August 18, 2025

Table of Contents

Writers

Haley Beffa

Carissa Brand

Cherry Clark

Canyon Dubis

Abby Dunbar

Moira Dustin

Sam Hall

Riley Jensen

Addilyn Lee

Zoe Lobato

Kane Manfull

Michaela Manfull

Violet Newton

Kaylee Priest

Lennon Sharp

Designers

Canyon Dubis

Addilyn Lee

Nadia Okilee

Esther San Bri Taliaferro

Ashlyn Thies

Peyton Thies

Naomi VanDyne

Bella Vassoller

Illustrators

Zoe Lobato

Lennon Sharp

Bri Taliaferro

PEOPLE TO KNOW

Page 2

IMPORTANT DATES

Page 12 NEW PRINCIPAL Page 3

FRESHMAN ADVICE Page 14 PHONE POLICY Page 3 MAPS Page 14-17

Gavin Swart

Bri Taliaferro

Ashlyn Thies

Peyton Thies

Naomi VanDyne

Bella Vassoller

Cover

Canyon Dubis

Peyton Thies

Naomi VanDyne

What You Missed...

Naomi VanDyne

Special Thanks

Amari Ammons

Nylah Smith

Cheyenne Steed

Caleb Tompson

Noah Tucker

With summer ending and the new school year starting, lots of changes start to take place. Here’s a quick explanation of why this paper looks different from normal

Whenschool is just starting, many staff and students’ minds are still thinking about summer. These thoughts may range from vacations they took to books they read or shows they watched. For many fans of “The Summer I Turned Pretty,” they are thinking about what happens next for the main character, Belly Conklin. Since it’s such a popular summer show with new episodes releasing weekly, the first edition of the 2025-26 North Star Newspaper has been themed after this show.

The show takes place during the summer in Cousins Beach, where Conklin has spent every summer going to her family friend’s beach house. The show revolves around Conklin enjoying summer at the

WHERE TO WATCH

Scan the QR code to watch The Summer I Turned Pretty on Amazon Prime

beach house with her older brother and the two sons of her mother’s best friend. During this time, she works on figuring out who she is as a person and working on her relationships with her friends and family.

Like Conklin, high school students are also trying to figure out who they are and create new relationships during the school year. During the FHN, many students start their first job, look for colleges or find their “adult job” after high school. No matter what route they take, they are trying to map out the rest of their life. As well as planning

their futures, they are also building relationships with friends and teachers and making connections that may be useful down the road. For most, this stress occurs during the school year, and summer is their time to relax and enjoy life, just like Conklin.

The theme of this paper reflects the connection between the show and school, taking inspiration from the books the series is based on and giving some hints towards the show. Despite the school year coming around again, it’s clear that we’ll always have summer.

Who You Should Know

Navigating a new school can be tricky, but there are quite a few faculty and staff to help. Here are some friendly faces to get to know throughout the building (Content by Abby Dunbar, Bella Vassoller, and Haley Beffa) (Photo illustrations by Naomi VanDyne)

work towards helping students be the

Principals

FHN’s principals help students and resolve their issues. Freshmen have Monica Perry, sophomores have Shelly Parks, juniors have Bret Bevill and seniors have Erin Steep.

“If we catch you vaping you will be suspended,” Perry said. “We are serious about that here [at FHN]. Leave all the hitting, pushing, and shoving horseplay at the middle

They take charge in scheduling games,

health needs, from minor headaches and Heather Marren are the nurses at FHN who pride themselves in getting

lessons and host tutoring after school.

With a new face in the position of head principal comes uncertainty about who they are. Many students will feel more comfortable if they know who they are talking to and being advised by. Here’s some information on him.

NAME: Jon Schultz

HOMETOWN: Decatur, IL

COLLEGE ATTENDED: Lindenwood

DISTRICT EXPERIENCE: Lived in FHSD since 2008

QUOTE TO LIVE BY: “Calm is strength”

FAVORITE MUSIC ARTISTS: Eddie Vedder, Pearl Jam, Bob Marley

Meet the Principal New Phone Polic y

by Gavin Swart lsharp744@g.fhsdschools.org

Anewdistrict policy states that students cannot have their cellphones or other electronic devices out during the school day, including during passing periods and lunches. Missouri

Governor Mike Kehoe signed Senate Bill 68, causing the board to pass a new policy based on the recent research regarding how cellphones can negatively affect education.

