09
Editors-in-Chiefs: Chloe Ellison Amber Winkler
26 01 08 16 23 34 41
........ ..................... ................. ................ ................... ................ 09 SNOWCOMING IN THE SPRING 34 COLLIN CONLEY MAKES A RETURN
26 STEP INTO A CHRISTMAS CLASSIC
Managing Sports Editor: Chase Pray
Features Editor: Olivia Van Horn
Entertainment/Opinions Editor: Violet Newton
In-Depth Editor: Haylie Bryson
Managing Copy Editor: McKenna Hudson News Editor: Ray Hathcock Sports Editor: Tony Biondo
Promotions and Contests Editor: Hope Moseley
North-Star Mini Editor: Morgan Chairs
Design Editor: Michaela Manfull
Sophia Black
General Staff: Alayna Lohaus
Miranda Fabian Jackson Fifer JJ Gruettemeyer Lindsay Haislip Ben Henry Drew Johnson Izzy Lash Alex Wheadon
Stephanie Lichtenegger Carter McDevitt Sadie Ortmeyer Jonica Schmidt
Ella Struble
Gavin Swart Noah Tucker
Editor-in-Chief of Photography/Sports: Addison Polsgrove
Editor-in-Chief of Photography/Social: Payton Johnston
Special Project Editor: Sadie Cotton
Digital Media Manager: Ankita Pandurangi
Yearbook Photography Editor: Kylie Taliaferro
Jazmin Acevado
Mady Brewer Parker Bruns Hannah Button
Brianna Dunham Andrew Goffinet
Austin Griffin Heidi Huff
General Staff: Faith Smith
Kaylee Monroe Reina Murrell Grace Pinson Katelin Robbers Holly Samuels Hannah Simmons
Video Editors-in-Chief: Marina Williams Rachel Trapf
Video Graphics Editor: Maddie Clark
Video Storytelling Editor: Freya Rieken
Sports Videography Editor: Parker Smith
Video Game Review Editor: Max Ramirez
Livestream Editor: Aidan Neu
Chief Editor: Rhea Patel
General Staff:
Haley Aldenderfer
Allison Bass
Jacob Bass
Chad Blanke Max Brewer
Jackson Calhoun
Jackson Cutlan Jack Darling
LeeAnna Daniels Sassy Garcia
Wilson Lam
Om Nair
Noah Newson
Will Perry
Ian Pierce
Laney Quandt
Sam Reimer
Taylor Saale Dana Sanchez Salvador Sophia Zimmerman
Advisers: Aaron Manfull Jordyn Kiel
A ranked list of programs to help you get started with digital art (Content by Izzy Lash)
A well known digital art program with plenty of quality brushes and features. It has a one time cost of $10 but it’s well worth the price. There is a wide variety of brushes, custom canvases and even animation, all of which has been compiled into a userfriendly interface. It can be glitchy and low resolution when the canvas size is too small or too many things are going on, but it’s a very good program regardless. Procreate is available on most Apple iPads.
An Adobe product for digital art. It requires a subscription, but it has animation and brushes that mimic paint and marker. It’s complicated, however, it’s a good program with a variety of features. It’s available on iPhone, iPad, Microsoft Surface Pro and Creative Cloud Desktop.
Scan this QR code to see the full story on FHNtoday.com
A digital art program with a variety of quality brushes and it’s entirely free, though there are ads on the margins. It’s difficult to figure out, but once you get the basics, it’s a quality, well developed program. It’s available on Windows, Mac, iPad, iPhone and Android devices.
Sketchbook is a free program with a variety of tools and most art mediums. It’s available on Mac, Windows, iOS and Android devices.
Linea sketch is a program with very basic tools and colors. It’s both free and simplistic, so it’s perfect if you’re just giving digital art a try. It’s available on an iPad with iOS 13 or later and a 64-bit processor.
Paper is a free digital art program with basic tools and a user-friendly set up. There’s no layers and you cannot rotate the page, but it is high quality. It’s available on iOS 13 and above.
by Izzy Lash
by Violet Newton
Like Spotify Wrapped, this top five list will rank all of the One Direction albums from their greatest to their least greatest. On the left side, each album is ranked while on the right side, there are the greatest songs from each album. (Content by Lindsay Haislip)
The album titled Four is by far the greatest album they have released. You can tell that the lyrics from each song is thoroughly thought out and they didn’t rush the writing process. The variety of genres just in this album lets you listen to it in any type of mood.
“It’s a no skip album.”
-Alexis Merritt, 10
In this album you can really start to tell they are getting in the theme of song writing. Just from the songs you can tell they had a lot of fun writing. The songs are super upbeat for the most part and can listen to it at anytime.
This album has by far the most emotional songs. Which makes sense as it is their last album and they were trying to send messages in their songs to all of the fans. You can also tell they put all of their feelings into this album to give the fans what they needed.
“I feel that it is one of their best albums vocally.”
-Lisa Smyth, 10
Midnight Memories has many of their most popular singles in this album. Obviously, making this album the easiest to listen, yet it feels like the songs don’t belong in the same album together. They were thrown together to make a catchy album instead of their others which are more thought out.
Up All Night is not bad. There are really good songs but overall some lyrics in the songs are very repetitive. It is their first album and they did great but compared to the others it is not the most lyrically genius compared to the others.
This song makes you want to drop everything and dance. From the beat to the lyrics, to the vocals it just gets all tied up in a nice bow. If a song can make you want to sing at the top of your lungs, that would classify that song as great and the best from the album.
This song is super catchy. Just from the first beat you know what song it is. If you put this album on shuffle and this song comes on, you would know immediately which song it is. The beat of the song makes it so easy to enjoy. Also the small details in the song makes it more enjoyable to listen to.
Made in the A.M. has many good songs but History has to be the best out of all. This song is more about the memories that each member had in the band and you can tell that. The line “this is not the end” is repeated throughout the song and that could be taken as a hint that they will come back in the future.
Something Great has such a good chorus. This songs beat is the type where you don’t have to be super sad to listen to it or super happy, it’s perfect. Yet the lyrics are more on the sad side, the chorus and beat makes up for it. So, in general, you can listen to this anytime.
“I like the chorus and the meaning a lot.” -Isabelle Apple, 10
This is the most basic song One Direction has but you can’t argue that it still hits . There are other songs that could have been picked but this song got almost everyone into One Direction which obviously means something.
“It’s iconic.” - Olivia Van Horn.” 10
Plan a movie night and figure out what iconic character you are at heart.
(Content by Violet Newton)
You are Veronica from Heathers. You love the classics. You can let your emotions get in the way of your logic but you always find a way out of whatever problems you get into.
1. What movie genre do you choose?
A. A classic 80s movie
B. Some movie with a female go-getter
C. A cheesy rom-com
D. A classic action movie
2. What’s your favorite movie era?
A. 80s
B.90s
C. Y2K
D. 2010s
3. What snack do you choose?
A. Popcorn
B. Anything chocolate
C . A seaweed bar (it’s the newest craze)
D. Something sweet
You are Kat from 10 Things I Hate About You. You are a go-getter and not afraid to speak up for what you believe in. You value your privacy, and are definitely an introvert.
4. What drink would you choose to go along with your snack?
A. Soda
B. Tea
C. Water
D. Juice
5. Who do you watch the movie with?
A. Your parents
B. No one, everyone else talks too much
C. All of your friends
D. Just one of your closest friends
6. Once the movie is finished what do you do?
A. Go hang out with your friends
B. Go to sleep
C. Go out with your friends for a drive
D. Invite a friend to sleepover
Tally your answers down below
A’s
B’s C’s
D’s
You are Cher from Clueless. You love being around your friends but no one else. You have great fashion sense but you can let your emotions get to you at times.
You are Cady from Mean Girls. You are love being around people but you are an introvert. You are very friendly and easy to get along with.
During the middle of November, the Iron Knights club opens up at FHN. Iron Knights is an inclusive fitness and weightlifting club that occurs after school on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. Iron Knights has been going for over two years and is mainly run by Coach Brett Bevill and Coach Matthew Couch with the assistance of various other coaches and even students who are familiar with weight training and past participants of Iron Knights.
“I want to build my strength for baseball season and it’s fun being around my friends in the weight room,” sophomore and Iron Knights member Owen Gonzalez said. “One of my friends told me about Iron Knights and I saw posters around the school.”
Students set their current limits on the bench press, dead-lift, back squat and power clean as well as working on pushing their limits throughout the year with a plethora of different workouts using free weights and weight machines. The coaches make it clear that Iron Knights is a judgment free zone, where anyone is free to work on themselves physically.
“I think the most important thing is that it’s very welcoming and everybody is welcome to come and join,” Couch said. “We’ll never turn somebody away. The nice thing about it is kids come in here and they may have their own individual goals or they just want to better their lives through fitness. That can be accomplished here. (Brief by Noah Tucker)
After a several year hiatus, Chess Club is starting up again. Senior Parker Bruns is spearheading the effort, serving as the club’s new president. Bruns was inspired to start the club with a group of friends he plays chess with on a regular basis.
