GAC South conference champions.
“It has been such a huge start for us,” senior captain Morgan Smith said. “This team works day in and day out and we definitely deserve the title.”
Winning this conference is the first time the team has done so in over 10 years, beating teams that they haven’t beaten in many years such as rival Francis Howell Central and Liberty. The team doesn’t plan on slowing down, as they will possibly play these same teams in the GAC Cup starting in late April. One of the big helps to the success this season has been the addition of assistant varsity coach, Anika Kallash.
“She has been very helpful this season,” senior captain Ellie McCoy said. “She is very knowledgeable when it comes to soccer and she really motivates us to be better everyday.”
Kallash comes to Francis Howell North with a strong resume, playing for Troy Buchanan High and then going on to play four years at Central Methodist University. During her time at Central Methodist, Kallash served as a key player, setting multiple offensive records as well as being a respected leader of the team.
“I was a four-year starter and team captain my junior and senior year,” Kallash said. “...I also received the Darla Pannier Outstanding Female Athlete Award my senior year, which recognized both my athletic performance and leadership.”
Hearing Kallash’s impressive history, North players were excited when they found out that Kallash was coaching. Head coach, Matt Havermale mentioned Kallash bringing support to the attacking players, which has been successful in the teams’ 13 goals on the season so far. The team knew that the competitive edge that Kallash brought to the team would set them apart.
“She comes from a very successful playing career, but in addition to that, she is younger, so I think she will relate to the girls a lot and get them on the same page, ready to play,” Havermale said.
The Boys Tennis team has been exemplary for very long. They won their last district championship in the 2018-19 season after dominating the season with a 16-4 record. Recently, four players on the Boys Tennis team have worked together to improve their record. Below are their team records as they enter their last year together at FHN.
The top four players on the tennis team formed their connection before high school. It stayed with them from Vetta West practices to state championships
by Ezana Dubale edubale460@g.fhsdschools.org
The Boys Tennis team has undergone significant transformations over the last four years, particularly after their time at state last year. But through all of this, there was one constant - the same four players, all playing together since as early as 8th grade. The group includes seniors Robert Silzle, Caleb Couch, and Brayden Prouhet, along with junior Jace Jameson.
“I have a strong connection with all my teammates,” Jameson said. “But I especially have a good connection with Robert, Caleb, and Brayden, because I’ve known them for most of the time I’ve played tennis.”
At first, they played together at practices in the preseason at Vetta Racquet Sports West, where they first got to know each other.
through they were both in a tough battle with sickness and injury.
“We played the school that we lost to last year, and we beat them,” Jameson said. “And in the second round, we had to play the three-time state champion. We lost in a third-set tie-breaker… That really stood out to us, because that was almost a fairytale match. And [because of] the fact we managed to make it there, with Kai being slightly injured, and me being sick.”
And with their top players facing what they were, it was them against the world, with their teammates backing them up.
“Going to state grew us together because we wanted to support [them],” Prouhet said. “We want them to win.”
“It was cool to be able to play with future teammates,” Couch said. “...I definitely didn’t expect to play outside of school with them as much as we did, but I knew we [were] gonna be in it for the long haul.”
“It’s important not just to be teammates, but also friends.”
But when this group of players joined the FHN tennis team, they had to compete for rankings on the team, which also determined who went to state and who sat out. Even through this, it didn’t drive them apart or make things awkward.
“We were kind of new going into the season,” Jameson said. “So it wasn’t a lot of pressure, it was just a lot of fun hitting with each other.”
the group, Jace Jameson.
This friendship peaked for many of them last year, when they qualified for state with a stellar 16-5 record.
“My junior year was when we could really talk to each other,” Prouhet said. “It was like practice, but it was also just fun… It’s not a teammate thing anymore. [We’re] friends.”
It was also the final season for some of the more impactful seniors on the team. One of those seniors, Kai Gustafson, accompanied Jameson to the state tournament, even
From start to finish, these four teammates’ connections with each other lifted them up and allowed them to play at the highest level by encouraging them to compete against each other while also supporting each other to be better.
- Caleb Couch, 12
“Tennis isn’t really a team sport,” Prouhet said. “But I think when we’re all so close to each other, hyping each other up even though we’re technically competing against each other… it creates a friendly competition.”