FAVORITE PLACE TO TRAVEL: Jamaica

HIGH SCHOOL INVOLVEMENT: Football, wrestling, shot put, acting in different children’s plays put on by the school

MEANINGFUL QUOTE:

“One of the things my football coach always talked about was, ‘If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always do what you’ve always done.’ I really do find that I am constantly pushing myself to drive a little harder, to be a little more aware, to grow as a person– and that mantra plays in the back of my mind.”

FUN FACT: Schultz is a certified scuba diver

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Here are some students’ thoughts on the policy update.

but it is a contributor to all of these negative trends we’ve seen since the cell phones came out.”

While in previous years it has generally been against the rules for students to be on their cellphones during lessons, this new rule takes it a step further, leaving some students unhappy.

“My view is the evidence is pretty overwhelming that cell phones are a net negative,” Sean Fowler, teacher who was part of the committee to create this policy said. “They decrease in-person socialization among students. They lead to lower test scores, lower grades, lead to more psychological problems. I’m not going to say it’s the source of all these problems,

“I use my phone to play my music and headphones when we have independent work,” junior Avagail Schaule said. “I feel like if there’s a no-phone policy, the kids are just going to get more and more disrespectful and rowdy because they don’t have anything to calm themselves down.”

Moellering said. “I don’t know if it’s going to make everybody happy though. I think it’s kind of just going to make people upset more than anything.”

Some teachers argue that despite their capabilities, phones are hardly used to their full potential.

UPDATED PHONE POLICY

Scan the QR code to read more about the new policy.

“If you look at cellphones and their use, over 80% of it is for entertainment,” Fowler said. “Maybe you’re supposed to do something productive with it, but you’re going to get distracted.”

A major question that has emerged is the complications of enforcing this policy. In the end, there are many questions of what the consequences of phones and devices will be.

“I don’t really like it, but it’s understandable because of how out of control it is. I may be a bit more engaged, but could also get off topic.”

Evin Gamage, 10

Many teachers regularly incorporate the use of technology into their lessons, and this policy will not allow them to continue doing that.

“I think that it will help improve people paying attention in the classroom,” senior Reagan

“People are going to fight back,” junior Krystal Maxwell said. “I can already tell it’s going to be a big thing. People are always going to rebel.”

“I do not like it whatsoever. I don’t use my phone in classes that much. My grades are pretty good already.”

Corrine Henry, 12

New Faces and Positions

Take a look at new additions to the teachers and staff list, an update on the odor in the building and check out course options for this year

Classes and Electives

English

Alyssa Shellabarger

William Raleigh

Kelsie Lee

Science

April Plyler

Jared McClellan

Social Studies

Erick Webster

Heidi Wright

Math

Anna Buchheit

Theater

Taylor Doverspike

Art

Elizabeth Watkins- Auchly

Business

Lexi Rupp

Kreighton Tyler

FACS

Leslie Hebert

Katie Ofem

Special Education

Max Hessel

Support Staff

Activities Director

Dusty Weiskopf

Dean

Matt Havermale

Principal

Jon Schultz

View all of FHN's course offerings for the 25-26 school year

Check graduation requirements and updated dates

Update on the Odor

According to the July 17, 2025 Board Meeting, previously identified breaks in the plumbing vent piping have been repaired and successfully retested through smoke

WEEKLY UPDATES ON THE SMELL WILL CONTINUE

Balancing Acts

Tips on managing your time between classwork, free time and extracurriculars

by Carissa Brand cbrandsylcox308@g.fhsdschools.org

Keeping up with academics while still trying to do extracurriculars can be tricky. There never seems to be enough time to do it all, and as it can be difficult, there are ways to find free time and balance your needs whilst keeping up with academics and extracurriculars.

Time management is crucial for balancing academic and extracurriculars, helping you fit them into your schedule. When given free time, work on assignments from other classes; minimizing the work needed to be done after school.

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle helps give energy and motivation for academics. Prioritizing sleep and eating well are key: eating well fuels your body and helps keep focus, while sleep energizes and enhances cognitive function, making it easier to memorize information. Other good habits include taking breaks and creating schedules.