“We all love the game,” Bruns said. “We wanted to bring it back so we could have another fun activity for our senior year.”
One of the friends Bruns plays chess with is Joseph Cuneo, another senior who is also a member of the new chess club. Cuneo has taken the role as teacher in the club, meaning he will be advising players, novice and advanced, on their strategies. Cuneo is a perfect fit for this role as he has a long history with the game of chess.
morning announcements on Thursday, Nov. 17. Their efforts to reach out to possible new members have been very successful.
“People just started showing up that we’ve never even talked to,” Bruns said. “A lot of people of multiple different grade levels are joining.”
Cuneo hopes that the new chess club will provide an opportunity for students to make friends and, to put it simply, have a good time. He feels like a revival of the chess club is just the thing to get students engaged at North.
Scan this QR code to view a video about the start of chess club.
“I started playing chess around third grade, I took lessons, I went to tournaments, and I actually taught kids over at Harvest Ridge how to play,” Cuneo said.
Bruns and his friends have been working to recruit new members for the club, asking those who are interested around FHN to try out the club. Bruns even advertised the club in the
“Since the first chess club was disbanded, there’s just been a role that needs to be filled,” Cuneo said. “I think a lot of students are going to find a place at school within this club.”
Bruns has a lot of long-term plans for the future of the chess club, including going to tournaments. He hopes to help keep the chess club alive for good this time, all while sharing his love of chess with other students at FHN.
“I want to be able to see some of the students, who don’t even know how to play yet, succeed and learn to play better,” Bruns said. “I’m really excited for the future.”
Seniors Robert Otte and Ved Thakor watch as senior Joeseph Cuneo teaches them checkmate drills during the chess club meeting on Dec. 1. (Photo by Ian Pierce)
The dance is going to take place in March this school year due to schedule issues
by Hope Moseley hmoseley517@g.fhsdschools.org
Snowcoming is set to be on March 11 this year, location is to be determined, but will be in the school. Typically set in the wintertime, the event will be held in March due to schedule conflicts with the student council advisers. Advisors Rowan Pugh and Rachel Pirrone are coaches of winter sports and will have state competitions in Feb.
“We did not think that we would be able to give the students of North the best snowcoming possible if we were splitting our time between sports and student council,” Pugh said.
Student council will be bringing back an old North tradition for snowcoming this year. The dance will be a glow party, something that the STUCO advisors experienced when they attended North a decade ago.
We decided on going back to the origins of snowcoming with this glow dance,” Pugh said. “We weren’t able to with COVID, but this group of students has never seen it, so I think it could be really fun for them.”
It will still be called snowcoming and will have somewhat of a winter
Snowcoming has three essential facts for people who are planning on going.
theme although the event will take place closer to spring. The glow theme will feature glow in the dark paint that the students can put on their face as well as UV lights and UV bubbles that will not stain clothing. Although there is no dress code, Snowcoming is an informal dance compared to Homecoming and semiformal attire should be worn.
Next year is just around the corner and it’s that time of the year where students have to start thinking about the next school year. Class registration opens for current students on Jan. 3 after winter break and closes on Jan. 13.
“Students will do registration the same way that they did it last year, which is through Infinite Campus, so through their Student Portal,” guidance counselor Lorraine Smith said.
The registration window will open on Jan. 3 right after students get back from winter break. Once there, students will simply select the classes that they want to take.
The dance will be on March 11, from 7-10 pm in the FHN.
Regular Tickets are $15 and guest tickets are $20.
Guest forms will be available Feb 6 and due by March 6, the same day of the ticket sales.
Dress Attire
Even though this dance is less formal than homecoming and prom, formal and semi-formal clothing should be worn.
“That’s what snowcoming was, it was a less formal event compared to Homecoming and it was a glow party,” student council president and senior Maria Aguirre said. “It wasn’t really snow-themed, we’re probably going to still have a few snow themed decorations, but the majority of the decorations will be glow, neon colors and UV lights. Which is why we are going to recommend people wear white or neon colors, but they don’t have to.”
Guest forms will be available Feb. 6 and are due when general ticket sales start which is on March 6. Snowcoming tickets will be $15 and guest tickets will be $20. As usual, tickets will be sold during lunches in the hallway outside of the commons where the snack table is.
“We’re listening to people’s concerns and everything they thought of homecoming, we’re going to use that to make snowcoming even better,” Aguirre said.
“You have to make sure you register on time so you can get the classes you want,” sophomore Christian Portell said.
Due to changes in policy, the district is encouraging the Individual Career and Academic Plan (ICAP). The ICAP is a way for freshmen to schedule out their four year plan for high school.
The different departments will give presentations on what classes are offered on Jan. 3. For further information, there will be a registration help night on Jan. 12 where students and parents can sign up for a virtual meeting with a counselor to get help with registration. There also will be a curriculum night on Jan. 10 from 6-8 p.m. It is mostly for incoming freshmen, but anyone interested can go. (Brief by Gavin Swart)
Two students are fascinated by the glow-in-the-dark bubbles at the 2017 Snowcoming dance. (File photo) On Dec. 1, sophomore Sophia Manzella looks at her transcript and class options for the upcoming school year. (Photo illistration by Addison Polsgrove)Tuesday, January 10, 2023
1st Hour Exam 7:20-8:50 (90 minutes)
Passing Period 8:50-8:55 (5 minutes)
2nd Hour Exam 8:55-10:25 (90 minutes)
4AB Class 10:30-11:20 (50 minutes)
4BC Class 10:55-11:45 (50 minutes)
4C5A Class 11:25-12:15 (50 minutes)
5AB Class 11:50-12:45 (55 minutes)
4A Lunch 10:25-10:50 (25 minutes)
4C Lunch 11:20-11:45 (25 minutes)
5B Lunch 12:20-12:45 (25 minutes)
7th Hour Exam 12:50-2:20 (90 minutes)
Wednesday, January 11, 2023
Homeroom 7:20-8:15 (55 minutes)
Passing Period 8:15-8:20 (5 minutes)
3rd Hour Exam 8:20-9:50 (90 minutes)
Passing Period 9:50-9:55 (5 minutes)
4th Hour Exam 9:55-11:25 (90 minutes)
SCHOOL DISMISSED
Thursday, January 12, 2023
Homeroom 7:20-8:15 (55 minutes)
Passing Period 8:15-8:20 (5 minutes)
5th Hour Exam 8:20-9:50 (90 minutes)
Passing Period 9:50-9:55 (5 minutes)
6th Hour Exam 9:55-11:25 (90 minutes)
SCHOOL DISMISSED
The FHN National Honor Society and Others in the Community Provides Under-Privileged Children with Holiday Gifts
by Ray Hathcock rhathcock942@g.fhsdschools.orgThe time of year for giving is here and the National Honor Society’s juniors and seniors have already packed shoe boxes full of items for Operation Christmas Child to be delivered on Christmas day. These boxes include things like toys, hygiene products, accessories or even kind notes for kids in need aged 2-14 around the world.
“It’s only available for the National Honor Society to participate,’’ National Honor Society Senior Class Sponsor Angie Mason said. “I think it’s a great opportunity to participate. And so again, children in need around the world have something to open up on Christmas Day.”
For the past 10 years, NHS has been participating in Operation Christmas Child and they plan on continuing in the future. Students can participate through the school only if they are in NHS.
“Operation Christmas Child is a fun experience,” senior in NHS Ian Pierce said. “You get to bring joy and happiness to a kid you may never even meet. Or you could even make a friend with that kid and leave something of your own like a nice note and nice letter. That shows that it was you that did it and that there’s more of a personal connection between you and the random person that may not get an actual
Christmas.”
The majority of participants in NHS pay out of pocket, rather than fundraising. They pay for the items in the shoe box and an extra $10 of shipping fees for the boxes to be delivered.
“It can be very pricey, but you do get a lot of NHS points,” Pierce said. “And it’s fun because you’re giving a child a Christmas gift, and it always makes you feel good and makes you feel like you’re doing a good deed.”
This year, NHS sent 100 boxes from Nov. 14-21. Donations for Operation Christmas Child are not limited to students in NHS.
“I don’t participate through NHS, I participate through my church,” NHS senior and member of Waypoint Church Jonah Sevier said. “I’ve participated with Operation Christmas Child for the last two to three years through my church and it’s been a really unique experience.”
The Christmas spirit is spread through many ways, such as through donating. This is how many students choose to spread the joy of this time of year.
“It’s really nice to get the opportunity to personally write a note down and send that across the world,” Sevier said. “And to know that I’m going to make somebody’s Christmas a little bit better, just through two toys, some hygiene and some school supplies.”