This season, three of these four players are facing their final year playing tennis together. As their time playing together comes to an end, the group’s focus has shifted from ranks and team records to supporting one another and what they can learn from it. Prouhet commented on a lesson he’d carry years beyond tennis.
“To be supportive of each other,” Prouhet said. “We’ve watched each other play, and we’ve seen how much everybody’s grown.”
Couch agreed with this.
“It’s important not just to be teammates, but also friends., Couch said.
,
help them mentally. According to athletes, track teaches lessons about ambition and drive, as well as endurance and staying consistent in everything athletes do.
“It’s given me more drive mentally and physically, I feel like it’s made me more physically fit and helps with my endurance,” Sicillia O’Neal, a junior who runs track at FHN said.
Martin thinks that track is more than just running. Track trains muscles day in and day out.
“I would say it helps with my like agility and just endurance,” O’Neal said.
People who play multiple sports are some of the most fit and active people. They’re not just training one muscle for one specific sport, instead they are working all kinds of different parts of their body, building their stamina and speed.
”I think the biggest thing is how you’re developing your muscles and your body,” Martin said. “If you’re only doing one sport all the time, then your muscles are only getting developed and challenged in a certain way, but if you’re doing multiple sports, you’re gonna get challenged in different ways. It’s gonna make you healthier, less at risk for injuries and just a better athlete as well.”
Track is a sport where athletes mostly compete on their own, they are the ones holding themselves accountable. They are the one responsible for training hard because it’s them winning on their own and not a team effort.
“I think track is a really good experience just because of everyone, and it is really good sportsmanship. It’s also an individual winning sport, so you have to do the work yourself to improve,” O’Neal said.
by Nicole Knop nknop413@g.fhsdschools.org
Every step, hit and throw matters when players are out on the baseball field. A big part of the outcome of the game is the accessories that players are equipped with and how it works with their body. Specifically gloves and sleeves but most importantly the bats as each bat has a specific feel for each player.
“You can definitely feel a difference in weight and length,” junior Trace Hunter said, “It all plays a big factor.”
Hunter’s experience reflects just how individualized baseball equipment is. A bat that feels perfect in one hand, may feel unbalanced to another player.
“The balance in my bat makes it easier to hit the ball harder and farther,” junior Camden Peck said.
The balance, weight and grip all influence a player’s swing. Even small adjustments can change the outcome of a play. That is why athletes select their gear that specifically complements their body type and playing style.
“I purchase main equipment [bat and glove] every two years,” Peck said.
Regular upgrades ensure that the equipment being used meets a player’s changing needs. As athletes grow stronger and change or improve technique, their equipment must change with them.
“The attitude and leadership of the members on the team have really transformed our program,” boys golf coach Chris Witthaus said. “You can tell this is a sport that motivates our golfers and that they really want to get better and be at the top of our conference and district.”
The players not only work hard to be successful, but they also have a strong team bond and attitude which helps them on the course. Witthaus also helps them stay motivated by helping the team keep a positive mindset and never letting things get them down.
“Most of my coaching happens behind the scenes,” Witthaus said. “Not only am I handling the logistical stuff for the team, I try to make sure that we have a positive culture and climate around them.”
“[There’s] a lot of equipment you can get personalized,” Peck said.
by Olivia Graeser ograeser284@g.fhsdschools.org
When tryouts for sports start to come around the corner, some athletes have the anxiety of making the team they want in their minds. They get nervous, may not play as well in tryouts, or lose sleep. This, however, is not the case for the girls’ lacrosse team here at North. In the most recent years, girls’ lacrosse as a sport has been on an uprise. You see more club teams, and stronger and bigger high school teams. This uprise seemed to hit our girls’ team a little before everyone else’s and now the team and Head Coach Rowan Pugh struggle for numbers.
“ I think this season the girls have to be more prepared for our schedule when it comes to record than what we have been used to. We are a super young and small team going against a lot of pretty big and older programs in our area, so being able to push through adversity and still work on our skills so that in the next couple of years we have a really solid older team,” Pugh said.
The biggest worry for most of the players is the strain it takes on their bodies and the newfound pressure on their shoulders. Junior Jocelyn Kuker has been with the team through the highs and now the lows and feels all of the new responsibilities this year holds.
“I think the hardest thing about having low numbers is the strain on our players,” Kuker said. “Our midfielders have to cover most of the field, not just one area, so it has more pressure on them and more responsibility since they don’t have the support and subs.”