Extracurriculars keep students engaged in academics by applying what they’re learning in a realworld context. This has been shown to increase students’ GPAs and standardized test scores, heightening the chance of students graduating. Though it is important to manage your time well to maintain balance. Turning this advice into a habit will take time, but keeping consistent effort and commitment is bound to help you achieve your goals.

Excelling in Online Classes

Whether students are looking to get credits out of the way or take a unique course, online learning has options for everyone

by Michaela Manfull mmanfull438@g.fhsdschools.org

Even with the size of FHSD’s class catalog, some students can’t find the one class they want to take within it. Sometimes it’s an AP class that the school doesn’t have a teacher for and other times it’s a language or niche class that doesn’t have enough interest across the school for a teacher to dedicate an entire class period to.

“I took AP US History online because I really like history and I wanted to take all of the AP history courses, but US History isn’t offered as an in person course here,” alumna Rishitha Vedanaparthi said.

With the wide variety of online classes available, FHSD utilizes multiple websites and programs for students’ virtual learning.

“Our preferred vendor is LAUNCH which is hosted by the Springfield school district,” Anna Natoli, Administrative Assistant for the FHSD Director of Curriculum said. “After LAUNCH, we’ll use Edmentum, also known as EdOptions. Then, depending on if LAUNCH or Edmentum doesn’t have it, we’ll send students to different programs based on what kinds of courses they’re looking to take. We’ll send them to Michigan Virtual for AP courses or we’ll utilize Florida Virtual for any other courses. For language courses, we like to use Mizzou Academy and any elementary students will use a platform called Edgenuity.”

utilize the online class opportunities program,” Natoli said. “Every day you

classes for high school students to take are gym, health, fine or practical art credits, personal figure out what works best for their learning style and schedule when it comes to choosing online classes.

“I learn better in person because I feel like I’m being held accountable for my own learning, but online, it’s easier to find resources everywhere,” Vedanaparthi said. “If in person learning is not an option, online is a good way to get the materials that you need to learn about the subject.”

Of the nearly 17,000 students enrolled across the entire school district, around 320 of them

Students or parents wanting to learn more about online classes should contact their grade level counselor or reach out to curriculum@fhsdschools.com.

Hidden Seashells

There are tons of classes out there, and finding the one that’s right for you can be tricky. Here are three little-known classes, what they cover and why students like them

by Violet Newton vnewton158@g.fhsdschools.org

Discreet Math

Although the name isn’t very descriptive and paints a silly picture of a very secretive math class it is actually much more. Students in this course learn about unique math skills, including units regarding ancient number systems and how to do better mental math. Students create a number system and make childrens books to read at Henderson.

“I really liked the project based set up of the class, it helped me understand better,” alumnus Lane Mckee said.

Graphic Design Interior Design

This class is a great introduction to most adobe programs and focuses on the creativity of each student. The class gives a foundation for Adobe indesign, Photoshop along with other programs like google drawing and google sheets. The class gives students an array of new skills and for those already well versed in design programs it expands

Bell Schedules

Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri

1 • 7:20 - 8:13

2 • 8:18 - 9:10

3 • 9:15 - 10:07

4AB • 10:12 - 11:04

4BC • 10:37 - 11:29

4C5A • 11:09 - 12:01

5 • 11:34 - 12:26

6 • 12:31 - 1:23

7 • 1:28 - 2:20

LUNCH

4A • 10:07 - 10:32

4C • 11:04 - 11:29

5A • 12:01 - 12:26

Early WednesdayRelease Regular

1 • 7:20 - 8:00 2 • 8:05 - 8:45 KT • 8:50 - 9:25

• 9:30 - 10:10

• 10:15 - 10:55

• 10:40 - 11:20 4C5A • 11:00 - 11:40 5 • 11:25 - 12:05 6 • 12:10 - 12:50 7 • 12: 55 - 1:35

• 10:31- 10:56

• 11:22 - 11:47

• 12:13 - 12:38

Interior design is a unique career that isn’t everybody’s typical go to. This class covers everything from architectural drafting to furniture styles. You will learn everything you need to know for your room re-design, future apartment, and that spot behind your stairs you’ve been trying to change into a hangout spot for years.