Junior Sarah Ausbury prepares a shoe box filled with toys for Operation Christmas Child. NHS members filled the shoe boxes with either toys, hygiene items or school supplies. “I really wanted to make a box so I could help spread the Christmas spirit and to help a child in need in our community,” Ausbury said. (Photo illistration by Ankita Pandurangi)
Due to a high influx of tardies and students leaving class, administrators have made the decision to turn off vending machines at 7:15 a.m. This is also when the five minute warning bell rings, giving students five minutes to get to class. The vending machines don’t turn back on until the first lunch begins, then once all the lunches have completed, the vending machines turn back off. Once the school day ends, they’re back on for those staying for after school activities to be able to use them.
“As I’ve walked the halls for the first quarter, there’s a lot of kids standing at the vending machines after the bell rings or they are leaving in the middle of class going to the vending machines,” head principal Jeffrey Fletcher said. “So, the kids are missing class time because of the vending machines.”
The decision was put into place, and while most teachers are appreciative of this decision, student’s felt the opposite. The students who didn’t leave in the middle of class to go to the vending machines are now suffering the consequences of those who did.
“When [students] find out, I’m sure they would be very agitated at the choice that the school has made without consulting the students,” junior Maddie Murphy said.
Fletcher has high expectations that this change will help with tardies and the issue of students leaving during class. “I think it will be a good change for the
On Nov. 17, a vending machine stocker stocks the machines in the school by the cafeteria. This year the school made new restrictions on the vending machines causing them to close after 7:15 and open again during lunches. (Photo by Hannah Simmons)
building,” Fletcher said. “Change is not always the easiest, so it’ll be an adjustment for the students. Hopefully, they’ll be able to plan ahead and get snacks before school or during lunch.” (Brief by Hope Moseley)
Events happening in December 2022 through January 2023
DEC. 22 - JAN. 2 Winter Break
JAN. 6 Wrestling GAC Championship
JAN. 13
Teacher Work DayNo school
JAN. 16 Martin Luther King Junior Day - No school
JAN . 19 Board of Education Meeting
JAN. 26 Spring Play Auditions
Nov.
Winter guard is starting preparation for their upcoming tournament on Jan. 28. The team has to work together in order to choreograph a routine to go along with a song using flags, rifles and dance.
“The competitions actually went really well last year. We started actually placing higher than we ever have in the past couple years,” winter guard captain and senior McKenna O’Connor said.
Winter guard demands a lot out of the team members; hours of dedication and hard work are necessary for them to be prepared for their tournaments that will take them all around the region. They have tournaments on Feb. 11 and 12, Feb. 25, March 3-5, March 18 and April 1.
“The most difficult part is trying to instill the work ethic,” winter guard coach Brady Eaton said. “We’re really fortunate that a lot of the team that we have already has a really strong work ethic, but not everyone has that already.”
Eaton is going into his second year coaching and is making sure that the winter guard team is going to be even better than last year. The team plans on practicing their choreography until it is better than perfect. If they do well enough, they are hoping to progress to the Winter Guard International championships.
“Our show this year seems really promising, even better than last year, and the team also is very promising as well,” O’Connor said. (Brief by Gavin Swort)
On 16, the FHN winterguard practices together in the small gym. Junior Mikayla Brewer participates in drills with other team members on rifle. This year’s show is titled “Bound by Love”. (Photo by Caroline Woodland)On Dec 7, the FHN band performed numerous pieces in the auditorium from 7 to 8:30 p.m under the direction of band director Ryan Curtis. Jazz Band, Jazz Lab, Wind Ensemble and Concert Band all performed during the one and a half hour span.
“I thought they had a good performance and I thought they played well,” Curtis said.
The band performed many classic band concert pieces such as “Fiesta”, “All the Pretty Little Horses” and a surprise performance of “Sleigh Ride.”
“The goal is that it goes like you think it’s gonna go so I can’t say there was any standout things that we did because it went like I thought it was gonna go,” Curtis said. “But the Symphonic Dance No. 3 was probably the one that I was happiest that we got to perform because that one took the most amount of work to get to where we needed it to be.”
The winter concert was concluded with a guest conduction by assistant principal Erin Steep. Steep was a former band director before she became an assistant principal.
“[The] band did a really good job for their age,” concert-goer Carl Sivia said. Sivia is the grandfather of musician Colton Sivia who performed in the concert.
The next band concert is set to take place in April with the band performing numerous concerts at local middle schools in hopes of recruiting players for next year.
“Not too many things went outrageously bad, so it had to be good, right?” junior and percussion player Dustin Fox said. (Brief by McKenna Hudson)
In the summer of 2024, the FHN art department will travel to Athens, Greece, to enjoy an art excursion
by Sadie Ortmeyer sortmeyer483@g.fhsdschools.orgTo kick off the summer right, the Art department has announced that they will be heading to Greece with FHN students in June of 2024. This trip will give students great opportunities to learn about new and exciting cultures and overall have lots of fun in a new part of the world.
“I think it will just broaden their perspectives,” Courtney Flamm, an art teacher at FHN said. “Traveling is the best way to see the world as a bigger place.”
For this trip, the Art department has decided to travel with a tour company called EF Tours that offers fun and educational tours to adults, teachers and students to amazing places all around the world. The Art department has also used EF Tours in the past with a trip to New York accompanied by some other students from Howell High.
“It’s just a good opportunity for students to explore the world and see a new place,” Flamm said.
To begin the tour, students will start off by taking a 13 hour flight to Athens and meeting their guides there. During the rest of the tour, they will then be able to take a cruise to the Greek islands of Mykonos, Crete and Satorini, tour
Athens: Athens is the capital of Greece and the largest city. It is known as the birthplace of democracy. It’s also home to the famous Parthenon.
Mykonos: This island is known as the island of the winds and it is located at the middle of the Cyclades island group. Mykonos is mainly known for it’s beaches and luxury.
The Acropolis: The Acropolis of Athens is an citadel above the city of Athens that holds many ancient buildings. The buildings on the Acropolis are of great architectural and historical significance.
the Acropolis, visit an olive vineyard, explore ancient ruins, try new foods and participate in many other fun activities throughout the entire tour.
“I believe it will be a good insight into the Greek culture and it will be a good experience on places outside of the U.S,” junior Shannon Renkey said.
This trip won’t only be fun for the people going on it, but beneficial and educational too. Students will learn all about Greek culture and all the mythology that goes along with it. They will also learn about the history of the ruins in Greece and the architecture that goes into the buildings and ruins there.
“I’ll be able to learn more about Greek culture like the mythology that I’ve always been interested in as well as the ruins and their history,” Renkey said.
The most important part of the tour however, is making new friends and companions along the way. Meeting new people while on trips like this allows others to bond together and make memories with each other for a lifetime. This makes for a unique and special experience that many people will enjoy.
“Honestly, I’m most excited to hang out with other teenagers and just make new friends,” junior Mira Wunder said.
Sophomore Cherry Ann Clark sketches a deer before school in Mrs. Maples class. Maples teaches many art classes at FHN. (Photo by Sadie Ortmeyer) The band performs their winter concert on Dec. 7 in the FHN auditorium. (Photo by Sadie Cotton)Scan this QR code to view the full photo gallery and web story by Amber Winkler.
FHN won the 2022 Iron Chef competition on Nov. 15 at FHHS. FHN has been participating in Iron Chef for 13 years and has won 10 of the competitions, according to the FHN Iron Chef coach and FACS teacher Rebecca Just.
“The kids get to have a field trip day,” Just said. “They make their own grocery list, pack up all the equipment and tools that they need to go grocery shopping. We get to the host school, unload everything. Get the stations organized and cook and then present.”
A student who participated in the 2022 Iron Chef, senior Xavier Mitchell, was in charge of making the
apple cider salad that was made with roasted walnuts and bacon.
“I did enjoy the competition,” Mitchell said. “At first it was a little bit stressful, a couple of minutes went by and everybody was trying to get a flow going.”
Senior Janiah Like was another participant in Iron Chef. She was in charge of the entree/protein which was meatballs.
“I mean there were some mistakes that we made,” Like said. “Students can be more prepared and focused on just their food.”
During Iron Chef, students can learn real world experiences while being in the kitchen.
“I got to learn and experience what it’s like to actually be timed on cooking,” Like said.
One of the most important aspects
of the competition is teamwork and cooperation. Leadership is also a factor in bringing the team together in the kitchen.
“I do think that our synergy is important and the people that were selected for the thing went exceptionally well together,” Mitchell said. “And it made for a great experience and it was pretty fun, especially with a great teacher like Just.”
With Mitchell being a senior, he hopes the future Iron Chef competitors learn skills that they can take with them when they graduate.
“I hope they [come] out of there with a better understanding of teamwork, and also that their skills in culinary arts and cooking, in general, may be amplified,” Mitchell said.
Scan this QR code to view a photo gallery by Parker Bruns, Ankita Pandurangi and Amber Winkler.
When taking a deep breath can’t calm someone’s anxiety or the stress has become too much, a couple minutes on a video game can be a good way for someone to calm down. It can help distract them from their worries long enough so that they can realign themselves.
“I think [gaming] can be [a good way to cope] when used correctly,” FHN Counselor Kyle Harris said. “For example, I think a person with anxiety sometimes doing a puzzle game or something that is relaxing and calming. I think that can be a good way to temporarily distract from those feelings that they’re struggling with.”