Due to the lack of players on the team, wins and losses aren’t what they use to define their team and what they have worked for. What success means to them is a lot more than what the scoreboard shows. It’s personality and player development, and that is what the team hopes to get out of this season.
“I think every season is about player growth to me. I don’t really care about the wins or losses, to be honest,” Pugh said. “I think when you grow as an individual, you grow as a team.”
by Alexis Hunter ahunter097@g.fhsdschools.org
Staying behind to finish high school while watching some of your closest friends graduate is saddening. These are friends who have been teammates for years, making a lasting impact within the program and those around them. Senior Luke Hollinger has been on the boys varsity volleyball team going on 3 years. During those years, he made close friendships with graduated seniors Alex Williams and Sam Fitzsimmons. While at FHN, Williams and Fitzsimmons made it to the final four and district finals. With them gone, Hollinger feels he has a big role to fulfill for his team this season, continuing the success the program has had.
“It’s sad with them not being here, a lot of those guys have been close since freshman year,” Hollinger said. “But it kind of gives me a challenge for this upcoming year, kind of like learning the new team and being more of a leader.”
Head Coach Robyn Yuede hopes to continue to build the program as the influential seniors are no longer here.
“I think we’re kind of focused on the tradition of excellence,” Yuede said. “We have very high standards, and the seniors every year, just the teams in general, hold themselves to a very high standard.”
Junior Noah Rowland has learned from some of the best and will help keep the program competitive during this adjustment period.
“Something I learned from the last group was that it is never that serious, one game or one point doesn’t define who you are as a person, and there are still many games and
many plays to come,” Rowland said. “I will ensure that everyone stays in line and has a lot of fun showing off what volleyball truly can be and what it should be like, just as they showed me.”
With the void to fill, the team now faces the challenge of continuing the legacy they helped build. From junior varsity to now, the varsity level, these athletes have learned the ropes of the game and also the program. Guiding the underclassmen through this adjustment will be key to success.
“I’m just gonna kind of be there for them, give them advice. For a lot of them, it’s gonna be their first year on varsity, so kind of getting them accustomed to what a 5-set game is compared to a 3-set game is and all different levels of competition,” Hollinger said.
While the upperclassmen are stepping up, the younger players are also working hard to achieve the same success during their time at North.
“This year, I will say that our underclassmen are extremely dedicated,” Yuede said. “It started in the fall with some open gyms, and they showed out, they’ve recruited their friends, they come to the open gyms, they are extremely hardworking young men.”
The goal is the same for all this season: win state. For Hollinger, he wants to end his high school career on a high note.
Stepping in to lead a team isn’t a small task. It takes a lot of strength, time, and leadership to do it successfully. We asked this years captains how they would like to lead and the mark they want to make on this team.
“I want to make a lasting impression,” Hollinger said. “I kind of want to be remembered by the younger grades as someone who is a leader, someone who’s dependable and not somebody who’s selfish.”
“I just want to be known as always being
“That you don’t have to be playing a sport since you were six to be good at something.”
On April 10, junior Bailey Cosby competes for the ball in the lacrosse match against Parkway South. (Photo
On Wednesday, April 1, during a varsity boys baseball matchup against Parkway South, Logan Vollmer fields the ball cleanly and delivers a strong, accurate throw to first base to secure the out. (Photo by Samantha Shoulta)
Take a look at some of the best moments from the 2026 spring sports season.
Madhi Abdallah
This summer was an eventful one, many impactful things happened that I will likely remember for the rest of my life. One of those impactful things was how I got a gun pointed at me by IDF soldiers when I was walking with my friends through my hometown’s streets.
I was walking with two friends in our town in the West Bank of Palestine and we were exploring old abandoned houses in our town. Then my friend’s brother called, he told us that the Israeli military jeeps were in town and to get out of the old town immediately because that’s where they pass by most often. Quickly, my friends and I started to leave and were walking down the street to a place that was safe because many people were there and not much could happen.