“I like how you are able to artistically express yourself throughout multiple assignments,” alumna Kennedy Jones said.

Wednesday

1 • 7:20 - 8:06

2 • 8:11 - 8:57 KT • 9:02 - 9:40 3 • 9:45 - 10:31 4AB • 10:36 - 11:22 4BC • 11:01 - 11:47

4C5A • 11:27 - 12:13 5 • 11:52 - 12:38

6 • 12:43 - 1:29 7 • 1: 34 - 2:20

LUNCH 4A • 10:10- 10:35 4C • 10:55 - 11:20 5A • 11:40- 12:05

Scan the QR code to download the app for our digital version of the bell schedule, located under “bell schedules” in the app VERSION

What Character are You? Start

You’re passionate for swimming, have been a part of a swim team

You’re going into the science field or have taken an PLTW class

You’re a chesslover and have considered joining chess club

You are most like

Key Characteristics:

Intelligent while leaning toward a more quiet, introverted nature.

Hobbies

Chess

Surfing

Guitar

Fun Facts:

Connor has a love for science and is known for being a star athlete.

Yes No

You had an awkward, nervous phase in middle school

You love sticking to a strong routine and have good organization

You enjoy fishing when given the opportunity

A posititve minset comes easy to you, you keep friends happy

You’re quiet with a more reserved personality

You’re a star student: Only straight A’s here!

You’d queue up Taylor Swift before a study sesh

You have a notable sweet tooth and love anything with sugar

Your social personality gives you a certain “life of the party” charm

You are most like You are most like

Conrad Fisher Jeremiah Fisher Belly Conklin

Key Characteristics:

Belly is all about transformation while keeping a positive mindset through life and jamming out to Taylor Swift.

Hobbies

Swimming

Volleyball

Fun Facts:

Belly majored in sports psychology and has a big sweet tooth.

Key Characteristics:

Social butterfly, there’s no such thing as a “stranger.” He has an easy going attitude with a radiating energy

Hobbies

Fishing

Swimming

Fun Facts: Jeremiah and a good party.

Clubs to Consider

Scholar Bowl

by Cherry Clark cclark599@g.fhsdschools.org

Do you enjoy learning trivia and spitting out random fun facts to your friends? Or do you enjoy watching “Jeopardy!” and somehow guessing or knowing the right answer? Well, look no further, FHN’s Scholar Bowl team might be for you.

Scholar Bowl is a relaxed extracurricular activity that anyone can join. There are weekly competitions, where students compete together to answer questions against other local schools. It is a buzzer-type competition and players answer up to 22 questions ranging from fine arts, science, social studies, mathematics, pop culture and sports. If a group answers the main question correctly, they’ll answer three bonus questions. Answering a question wrong allows for the opposing team to answer.

FCA

Algebra I teacher Anne Ledbetter is the new sponsor of FHN Scholar Bowl. Her classroom, room 2015, is where students meet every Tuesday after school to help prepare for competitions.

“Trivia is something I love doing,” Ledbetter said. “I love when people can learn random facts and have a chance to just share them.”

Scholar Bowl season begins in October every year. Districts are in April, where students can advance to state, and possibly national championships.

Alumnus Nathan Anderson joined Scholar Bowl his freshman year. He is the captain of Scholar Bowl.

ARTISTS’

Art

Classes

by Lennon Sharp lsharp744@g.fhsdschools.org

If you create art, you’ve probably debated whether or not to join an art class. Yhere are definitely some things you may want to keep in mind before ripping the band-aid off and taking one of these classes.

by Moira Dustin mdustin049@g.fhsdschools.org

Having a safe place to encourage and talk about faith, no matter your beliefs, is an important part of any social community. There are churches and youth groups outside of school, but FHN hosts an organization called FCA, or Fellowship of Christian Athletes, which fits this ideal nearly to the point. FCA offers a welcoming environment to grow your faith, with kind leaders, group events— and even donuts. The club consists of the members, the leaders and the club sponsor Zachary Howard. A typical meeting would start early on Wednesday morning with a snack and heading over to the auditorium to be split into smaller groups. Then going through the lesson, which changes meeting to meeting but always includes spiritual and practical guidance for everybody and anybody.