Gaming affects everyone differently and everyone uses it for different reasons, whether it be to de-stress or to distract from reality. For some, it’s a positive influence on their mental health and a negative one for others.
“It has a lot of different effects,” Harris said.
“I mean, there are positive
aspects of gaming for stress relief for brain activity for a variety of different things that can kind of help ease some mental health problems but on the other end, it can also feed into some mental health problems of being a distraction from important things in life.”
For teachers, gaming mainly has a positive impact on their mental health and tends to be used as a way to de-stress in their free time. They use it when they have a second of free time after a long day of work.
“[Gaming has] actually helped my mental health because it gives me a stress release,” FHN teacher Larry Green said. “Something I can also keep competing on, I love competing. So the video game is just another way for me to compete with strategies, kind of stretch my mind to think about other things.”
While gaming serves the same purpose for some students, others may use gaming as a way to escape from reality and their responsibilities. This makes them more susceptible to mental health problems related to gaming and addiction. The WHO reports that up to 3% of people who game suffer from a gaming addiction
“[Students will] sit down and they’ll be like, ‘I’m gonna play just for 20 or 30 minutes’ and then five hours goes by,” Harris said. “A lot of that can cause things where you’re too exhausted to do work, or you miss deadlines, because you’re so focused on being caught up in whatever game you’re playing that you lose track of things that are probably pretty important to take care of.”
about gaming addictions, but they don’t realize the impact that it truly can have on someone’s mental health. Gaming doesn’t only have the possibility of worsening mental health problems, it can cause it in someone who doesn’t have any. In 2021, the WHO officially classified Video Game Addiction as a mental health disorder.
“[Gaming has a negative effect] when I’m playing it till like three in the morning,” senior Nicholas Hessel said. “Because of it, I tend to stay up and I get a bit paranoid.”
Whether gaming is used as a way to de-stress or to cope with mental health problems, there is not one set way that gaming can affect someone’s mental health. Everyone plays video games for different reasons and everyone is impacted differently by it.
“I would really hesitate to say to someone that ‘oh, just play a game that’s going to be your solution to that problem,’” Harris said. “It’s a way to temporarily calm someone down so that then they can actually start addressing those issues. You know, just playing a game by itself is not going to solve your anxiety, anger or depression problems.”
games are designed to hook you and make you want to continue playing. But there comes a point where some people start to realize that 'oh, I have to be on again, I can't leave now. I have to do this' or you know, people canceling plans because they have to do something in a game. I think whenever a game is seriously interfering with real life that is an instance where you kind of have to reassess how important the game is versus how important your life goals, social goals and personal goals."
When discussing the benefits of gaming.
"Gaming can be an effective way to healthily release your anger. Because you're not harming someone unless you're like verbally harassing them. But if you know you're just beating someone in a game over and over as a way of venting your anger, I think that is a pretty effective way of doing that."
Tally up your answers at the end of this quiz to see if you might be addicted to video games.
01. Do video games interfere with responsibilities like school, work, chores or projects?
A. Yes, they interfere all the time B. Not very often, but they have interfered before
C. Video games never interfere with my responsibilities
02. Do you dedicate a lot of time and money towards video games, consoles, gaming subscriptions and or game extensions?
A. All of my paychecks and free time goes towards gaming
B. Only my extra cash and spare time goes towards gaming C. Almost none of my money and very little of my time is dedicated to gaming
03. Do you use video games as a form of escape from reality?
A. Yes, that’s why I play everyday B. Sometimes I play to escape reality when times are difficult
C. No, I play purely for entertainment
04. If you had to suddenly stop playing video games, how would you react?
A. I would be furious. Video games are my life B. I would be bothered, but it wouldn’t kill me to go without them
C. It wouldn’t affect me. I’m not even sure I would notice.
05. Have you found yourself lying about how much time you spend playing video games?
A. Yes I have. If I told the truth, people would be concerned.
B. Not very often, I’ve only had to lie a few times. C. Never. Why would I?
Mostly A’s: You’re a video games addict. For you, video games are not a hobby, they’re a lifestyle. It's time to cut back because video games have taken over your life.
Mostly B’s: You’re not addicted. Right now, you may only play for fun or to relieve some stress, and your friends and family aren’t concerned about how much you play. However, if you’re not careful video games could consume your life.
Mostly C’s: You never have to ask yourself if you’re addicted. You’re still on top of school, work and other responsibilities because you rarely play games.
by Alex Wheadon awheadon315@g.fhsdschools.org
Esports is something that requires a lot of practice and a player needs to be good at the game they’re trying to compete in. There are many areas of esports from fighting games to first person shooter games and there are many other types of games to compete in. To say it can be complicated to master is an understatement. On average, professional esports players practice six to eight hours a day which means if the esports players at North want to practice like the pros, they will need to practice on their own time. They must learn to balance their school and homework to get that done.
“It consists of playing a lot of online matches to be able to sharpen my skills and learning new characters and combos,” senior esports member Nico
Schuchman said.
Unlike other sports at North who may have practice after school everyday, the esports team meets every Thursday from 2:30 - 4:00. With only meeting once a week, the players have to use their own free time to practice at home. That means they will have to balance their homework and school work while also practicing at home most of the time.
School work is something all high schoolers will have, some more than others. People who have after school activities will need to balance that with practice. Esports players are much the same. Schuchman had to learn how to balance his homework with practicing. Schuchman prioritizes homework over practicing which means that he has to use his freetime after his
Nico Schuchman, a senior on the esports team, has a gaming setup at his house. The image shows Schuchman’s Steel Series Apex Pro TKL Keyboard, a Logitech G502 mouse, along with dual monitors, headphones, a microphone and speakers. (Image Submitted by Nico Schuchman)
homework is finished to be able to practice.
“Usually, I finish up what I have to do for school first and then I take the freetime I have to play some esports and practice,” Schuchman said.
Another thing a high school student might have is chores. An esport player might have to get chores done quicker so they can have time to be able to practice.
Jackson Crone is a junior at FHN and is also a player on the esports team and he often has chores he has to do around his house. He practices about two hours a day when he is able to do so by using the free time he gets after his chores are done.
“The chores usually don’t take much time and I usually practice in between whenever I can,” Crone said.
With esports players getting only one practice a week, they need to use their own time at home to get practice in since esports takes a lot of practice to get good at. Six to eight hours of practice a day is easy for the pros but balancing that with lots of other things like homework and housework is something that the esports players at North do.
How members of the esports team balance homework and chores with esports
Ever since the release of video games, such as the first Mortal Kombat game in 1992 or Grand Theft Auto in 1997, it has been highly debated whether or not violent video games correlate with violence. Certain people have gone as far as to contribute the uprising in more graphic video games as a factor to children and teenagers committing violent crimes.
“I absolutely don’t see any sort of connection between more violent video games and violence in children and teenagers,” AP Psychology teacher Sean Fowler said. “I see this accusation as just an easy scapegoat for children’s bad behavior.”
One negative effect children may experience from violent video games, according to the American Addiction Center, is aggression. However just like a rated R movies, if parents are worried about their children being exposed to violence and other mature content that T or MA games may have, they are heavily recommended to monitor what their children are playing and come to the conclusion themselves on what is appropriate for their child to play.
“Parents need to monitor their own children and make sure that they know what they’re getting before they purchase a game,” Fowler said. “I understand that there are parents who aren’t comfortable with their kids playing games like Call of Duty or Rainbow Six Siege but they need to be the ones who are making sure their kids aren’t playing those types of games.”
While the negatives of video games may be more mainstream than the positives, people like Norths esports coach Brett Bevill want people to realize that there are benefits to playing video games. Bevill sees playing video games, in a healthy moderation, as a workout for the brain. Since many video games rely on the gamer reacting to quick time events, the children playing the games are constantly using their brains and developing critical thinking skills in order to determine what their next move is.
“Some of my best athletes are some of the smartest kids at the school,” Bevill said. “If you don’t become too addicted to it, I personally think gaming is a fun activity and I haven’t seen anyone becoming violent after playing them.”
“I find them very relaxing. I think they’re fun. They’re great to play with your family and have that camaraderie and just good sportsmanship with family.”
PACINO LIN, 12
“I can be more social. Social activity improves mental health and relieves the pressure.”
DAN MINER, TEACHER
“They’re a connection to friends. [Video games are a] great way to accomplish fun and goals.”
AUSTIN WINKLER, 12
“I think it helps unwind and destress after a hard day.”
KAITLYN LE, 11
“It helps relieve stress. It helps distract from things happening in life. It also helps me get closer to my friends.”
“It’s a way to spend time with my friends even when they’re far away.”
Video Games Cause Depression
Evidence has found that video games could help alleviate symptoms of depression.
Calm game suggestions: Animal Crossing, Stardew Valley, and Inks on iOS.
Video Games are for Entertainment Only
Researchers found that commercial video games (typically intended for entertainment) are effective at providing mental health benefits.