That was, until I looked up past the giant rock and saw the two
Jeeps coming our direction. I blanked for a few seconds and the next thing I saw was the two jeeps stopping right next to us. A total of four Israeli military soldiers got out and started pointing guns at us. I took the lead and was the one to step forward. I started talking in English so that there was a lower chance of us getting kidnapped or beaten to death. I told them I was from America and pulled out a picture of my passport on my phone to prove it. My friends did the same. They checked our passports and put their
Carly Dyson
Music has always been the one thing that I feel defines me as a person. As a little kid, all I ever wanted to do was sing and dance with the people I love. I remember always taking my mom’s iPod and listening to “Don’t Stop Believin’” by Journey. You can ask her, it was my favorite song of all time. And as soon as I had my own phone, I was sitting in my room listening to anything from the Hamilton soundtrack to Foo Fighters. As I got older, music became more of an escape for me. I was living through so many new experiences and emotions and that gave me the privilege of being able to relate and therefore deeply connect with the art that I was consuming. Sometimes, it was the only thing I felt I could fully depend on during tough times. This helped develop my passion for music, especially singing, and provided me with a healthy coping mechanism that I still rely on to this day.
guns down. Then, one of the soldiers comes to do what they usually do against defenseless kids (assault) because I guess something as simple as walking to get milkshakes with your friends is somehow “illegal”. He softly punched me on the chest and I screamed because when you scream, they check for injuries and leave. Which is what they did. Thanks to that experience I learned to always check the group chat that alerts us on where the Israeli Jeeps are roaming so that I can run home to avoid another terrifying situation like that.
From absorbing to creating music, it’s been an incredibly effective and freeing way for me to express my emotions and opinions. If I need to scream, I sing. If I need to hit something, I sing. If I’m feeling passionately about anything, I sing. Music is how I live and it’s why I no longer feel the need to bottle myself and my feelings up. And in recent years, singing is a hobby that I’ve been trying hard to prioritize. It’s awesome being able to hear my dedication in my voice and reflect on how much progress I’ve made. I can say with full confidence that music has not only changed my life, but how I choose to live it as well. It’s given me an emotional outlet, a fun hobby, and a special way to connect with people. So, if you’ve been wanting to pick up a new hobby, let this be your sign. It may just change your life. able to occur simultaneously.
Society often encourages students to get straight A’s and take many Honors or AP courses as it helps them great ahead and allows them to take college courses at a reduced rate. Additionally, students are expected to participate in many extracurriculars in order to build their resumes for college and future jobs. These extracurriculars may be sports, clubs or other activities, and while being involved in so many things, students are still expected to make time to socialize with their friends. And then there are the students who have jobs or must help their parents by watching their siblings, making their schedules even busier.
According to the CDC 70% of high school students are not getting the recommended amount of sleep with many other studies linking this lack of sleep with students to finishing assignments or studying for tests. With all that being said, many students are being influenced by their parents into believing that a busy and rigorous class schedule with little time for themselves is normal, when in reality, students should have a balance of not just core classes but electives that will be specific for their interests and help explore different career choices and skills.
The Solution:
When thinking about and finalizing the courses that students plan on taking next
Students juggle demanding schedules filled with classes, activities and responsibilities, leaving little room to rest. Finding balance is key to maintaining both success and well-being.
On Behalf of the Editorial Board yourfhn@fhntoday.com
year, it can be beneficial to not only think about both the credits that they need for graduation but what piques their own interests. Students should also take into account if higher level work loads are something that they can handle, and if it is actually worth it for them. A way to understand a class’ workload is by simply asking friends or peers about the class and how it compares to similar classes that students have already taken. Not only should students take into account their class schedule, but they should also look at clubs they are involved in. If students feel overwhelmed going to club meetings, they should take into account why they are involved in the club. Is it because their friends joined? Is it a resume booster? Or is it because they actually enjoy the activities? After understanding what the reason is for being involved, students should reevaluate if they should continue to be a member of the club or not.
and having a boss to answer to. Part-time jobs in high school are meant to be stepping stones into the workforce, however, if clocking in is a hassle that takes too much time in a student’s schedule, they should look back at cutting down their hours or, if necessary, giving their two-week notice.
“Summer is the perfect time to reevaluate and get some much needed relaxation.”
While high school is when most students get their first job, getting a job also means setting up shift availability
Whether students have been struggling with overscheduling for years or only a few weeks, summer is a perfect time to reevaluate and get some muchneeded rest and relaxation. Summer is there for students to recharge and enjoy activities that may not have time for in the school year. While many things should be considered when taking things out of a schedule, summer gives students the opportunity to see what is important to them when their schedule is not so full, allowing them to fully consider what they want their schedule to look like for the next year so that they are not overscheduling.