“I know it’s called the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, but definitely we don’t keep it only for athletes,” senior Grace Gaghen, a current leader of FCA said. “So it’s people

“People should join Scholar Bowl because it helps you realize that you know more than you actually know,” Anderson said. “Overall, it’s a really good activity that’s really low maintenance and low commitment.”

from all over the place. It could be anyone from people in all the three season sports to being a part of literally no clubs except FCA.”

FCA is nothing if not inclusive, another plus being its a lowcommitment and walk-in club. If you want to invite people, they are free to just walk in and join. You can sign up, but nobody will pressure you about missing a meeting or coming late. FCA is also great at hosting events to bring people of different communities together such as bonfires or worship nights. All in all, many members have shared a positive experience from the first day they walked into a meeting, an activity or simply talking to a group member.

“Just being there and together, is a great thing because the body of Christ is not just a singular person, it’s the whole community,” Alumnus Alex Prudhomme, a past leader said. “It’s everyone as a body, not just a singular cell. So if anyone’s ever considering joining FCA, prepare for those early mornings, but prepare also to relate to people. Prepare to maybe be able to get a little bit vulnerable, talk about the little things and let those walls down.”

overview of the classes that they offer here.” actually want to do and what you’re genuinely passionate in.”

Juliana De Las Reyes, 10

my experience the teachers are always doing the best they can to help everyone at every level develop.” Kat Burrows, Alumnus

The classes themselves also have a lot in store, and a lot of people underestimate how much the workload may actually be. If you don’t really participate in school activities or anything outside of school, you may be all right. But if you are the kind of person who practices 80 different things and is a part of 20 clubs, be prepared to use the time you’re given in class thoroughly, as deadlines can be relatively tight, and you’re graded on how well you spend your time. You’ll also want to consider taking a class outside of your skillset. Not only will you be learning a new medium you may like and use, but schools love to see variety when making a portfolio. The art teachers at FHN tend to be the most laid back, supportive people in the building. Just don’t take their kindness (and deadline extensions) for granted. You also need to be able to realize that everyone progresses at different rates. Don’t be jealous of others’ projects, take aspects from them you like and use them for inspiration. A lot of the best things I made, I hated when I was working on them, and thought they looked good only later. Most of all, find what you love to make and make that.

Art classes are meant to expand your skills, and later on, so is art school. If you can’t realize that from the start, there will be a lot of frustration. A balance needs to be struck between making projects and making things you are really passionate about. Don’t let art become all you think you are. You’re there to develop a portfolio and develop some new skills, but never lose sight of why you started in the first place. No matter how niche your interest, if you have ideas you love and a desire to show them to others, you’re an artist.

We’ll Always Have Summer Vacations

Summer break is an opportunity to take trips that may not be possible during the school year. Students share trips and experiences that they took this summer

Autumn Roth

Senior Autumn Roth visited Isla Mujeres with her extended family. They stayed on a rental property which had a beach. Roth and her family try to make a trip each year, and this was a new place for her. Many of the days consisted of going to the beach and spending time with her family but took part in other activities like snorkeling. “It was my aunt and uncle’s idea,” Roth said.

Kailyn Curtis

and her family tend to take trips every other year, with some of her favorites being

Junior Shreya Patel took a trip to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic with her family. The trip was a week long stay at an all inclusive resort and an ATV excursion. The Patels try to go on summer vacations each year, with last year’s trip being Greece. Freshman Jeet Patel chose for the family this year.

“We went with the flow,” Shreya said. “We didn’t plan much, just chilled, which made it more fun in my opinion.”

Cross Country & Track

by Sam Hall

shall102@g.fhsdschools.org

Cross country is a running sport that takes place in the fall, where teams compete against each other by racing through a 3.1 mile course. Through the hills and the mud, cross country is a mentally and physically challenging sport. Though it isn’t easy, joining cross country has many benefits.

“It benefits your time management and mental health because you have to balance school and a sport,” alumn Natalie Gill said. “Running physically helps you by exercising and it mentally helps you.”

A big component of cross country is the positive atmosphere. It is a team sport, but it can also be individual. Competitiveness is another big factor of cross country. While rooting for teammates in a race, having an individual mental aspect of the race is key. Anyone can join cross country. There is a wide range of people on the cross country team, some who train all of summer, and some who just come for the fun and the experience. A lesson learned from cross country is hard work pays off.