Games for improving mental health: Sea of Solitude, Celeste and Night in the Woods.
Popular violent video games: Call of Duty, Fortnite and Apex Legends mobile.
Video games with quick time events: Until Dawn, The Walking Dead: The Game and God of War 2.
In May of 2020, I was live on Twitch with two of my best friends. We were playing CS:GO and we had this one really funny guy playing with us. He was a total stranger, but something clicked between us all while we were playing competitive on Dust 2. I remember that after the game, I was talking with my friends.
“I really liked that guy’s voice, we should invite him to play another game with us,” I said.
“Yeah he was funny, let’s play another game with him,” My friend replied.
So we invited him to play another game with us and we kept the same energy the whole time. He was really funny and he was also really good at the game, so we had to keep him around.
I’ve been streaming on Twitch for almost three years. Throughout that time, a lot has changed. I’ve gained new friends, I’ve lost friends, I’ve gotten better at some games, I’ve lost skill in others. Overall, I think that streaming has positively affected my mental health. It’s
given me people to talk to when I’m feeling down, it’s something I can do to take my mind off of things, plus it’s something I make a little bit of money off of. Sure it has some negatives. There are a lot of toxic people in games and in chat, losing games can be upsetting, but when you think about all of the positives, they outweigh all the bad things.
The four of us made a Discord server together and that was the beginning of something great. We started playing games together almost every day and it turned out he streamed and made Youtube videos, too. So we started making content together. He was someone I could spend hours talking to and it wouldn’t ever get boring. I have done several eight hour long streams where it’s just me and him playing Rust together having a good time. He was just a good friend to talk to and spend time with. Without streaming and video games, I would’ve never had him as a friend. I probably wouldn’t have ever met him, because he lives in a completely different state. I would confidently say that streaming has made my mental health better.
It’s nothing new that women in gaming deal with harassment. It has been an issue that people don’t hear many others talk about. Sophia McClure is a junior at FHN and her first memory of playing video games was when she was four years old. She often deals with people thinking that she’s not as good as someone who has been playing the game since it came out and she is just now starting to play it.
“I just started playing Assassin’s Creed and I feel segregated because they have more experience than I do, so they think they are better than me,” McClure said.
Growing up a female in a male dominated community can be rough. Consumer science teacher Catherine Mayberry used to play video games online with anyone who was on. She then saw that that was where the most harassment and bullying was. Since growing up, she only plays with people that she knows.
“When I was in college I used to be in a gaming club and you’d think that people would be less mean but they would say `I didn’t know what I was doing and I am just pushing random buttons’,” Mayberry said.
Whether it be from males or females, if someone is new to video games, they can be subject to bullying or harassment. A lot of people deal with bullying and harassment but women typically deal with more. Often, good female players become subject to worse male players. (Brief by Stephanie Lichtenegger)
Brittney McDermott, the owner of J+B Wellness works on a smoothie with an employee at her new small business. This is a health and wellness cafe. They opened just a few months ago on Sept. 30. This is located in Cottleville.
Robbers)
When taking a step into J+B Wellness, anyone who walks in can feel the kind and positive atmosphere the shop radiates. A key health and wellness store in the community, J+B Wellness tries to provide a helpful path to a healthier life through the food that they sell.
“Our main focus is selling healthy food options for the St. Charles area,” co-founder Jacob McDermott said. “Currently we sell smoothie bowls, smoothies, sandwiches, pressed juices and healthy treat options.”
J+B Wellness was opened in September of this year by Britanny McDermott and her husband Jacob, however they began to create the business in December of 2021. The two found a place for their health and wellness store in the city of Cottleville and took to creating the store to live up to their hopes. The couple used their own first initials to inspire the company name.
“We went to Nashville last June and we found a cafe that we loved [and] we wondered if they
would franchise, but they didn’t,” Brittany said. “We joked that we should really open up a place in St. Charles and we ended up doing just that.”
Some may recognize the McDermott name if they attended Henderson Elementary School. Brittany was a fourth grade teacher at Henderson for five years before switching jobs to open her business. Her dream of opening up a shop like J+B Wellness took hold last March when she and Jacob were selling smoothie bowls before even opening up the shop.
“Brittany is an amazing person, she comes in once in a while and helps us all with what she has planned and how she wants the company to be improved,” employee Taylor Schmitt said.
Jacob, on the other hand, had never had a dream of opening up a business until meeting Brittany. He took over the numbers side of the business because of his past in finance. Even though they have their specialties in different parts of the business, they still work together fantastically according to their employees.
“He’s a very good person to help get us on our toes and he’s able to help if something
goes wrong,” Schmitt said. “He’s always the head person to take charge if there’s a rush coming.”
Within the next year, J+B Wellness hopes to expand to another location with the possibility of three to five locations opening within the next few years. Having more of their shops around the community that serve healthy foods would be very exciting to the owners.
“The next shop would hopefully be by Lindenwood, my husband and I both went there so it would be great to partner with them,” Brittany said.
Wellness website.
New health and wellness shop called J+B Wellness opens up in CottlevilleScience teacher James Appleton has been purchasing and remodeling homes for the past 16 years. In 2006, Appleton and his wife purchased a townhouse and did a complete remodel.
“In 2006 we bought our first townhouse when we got married,” Appleton said. “We fixed it up, new flooring, scraped popcorn ceiling, new fixtures, and sold it about a year later.”
Appleton and his wife Tara do all of the renovation work themselves. This has the advantage of saving them money while knowing that the work done is of the highest quality.
“It takes you three times longer to do it but you save a lot of money,” Appleton said.
The process of flipping a home includes a fair amount of bureaucracy. Depending on the location, a varying amount of building permits may be required from the city.
“You need building permits if you knock down walls, [or] if you redo plumbing or put in a hot water heater,” Appleton said.
According to Appleton, the demolition portion of the remodel isn’t exactly like television flipping shows make it sound.
“You can’t just swing the hammer and make a mess everywhere,” Appleton said. “You’ve got to plan out what to knock down and then call your brothers to come with hammers. They usually leave a bigger mess than what you started out with.”
After three other homes, this will be their fourth and final home to remodel and they plan to stay in it for a while.
“We just bought a new house in August but we’re going to stay in it forever. We’re pretty much done right now,” Appleton said. (Brief by Ben Henry)
Cheyenne Steed’s business, Grace Jewelry, has been a dream since childhood
by Drew Johnson djohnson440@g.fhsdschools.orgCreativity comes in many forms. For freshman Cheyenne Steed, making jewelry isn’t only a hobby, but a business. Alongside her grandmother, boyfriend and countless others, Steed spends her free time forming molds, pouring resin and selling jewelry to people. Steed’s business, Grace Jewelry, ties to important values in her life.
“Originally we wanted something to do with my religion; Christianity,” Steed said. “We took a part of my middle name, Graceland, and converted it into Grace.”
Steed’s family was not her only inspiration. Her childhood passions influenced her to begin making jewelry.
“When I was a little kid I wanted to be an artist,” Steed said. “I have always liked arts and crafts.”
Steed’s hobby not only helps her raise money but also teaches her life skills that other students may not learn in school.
“She was very shy when she first started this business,” Alfie Beckman, Steed’s grandmother, said. “She has to talk to customers a lot, she’s become more social and talks to people more. Her self-esteem has grown because of her work and how many people like it.”
Steed’s jewelry can be found in
stores in downtown St. Charles, such as MoonuMental. Although, much of her revenue comes from craft fairs where she meets customers.
“Whenever I see little kids wearing my jewelry and coming to say hi to me, [it] makes me really happy,” Steed said. “Knowing I put all of that work and effort into one piece.”
Steed doesn’t create alone. Her boyfriend, sophomore Dominik Sronce, is an important part of her business, often attending craft fairs with her.
“Helping [her] gives me a lot of cool stuff [to do that] you don’t usually get to see, like the cool people,” Sronce said.
With help from her family, Steed often tries to outperform other competitors in the jewelry business to produce the best products. Steeds products include earrings, pendants, Croc charms and other accessories.
“I’ve always just had a fascination to be better than others I know and try to be as hardworking and successful as possible,” Steed said.
Steed is determined to continue her hobby and business of making jewelry. She hopes to continue her business through high school.
“Try your best, find opportunities in life and try to maneuver all of the walls that get put up,” Steed said.
“It’s going to be stressful and hard, but in the end, it will be extremely satisfying.”
On Nov.17 Cheyenne Steed works on some earrings in the studio at FHN. Steed started her career in jewelry by making it just for herself but within a couple of months she had her own spot as a vendor in local craft fairs. She enjoys the time consuming and difficult pieces most, but her best sellers are usually things like the wrapped necklaces and croc charms. (Photo by Mady Brewer) Science teacher James Appleton works on reconstructing a house. He’s been flipping houses since 2006 with his cat, Fin. Appleton has flipped four houses since then. (Photo submitted)teacher Kimberly Skwira took an international trip to teach art teachers in China
by Sadie Ortmeyer sortmeyer483@g.fhsdschools.orgBack in 2019, Kimberly Skwira, an art teacher at FHN, went on a journey that made a huge impact on her inside and outside the classroom. After receiving one email about an international teaching trip, she knew that it was a great opportunity. Due to this, she ended up going on a journey to teach art in China, a place in the world she has never visited.
“I mean, I learned so much about myself just as a person,” Skwira said. “It was really, really good for my soul. It was probably the best experience I’ve ever had in my life.”
After accepting the email from the Teach in China program, she began her trip in the summer of 2019 with a flight to Shanghai to meet with other teachers in the program. After meeting up, they split into their groups and headed to their destinations within China, which is when Skwira traveled to Nanjing.
“I went over there not knowing anybody,” Skwira said. “[I] went over with a group called “We Teach in China” and it was teachers from all over the United States.”
Once she arrived in Nanjing, she
began teaching at a school to first and second year art teachers to show them how to let their students express themselves through their artwork. According to Skwira, teachers there were not allowed to do this. Instead, they do what Skwira calls “cookie cutter” teaching, and are restricted to certain materials.
“If you compare it to an elementary school, it’s what I call “cookie cutter,” Skwira said. “Where the teacher has the example and everybody’s has to look exactly like that. They also told me they’re not allowed to use watercolor in the classroom because it’s too messy.”
Despite being excited for this trip, Skwira knew that there would be challenges, such as the language barrier. To communicate with the other teachers, she worked with translators that talked back and forth between Skwira and the other teachers.
“There’s also a little bit of fear, you know, when you go on an excursion,” Skwira said. “Like you don’t know anybody, you don’t know the language, they can’t even understand you and vice versa.”
Although Skwira went on this
journey by herself, she was not the only one affected by this trip. Other teachers and friends of hers had their own opinions on it too. Denise Maples, another art teacher at FHN, believes that a trip like Skwira’s could help teachers relate more to international students at FHN.
“I think you would see things in a completely different way, and you would definitely be able to relate to your students that come from a different country a lot better,” Maples said.
During Skwira’s trip, she taught in Nanjing for a total of two weeks but got to stay there for an entire month. During her time there, she was able to experience entirely different cultures and different teaching environments while educating other teachers about art. According to Skwira, she thoroughly enjoyed it and despite some of the challenges she faced, was prepared to go back the following year to do it all again.
“I can’t wait to go back,” Skwira said. “I had every intention on going back the following summer but then COVID hit, and so I don’t know if it will ever be an option again but yeah, I can’t wait.”
“I think it’s really cool that she went out to like another country to spread like art or education.”
Cherry Ann Clark, sophomore Sophie Chankin, sophomore
Art teacher Kimberly Skwira taught in China the summer of 2019 for a month. Skwira says that her favorite part of teaching in China was introducing how she does things in her own classroom such as behavioral lessons and expanding their creativity through their art.
(Photo by Holly Samuels)
Art
“More [teachers] need to have the ability to learn and be respectful about new cultures.”
Deck the halls takes on a whole new meaning in FHN’s English hallway. Around the holidays, English teachers Tracy Wuertenberg, Kristen Johnson and Lindsey Scheller begin to decorate their hallway. Because of Scheller’s classroom relocation, this is her first year participating in this hallway’s decorating.
The plan is devised during Thanksgiving break and when break is over, the festivities begin. Soon after break, the hallway is filled with decorations like snowflakes, holiday lights and anything else that’s available. The decorations and participation have become even more impressive through the years, but the idea sparked from a smaller contest among homerooms.
“There’s so many people that get involved [in the decorating], that it just seems the purpose to create friendship in the homerooms has really just spread,” Wuertenberg said.
What started as a door-decorating contest for homerooms, turned into something much bigger. The Student Council at North proposed the idea of this contest as a way for homerooms to work together and bond. Now, the teachers, teacher assistants and their students all work together to adorn the hallway with all kinds of holiday decorations. The decorations have become a way to bring positivity to not only the hallway, but to the rest of FHN as well.
“I feel like if people turn around the corner and they see that the teachers are having fun and excited about school, then students are more likely to feel that way too,’’ Johnson said.
(Brief by Alayna Lohaus)
Since 2014, Union Station has been able to bring the story of the Polar Express to life
by Morgan Chairs itsmorgan.chairs@gmail.com
There’s a little kid in almost everyone that wants to experience the Polar Express. From the adrenaline rush chasing and trying to get on the infamous train to the sheer happiness and awe of getting a personal mug of hot chocolate. All while experiencing a musical number from the chefs to go along with it. And most importantly, the excitement and anticipation of getting to see Santa face to face and receiving a gift from him. Since 2014, children and adults alike get to fulfill the dream of experiencing this Christmas classic thanks to the Polar Express event at Union Station in St. Louis.
“[The] Polar Express book and movie is our inspiration, obviously, and the experience itself is bringing that story to life in a live action type of experience,” Union Station Director of Sales and entertainment Cameron Schoeffel said. “We are putting you into the movie where you are boarding the trains here.
At the depot or maybe you know, within the movie itself. With hot chocolate, cookies served on board singing, dancing, we’re reading the Polar Express story. We’re getting an opportunity to meet Santa and receive the first gift of Christmas.”
A night at the Polar Express starts with getting wristbands for the train car they are assigned to ride. This is where the fun begins. While waiting for their train, guests wait in the depot activity tent where there are multiple photo opportunities, activities and a chance to watch the movie. Then when it’s time to depart, guests head to the departure tent where they act out scenes from the story. After that, onto the train. From there, the train departs St. Louis Union Station and heads for the North Pole.
“So when you’re on the train, you know we keep the songs from the movie and the story from the book,” Polar Express actor Catlin Tadlock said. “So you get on the train and they have the hot chocolate song and the chefs bring up the hot chocolate just like in the movie. And then we have the hero boy, the hobo from the movie and the roaming characters in the train. And we read the story to the guests on the train as well.”
Not only is it something special to experience the Polar Express, it’s also special being a part of it. Being a character on the train can be a truly special experience. Getting to be the people that bring the story to life and engage with guests is an exciting thing for those involved.
“You’re really engaging with the guests,” Tadlock, who is also a Casting Coordinator at Talent Plus said. “You can kind of create your own character and your fun name. So I was elf Okie Dokie, or I am also Okie Dokie when I’m down
there. I tell them about the toys I make and if I’m a chef, I have a whole story about all the different cookies I make in the North Pole with Santa Claus. So it really enticed me having all that information that you can create [about] your own character and make it fun. Just the guests being happy and the little kids being happy was so intriguing to me.”
All in all, the whole goal of this event is to create a memorable experience for the guests involved. Not only that, but to bring joy to those on the train, especially the kids. Being able to make the kids smile and feel special is the main goal at the end of the day.
“It is being able to really make someone’s day,” Tadlock said. “Performers really go above and beyond to make a child come out of their shell if they’re really shy. And if you can, you know that during the train ride. That’s just super special, if you can get them to smile or open up a little bit. For me that’s amazing, but making it even [more] special for someone who has a special request, if there’s a birthday, or if a kid has an illness and they want Santa to address them by their name as a special request and all that kind of stuff. Really makes it special.”
Before the guests start their journey on the
reenactment
(All
This column has more facts about New Years and New Year’s Resolutions
Scan Here to learn more about the history of New Year’s Resolutions.
The Chinese New Year differs from other New Years’ since it happens on the Jan. 22 in 2023.
Over one million people every year turn on their TVs’ every year to see the New York Ball Drop.
According to the Statista Global Consumer Survey the five most common New Year’s Resolutions are to exercise more, eat healthier, spend more time with family and friends, to lose weight and live more economically.
Only 8% of people keep their New Year’s Resolutions for the year and if you vocalize your goals and plans you are much more likely to keep your resolutions.
Saturn is a time-based social network that helps students with organization and can be launched on a computer, tablet, or phone. The app was created to help students take control of their schedules and to make their lives easier. The app was launched in November 2018. Users can make specific tasks and customize them to a class, so users can have everything all in one place.
“Saturn helps me stay organized throughout the day with the tasks that I can create and it has been a huge help for me this year,” junior Cooper Jett said. “I get more work done and can stay on top of things without it being super stressful.”
Not only is downloading the app free but there are no in-app purchases. Students can download it on both IOS and android. Users set up their schedule and set their lunch period or ‘wave’. Users can also make personal tasks and the app also lets students know how much time is left in each hour. Users can also share their schedule with people of their choosing and can change this at any time.
“I use it to check how much time I have left in my class,” senior Payten Davis said. “With all the different schedules we have during the week it’s hard to keep track of when what hour ends, it helps me keep track of the day”.
Saturn works with policymakers, artists, designers and more to continue to help create a positive environment for high school students as there can be a lot of hate online with other ways that students might try to use to communicate and get more information.
(Brief by Stephanie Lichtenegger)For many years, people have made New Year’s resolutions with hopes to complete them and this upcoming year will be no different. Although very few complete all of their resolutions, people still will have hope to accomplish them. The history behind New Year’s resolutions dates back many years and has evolved vastly since then.