“I like that it’s a challenge every day, and if you don’t show up and do the work, then you don’t get the results,” alumn Annie Palmer said. “You can see exactly what you put in.”

Running is not an easy sport, and it is very mentally challenging. One of the best parts of running competitively is pushing through the challenges and getting rewarded with improvement. Building a strong, fit body and a tough, determined mind makes all of the hard work worth it in the end.

“It makes you mentally stronger because you are forcing yourself into discomfort on purpose, which makes you believe that you can handle hard things,” Palmer said.

Track and Field is a sport that takes place in the spring, consisting of running, throwing and jumping. There are a wide variety of events in this sport. Running events consist of sprints like the 100, dashes like the 800 and distance races like the 3200 meter run. Jumping events consist of high jump, long jump, triple jump and pole vault. Throwing events consist of shot put, discus throw, hammer throw and javelin throw. Despite the challenges, track is very fun and brings people together as a team.

“I recommend joining track and field because you’ll meet so many new people, set new goals, and get in shape,” sophomore Jayden Brown said. “I also like it because I’m always improving in my races.”

Best Of

Fall Sports

football plays against FZW on the

home field on Oct. 4, 2024. The Jaguars kept up their score throughout the game and ended with a score of 40-9.

Boys C Team soccer faced off against Fort Zumwalt West at home. The game started at four P.M. kick off. The game started off scoreless until halfway through the first half the Knights scored a goal. The game remained scoreless for the rest of the match with a

C Team boys football played against St. Charles High School at St. Charles on September 9, 2024. The score at the end of the game was 32-14 with St. Charles winning.

the quiet hallway. A glow from inside seems brighter the closer you become. As you stand in front of the box, staring inside, you see rows of metallic coils holding the prize. What is the prize? Snacks—lots and lots of snacks.

The change from middle school to high school is important for many reasons. The biggest for you could be the new classes, new teachers, or new facilities. But for my first day of school, it was the vending machines. They have sodas, sports drinks, salty snacks, savory snacks and more. But nothing in life is free. Especially not the vending machines.

While prices everywhere are high due to inflation, vending machine prices at school seem unusually high. A 20-oz bottle of Dole Lemonade costs $2.75, and a Mountain Dew Kickstart costs $3.75. Snacks aren’t cheap either, with a single Rice Krispie costing $1.75. While the main benefit of vending machines is convenience, convenience does not outweigh the expense.

Although running to the store may be time-consuming, the extra few minutes are worth it when you consider the math.

Gatorade eight packs from the store cost you $7.88. That comes down to $1.01 per bottle. Therefore, by taking a few extra minutes to grab Gatorade from the store, you will save $1.74 per bottle. This math stays consistent as you save $2.15 on Mountain Dew Kickstarts, $1.50 on Rice Krispies, and $1.25 on Oreos.

Reading the Room Numbers

I could never tell someone to stay clear of the vending machines, because that would be hypocritical. But remember to be mindful of how much you’re spending, and if you can, stop by the store, and save yourself some cash. 1 2 4 3

ROOM NUMBER

Different for every classroom AREA NUMBER

000=Common Areas

100=Athletic Area

200=Left Hallway

FLOOR NUMBER

0=Basement

1=Main Floor

2=Top Floor

Top to Bottom: The Staircases

The Science Hall

2400s

Science classes are mainly located in this hall and in the connector hallway.

The

Math Hall

2200s

The Common Spaces

In the middle of the Math hallway on the top floor and the English hallway on the middle floor lie two distinct areas with tables, chairs, a TV and working space– but who actually gets to use it?

Teachers can reserve this space for their classes for unique activities or work time. Students are able to use it if taking an online class during a specific hour, since they don’t have an actual classroom to be in, or if the teacher gives them designated work time. Remember to be respectful of others and quiet when you’re in this space.

All kinds of math classes are located in this hallway, with some language classes mixed in near the connector hallway and towards the front of the school.

The Top Floor

2 3 Maps

by Addilyn Lee alee452@g.fhsdschools.org

Your first year in high school is often looked at as scary and new, and while it is a new building, new classes and new people, freshman year is not as scary as it’s made out to be. It’s normal to be nervous or confused about things, it’s also expected that you will get lost while figuring your way around the building at first. During my freshman year, there were a couple things I wish someone had told me, so here are some things you should know.

Getting lost is normal. The new building is big and can be a little confusing to get to know, but knowing how to read the room numbers is useful and will help you figure out where your class is. You can use the room number guide to figure out where to go.

Once class starts, you may get nervous when hearing your teacher explain the class for the first time. It may not be what you were expecting, or hoping for, and you may get overwhelmed. It may be scary at first, but most of your classmates are also scared. As the year progresses, you will get more comfortable with your class, including the teacher. It will take time to adjust to being in a new area.

As well as starting new classes, there are also many sports and activities that you can join. It’s encouraged to be part of an after school activity during your freshman year. It will get you involved with the school and help you meet new people.

There’s also other things you can do after school, like going to football games and volleyball games. Going to a game with some friends was one of my favorite parts of my freshman year.

Starting high school may be stressful at first, but a lot of people are feeling the same way you are. The teachers and staff are all friendly and most of the people at North will be able to help you with anything you may need.

by Zoe Lobato zlobato998@g.fhsdschools.org

Firstly, in sophomore year, you should take the opportunities handed to you instead of squandering them. Join that club, join that sport, take a risk. Freshman year was your excuse to be timid, but now you need to step out of your comfort zone. It’s ok to join something your friends aren’t and it’s fine to be bad at something. Starting early can only benefit you and your future, so try something new, and you might be pleasantly surprised at what you find. Next, know how to manage your time. It’s easy to procrastinate and it’s easy to fall behind. For many, you’re taking an AP class with a drastic increase in workload that was not present in freshman year. Because of this you might get overwhelmed and want to stop, but if you take one day at a time and know how to schedule your day, you will find that your anxiety and stress will ease as the days pass by. Managing your time is a life skill and the earlier you learn it, the easier your life will be. Burnout is common and is completely avoidable. Know your limits and how to say no. It’s hard to say no to going to that football or volleyball game and FOMO is real, but it’s not as important as your mental well-being. You’ll go down a rabbit hole of wanting to do everything and end up doing nothing. Anxiety takes away motivation and depression takes away happiness. Don’t let school be what breaks you. It’s important, but you are more important. Take each challenge with a deep breath, and any bad grade with perspective, because you’re only halfway through high school. Change is scary and sophomore year is full of changes but don’t let yourself waste the time you have because you will never get it back. Take what you have with open arms, both the good, the bad, and the ugly, because sophomore year is the beginning of your freedom, and you are now in control.

The Main Floor

The Right Hall 1400s

Social studies classrooms and FACS labs, including the preschool, are located in the right hall.

The Business Hall

1300s

Business classes and meeting rooms for clubs like FBLA and DECA will be found in this central corridor of the school.

3 Maps

The Left Hall

The left hall is where English, Journalism and Special Ed classrooms can be found.

The Athletic Hall 1100s

5 PLACES TO KNOW

1 The auditorium, where drama productions, club meetings, large events and tornado drills are held

2 The large gym, for many sports games and practices

3 The learning commons, useful for its library books but also the computers and quiet working space

4 The main offices, where you can find attendance, principals, and our Resource Officer

5 The guidance office, where you can meet with counselors for schedule issues or other help 2 1 4 5 Maps

Junior Advice

by Riley Jensen rjensen810@g.fhsdschools.org

SThe Drama Area

1020s - 1030s

ince the first day of high school, we’ve been told that the entire purpose of it is to prepare us for college. However, freshman and sophomore years are just the baby steps leading up to when the real preparation begins: junior year.

The first few weeks of junior year may feel like the world is closing in on you. You’re supposedly an upperclassman–yet there’s still so much to learn. You feel pressured to keep good grades and ace all the standardized tests you take, all while trying to figure out who you want to be and what you want to do with your life.

With this in mind, my first piece of advice is: take it slow. Many parents and grandparents drop the big question about college early on. Whether you know exactly what you want to major in or you’re still deciding if college is right for you, it’s important to take your time. High school isn’t just about stressing over the next test, it’s also about meeting new people and having fun.