“I like that New Year’s resolutions are a good chance to start off the year right and that they are a nice excuse to better yourself for a couple of weeks,” French teacher Jenny Liberson said.
New Year’s resolutions and celebrations date back to around 4,000 years ago during Babylonian times. They have been continuously used throughout history by many different people including knights in medieval times as well as Christians in the sixteenth century. In ancient times, people made promises and sacrifices to the gods in hopes of better fortune for things like crops and health. Janus is one of the gods they made sacrifices to as he is the god of transitions and time; the month of January gets its root from the Roman god. This was the start of how people made New Year’s Resolutions and how they accomplished them in ancient times.
“I try to make my New Year’s resolutions attainable,” Liberson said. “Last year, I made like a three page list of New Year’s resolutions but I tried to keep just one of them. So I give myself options to fail and then at least one of them will hopefully succeed.”
People practice New Year’s resolutions for many different reasons: to better themselves and their lives for the new year, make new goals and break old habits.
Some reasons people tend to not complete their resolutions are they often are not easily manageable or realistic and people tend to lose motivation as the year goes on. People used to use these resolutions for religious reasons by thinking and reflecting upon their past mistakes and making goals to do better in the future.
“My soccer team had a sleepover in our indoor facility for New Year’s and we all made soccer related New Year’s resolutions,” sophomore Lexi Merrit said. So it was really fun seeing all my friends try [New Year’s resolutions] and seeing who sticks with them.”
Scan this QR code for an easy one bowl no mixer needed banana bread recipe.
This page consists of ten different types of breads. Described in this list are breads ranked 1-10 and brief description of each is included. Students from FHN shared their favorite breads as well. (Content by Alayna Lohaus)
A warm and buttery roll, the perfect side to practically any meal. Rolls are a staple side, especially on Thanksgiving. They are so simple, but remain superior to all other breads.
“I like the Texas Roadhouse buns, they’re so warm and soft.”
- Justin Feeney, 12
Scan this QR code for an easy cinnamon swirl bread recipe.
A great way to start your day, a bagel with cream cheese. With so many flavor options, how could you not like them? Whether you want sweet or savory, breakfast or lunch, bagels are the way to go.
Scan this QR code for a homemade corn bread recipe.
This flaky and buttery treat is so delicious that you can’t eat just one. Croissants are great with butter or even plain. They’re such a fun shape and perfect for pulling apart.
“Croissants are my favorite because they are from France and France has a lot of tasty foods,”
- Melissa Perez, 11
Scan this QR code for an easy pumpkin bread recipe.
Scan this QR code for an easy homemade garlic bread recipe.
Breadsticks are a simple and classic bread. They’re best warm and topped with parmesan cheese. Breadsticks can also be dipped in marinara or garlic sauce. How ever they are eaten, the delectable taste stays the same.
“Breadsticks are my favorite. They’re best with marinara sauce” -Mackenzie Robinson, 11
Banana bread is so moist and has the perfect amount of sweetness. Adding in some pecans can add a great balance of crunch. This is such a tasty bread that can be eaten year-round.
Specifically, the brown bread from Outback Steakhouse, this bread is just the perfect blend of soft and chewy. With some whipped butter, a whole loaf will be gone in just a few minutes.
This is such a classic savory bread with a great amount of crunch. The two best things combined, cheese and bread. With a side of spaghetti and meatballs, what could be better?
“I enjoy garlic bread because there is many flavors in one and it’s scrumptious.”
- Will Fodor, 12
Cornbread just feels like home. It has a hint of sweetness, but still seems like more of a savory bread. Cornbread is so soft and dense. Even if you don’t like corn, you must give cornbread a try.
“Cornbread is one of the best types of bread out there. Any time I have cornbread, it’s like a blessing.”
- Drake Morris, 11
English muffins are a great option for breakfast. With bacon, eggs and cheese, this bread serves as the perfect bun. If toasted, it becomes crispy and does not get soggy. English muffins can be eaten plain, with cream cheese or butter.
Brioche buns just make you feel fancy. It is kind of like eating a light and airy pretzel on top of your food. Next time you have the opportunity to order a brioche bun, do not miss your chance.
“I celebrate Christmas because it is Jesus’s birthday and I would say that the best part about Christmas is the decorations and the music.”
Bailey Scarbrough, senior
There are many different holiday celebrations that happen in varying countries and religions that take place throughout the month of December (Content by Chloe Ellison and Illustrations by Violet Newton and Alex Wheadon)
“I celebrate the Day of the Virgin Guadalupe on Dec. 12. My favorite part is the traditional dances, traditional clothing and the parties.”
Guadalupe Garcia, junior
celebrated on Dec.
Christians worldwide. During this holiday, children are given cookies, candies will leave out a shoe on would come and fill the shoe with small presents. In many central European countries, St. Nicholas also has a malevolent counterpart in Krampus, a devil-like being who threatens naughty children.
“My favorite part of celebrating Christmas is the traditions and getting to be with my family. I have a lot of family so it’s a long Christmas.”
Eleanor Mathewson, junior the rededication of the Second Temple Of Jerusalem. This year, Hanukkah will take place from Dec. 19 to Dec. 26, with the dates staying the same on the Jewish calendar but changing on the Gregorian one each year. One of the most important traditions of Hanukkah is the lighting of the Menorah each evening. Furthermore, each night when the candles are lit, a blessing is also offered.
Scan here to learn more about various winter holidays
The Winter Solstice is celebrated on Dec. 21 in the Northern Hemisphere when the Earth’s poles reach their maximum tilt away from the Sun. It is also the actual beginning of winter. The celebration of the Winter Solstice has been around for millennia and is one of the oldest winter celebrations in the world. People of the Pagan belief use this time to recharge, praise the moon and ask it for a good coming in the next year.
“St. Nicholas’ Day is one of the fun holiday traditions that is pretty unique to German culture and it’s really a nice reason to have a celebration in December.”
Anne McPartland, German teacher
The trip to La Piedad, Mexico was not an unusual trip for sophomore Jose De La Paz. It was a trip he had taken on several occasions to visit family and friends. However, this trip that was supposed to last a week, became an excursion that lasted two and a half years. The COVID-19 pandemic left De La Paz and his family trapped in Mexico. The separation from friends in America was difficult, but it helped bond him to his family and specifically his cousin, junior Ximena Zarate.
“We’ve always looked at each other like brother and sister and not cousins,” Zarate said. “And now it feels like a stronger brother and sister bond.”
De La Paz was born in La Piedad and moved to America when he was a newborn. His life in America was normal with numerous visits back to his hometown to visit family, like Zarate.
Zarate, on the other hand, was born in Arizona. When she was four, she moved with her family to La Piedad and received several visits from De La Paz and his family.
The two lived different lives with a bond that stretched the two countries. He grew up speaking Spanish but learned better English through school while she grew up mainly speaking Spanish.
“I kind of grew up mostly speaking Spanish but when I got to school, I got like a mix of both,” De La Paz said. “I think I speak better English than Spanish.”
During De La Paz’s spring break in seventh grade, he made yet another trip to La Piedad to visit Zarate and her family. However, this was infamously the time that COVID-19 caused a lockdown around the world and De La Paz was stuck in La Piedad. This was a time of uncertainty
for the family as nobody knew when they would be returning to the U.S.
“At first, I kind of felt like I didn’t want to be there,” De La Paz said. “Because I didn’t want to make new friends and have to restart.”
However, De La Paz had to re-learn Spanish as he was taking online school through Mexico. He found it difficult to relearn the language he had spoken long ago. The accents and rules of Spanish were difficult to understand and he began the learning process all over again. Despite the language difficulties, De La Paz found joy in reconnecting with his family and Zarate.
“It was definitely more exciting having them there because we get along the best out of everybody else,” Zarate said. “Having my quinceañera really bonded us better together.”
The two had fun while they were together in Mexico where they went to celebrations and participated in many family activities.
“Like today on Nov. 20, there’s a fair type of thing with food and everything,” De La Paz said. “But I feel like the [best part] is because all my cousins would go and we’d all go horseback riding or go on the four wheelers.”
While the two cousins were bonding, an old friend back in the U.S. was staying in touch. Sophomore Reina Murrell and De La Paz had become friends when they met at BeckyDavid in fourth grade in Sheri Wuensch’s class.
“He’s very energetic,” Murrell said. “He has a very caring personality and he’s really funny.”
Murrell was sad to find out that De La Paz was staying in Mexico and not returning as quickly as she had hoped. However, the two managed to keep in contact throughout his absence via social media and text messages.
But all the while, America
was calling the whole family home. Traveling was becoming safer and in September of 2022, the family decided it would be best to move the family back to St. Charles, including Zarate.
“It was going to be difficult with the language barrier and getting accustomed to a new country that I had already been in but I hadn’t remembered anything,” Zarate said. “But knowing that I was gonna be with Jose and his family, I kind of felt better at the thought of moving.”