The Music Hall

1080s - 1090s

That being said, grades are still important. Time management is a struggle in every year of high school, but with junior year, I noticed it became exceedingly difficult to balance responsibilities while still having time to myself. In order to prevent procrastination, dedicate certain times of the day to schoolwork. This way, you can stay in the learning mindset for an hour or so, then have the rest of the day to yourself.

Junior year is when you start to form a sense of self. It’s important to surround yourself with people you feel comfortable with and participate in experiences that help you grow as a person. There’s countless clubs, but even if your specialty isn’t offered, try to stay involved in activities you enjoy outside of school.

Junior year is a lot of work, and a big adjustment from sophomore year. With the right amount of effort, you can make it into something enjoyable and create fun memories to reflect on for years to come.

by Kaylee Priest kayleepriest278@gmail.com

Throughout the course of your life, you spend about 2,340 days of your life forced into the American school system. Shoved into some tiny classroom with uncomfortable seating surrounded by a bunch of your peers learning about some man who most likely impacted our society but died about 100 years ago, just restless for the day you get to walk across that stage. If you’re reading this, that means you have approximately 179 days left of your final year in this building. Don’t be afraid to take it all in. Throughout high school, mentors will try to offer their words of wisdom through life advice and cliche life mottos, and it can be hard to filter the important from the useless. So, if I could give the senior class one piece of advice, it would be to slow down and not let your workload take over your life. You can only fill your bucket so much before it overflows.

The Bottom Floor

The Art Hall

This workload applies not only to schoolwork but everything else as well. Finding a good balance between how many hard classes you can take before you want to explode, and how many days a week you can work while still being able to do your homework and have an actual life, is difficult but crucial. The last thing you want to do is look back at high school and wish you had spent less time with your head in the books and more time making memories.

So with the remainder of your 179 days, just remember the time is going to pass either way, you might as well make the most of it.

0400s

Classes like Drawing, Sculpture, Painting and Digital Art can all be found in the back corner of the building.

The Industrial Tech Hall

0200s

Woodworking, welding, other industrial tech classes and even the robotics club take up the majority of the space in the academic side of the basement.

The Athletic Side

Other things in this area include the trainer’s office, locker rooms for P.E. classes, and locker rooms for varsity players.

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Letter From The Editors

Unlike how Belly navigates her love triangle in “The Summer I Turned Pretty”, here are some tips for navigating the school year

While it may seem like we’ll always have summer, school comes back around every year. This time, we want to make it better than the last.

The newspaper staff at FHN works hard throughout the year to create six newspapers and post countless things on the website, all with the goal of covering as many people as possible. We’ve always had ways for students to submit their thoughts, but this year one goal is to make that easier. If you have ideas or concerns regarding the paper, or simply want to see more of your group or club in the paper, let us know: drop a note in the box outside room 1224 and we’ll take it into consideration. We want to make your voice heard– that’s the entire point of a student-led newspaper.

As we begin the year, we thought it fitting to give some advice to each class.

Freshmen: this is your time to try

new things and branch out. When you see new opportunities, take them.

Sophomores: this is where it starts to count. Focusing on classes and preparing for the future are important because the next two years are built on the foundation of this one.

Juniors: remember that it’s important to pause when you feel overwhelmed. This doesn’t mean stop trying, but it’s okay to take time for yourself and recenter on what’s really important.

Seniors: while it may seem like it’s smooth, easy sailing from here on out, try to stay productive and keep senioritis from catching early on. You can still achieve things this year that can set you on a great path for the next few.

Look for announcements about paperday on socials @FHNtoday and on FHNtoday.com.

It’s not the school year without you.

Aug. 20

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Black and Gold Day

Aug. 23

Black and Gold Day has a variety of booths run by different FHN clubs and sports teams that sell a variety of items, including food, drinks and raffle tickets. There will also be a parade to showcase the fall sports teams and scrimmages from the football and soccer teams. This event is a great way to show your school spirit and support the diverse groups that FHN has to offer.

FHN's cheer team performs in front of the new school building. (Photo by Eashaan Patel)

A child gets her face painted at one of the booths, where activities are used for fundraising. (Photo by Faith Smith)

(Photo by Faith Smith)

(Photo by Austin Griffin)