So, the families relocated to St. Charles, where the De La Paz family had previously lived. Both De La Paz and Zarate enrolled at North where Zarate participated in ESOL to help bridge the language barrier. One person was especially happy to see De La Paz return in September of this year and that was Murrell.
“I was so excited because I haven’t seen him in so long,” Murrell said. “And I was excited to see how tall he was now. What he looked like. And like how deep his voice was because he used to have a high voice.”
For both De La Paz and Zarate, life in America was a transition. De La Paz had to renavigate through friendships and surroundings while Zarate had to adapt to life in America.ww
“Being with my family, I feel [together] and not alone,” Zarate said. “I feel safe and supported.”
The journey De La Paz underwent changed his outlook on life. Through the chance experiences he encountered and the ways in which it benefited his life, he learned to take nothing for granted.
“I learned to take advantage of the opportunities I had,” De La Paz said. “You never really know if you can get them again.”
Listed below are three different celebrations that citizens in Mexico partake in
On Nov. 20, 1910, a revolution began in Mexico. Lasting from 1910 to 1917, the purpose was to overthrow dictator, Porfirio Díaz, who had ruled for over three decades. His unfair economic policies ultimately provoked Mexican citizens to revolt. Today, Mexican citizens celebrate this historic event with parades and festivals. (Photo from Aleksandar Todorovic / Shutterstock.com)
For over 300 years, Mexico was ruled by the country of Spain. Until Sept. 16, 1810, when Catholic Priest Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla delivered his famous speech demanding the end of Spain’s control. This speech, known as the Grito de Dolores ignited the Mexican War of Independence. This war lasted over 10 years, and finally in 1821, Spain recognized Mexico as an independent nation. Citizens of Mexico continue to remember this momentous day with parades, fireworks, music and family gatherings. (Photo from Aberu.Go / Shutterstock.com)
Every year on Dec. 12, religious festivals are held to commemorate Mary, also known as Our Lady of Guadalupe. This national holiday consists of public celebrations and some travel to the Basilica of Guadalupe to honor the Catholic Saint. Dec. 12 is a day of religious feasts, as well as other festive events like bullfighting and musical performances. (Photo from Alan Budman / Shutterstock.com)
After a great 2021 season for the FHN girls wrestling team, there was an elephant in the room in that North only had two female wrestlers. With only two wrestlers, this would spur a problem for a typical team. But unlike other teams, sophomore Izzy Apple and Senior Laramie Horstman embraced their adversity.
“Yeah, I had to wrestle boys sometimes so that kinda sucked,” wrestler Izzy Apple said. “But I think we made it work, it could be worse for sure.”
But much to everyone’s surprise, the girls wrestling team doubled in size this year, gaining two new freshman girls: Maddy Howell and Aubrey Peterson. Although this isn’t a lot of athletes, Apple is still really happy with the growth.
“Even though it isn’t a lot, it’s really great to see our team grow,” Apple said.
With this growth, it puts Apple in a leadership role, something a sophomore isn’t usually expected to take on so early in their high school career. But in a similar pattern, Apple has taken on the challenge head on.
“Yeah it’s been really fun helping our new girls and overall just trying to be a good example,” Apple said.
With this new growth and great leaders on the team, the wrestling team feels great about the upcoming season.
“I think it definitely motivates me to do better with how little girls there are,” Apple said. “I think there is definitely a winning mentality.”
(Brief By Braeden Kettinger)
Sophomore Collin Conley’s wrestling season was mostly postponed before it even actually started. In a C-team football game against Fort Zumwalt South during fall break, Conely went for a run. After the play ended he could hardly walk on his feet.
“In the last C-team game of the season, it was a play where I [got] the ball and I ran through a gap and someone stepped on my foot and had broken my fifth metatarsal in my right foot,” Conely said.
Conley wasn’t happy when he found out the news about his foot; it ended his hopes of playing on varsity at the end of the year and he didn’t know when he was going to be able to wrestle again. Although there were lots of things going on in his mind, he was supported by others such as his teammates from both sports.
“We still joke around with him and make fun of him, everything teammates do with each other and he helps out the freshman during practice,” junior varsity football teammate DJ Dillon said. ”He still feels like a big part of the program.”
Many of his teammates from football came to wrestle with him this year such as Dillon but another is sophomore Samme Woodall. The bond they built during the football season made the comradery
between Conley and his teammates a lot stronger.
“I expect him to do good when he comes back,” Woodall said. “I think when he gets back, he will start winning a lot.”
Many of his teammates joke around about his foot and joke about him faking the injury but they all know how severe an injury like a broken bone can be. Conley realized the type of teammates he has around him through this journey.
“I try to help out the underclassmen a lot and give them pointers and at the same time, the team realizes my condition and they don’t bully me about it, they just try to motivate me,” Conley said. “My coaches always told me to treat every game, every practice like it’s the last one you could ever have and I kind of get it now. I realized the set back it all brought me which motivates me to train even harder and become better than before I even broke my foot.”
With Conley missing only the first few meets of the season, he’ll be able to experience most of the season with his team. And on top of that, he will be able to prepare for track and football training in the spring. The motivation he has to get stronger is helping Conley improve his moves and technique after he returns.
Football Player and wrestler Collin Conley returns from foot injury Conley works directly with the wrestlers to help get the feel and the correct movements while on the mats before their first match of the winter season. (Photo by Parker Bruns) Sophomore Izzy Apple walks off the wrestling mat after beating an opponent. (Photo by Kaylee Monroe)
doesn’t have a hockey team this school year so players had to find new teams in the metro area
by Lindsay Haislip lhaislip362@g.fhsdschools.orgSome would think with the amount of students, around 1,650 at North, more than nine players would actually show up for tryouts to play a season of hockey for the current year. At least 16 or 17 players are needed to have a hockey team to begin with and with not enough students wanting to try out and play this year, that leaves the people wanting to play for North out of a season.
“There were some really good kids there and there were some seniors there that would have wanted [to play] and would be nice to finish playing for their own high school,” former FHN hockey coach Jim Leahy said. “I know kids like to play for their own high school and it’s just a shame that it didn’t work out.”
With FHN athletes out of a hockey season, players had to come up with alternative ways to get somewhat of a season they had hoped and planned for this year. Many students ended up playing hockey for different schools but were not given a choice on which school they got to play on. Players seasons could go from just not playing and hoping for a season next year, playing for a different school around the district or just playing for their own club team.
“Yeah I like [playing for the United High School Girls Hockey team] but it’s definitely the same struggle every year if you want to play girls hockey, it’s thrown together and you don’t really know the output of it,” senior Tommie Schaljo said. “Nerve racking, I guess [since] you don’t really know how long it’s gonna last.”
Schaljo was not able to play for a different school in the district so she decided to start playing for the club team United High School Girls Hockey team. Having no true high school hockey team this year for Schaljo has affected her because she will not have a normal high school hockey season like most seniors usually have. She is enjoying playing for her other team but she really misses Norths team and enjoyed the competitiveness of playing with the boys. The fact that she has been playing with
and for North for the past three years, made it difficult for her to fully enjoy a season without them.
One of the main things Schaljo is upset about is the fact that she will not be able to have a normal senior night that she had been waiting for. Senior nights are always a great sendoff and a way to close out a high school sports career. Schaljo’s team is throwing a senior night so she can have the same feel as the North hockey team and what North would have done. But it’s not the same and it’s the closest she can get.
“It was a lot of fun going to the games and seeing our own team play and now we can’t which sucks,” sophomore Weston Peck said.
Having no team is going to affect the players but hockey games were also a place for students who don’t play but enjoy watching, a chance to come watch and cheer on the players. Students who used to go to games are unhappy with the turnout and how there is no North team. Yet the overall knowledge is that if there is a team next year, not only would the players be joyful to have a school team to play on but the fans would also enjoy the fact that there would be a team to go watch and cheer on.
“If they could come up with enough players, I would coach them again,” Leahy said.
For students who are interested in playing hockey but don’t really know where to start, Leahy has some tips for how students might be able to have a team next year. Leahy suggests going to the St. Peters Youth Hockey Organization to start playing with them first. In addition, if a student really wants to start playing right away for the North hockey team, they should get some skating practice in and possibly find a summer team to join.
“I would say it’s a challenge to start when you’re older but don’t let it hold you back,” Schaljo said. “I’ve seen kids that started their freshman year and they are amazing by the second or third year.”
Junior Alex Diemer holds a hockey stick during practice. Diemer plays for Holt hockey team and has been playing hockey for 10 years. So far his team is first in the division and has won 6 out of their 11 games. (Photo by Heidi Huff) FHNWhen people think of school sports, most people think of football, basketball, soccer or volleyball but there are sports people may not know of. One of them is bowling. This year, the team has six people and four out of them are freshmen with the other two being seniors. Most people may not know of the bowling team but senior Kael Schaefering joined last year. He joined because he got a job at a bowling alley and realized it might be fun.
“I joined bowling because I thought it would be fun but I ended up learning a lot [when I] joined the team,” team captain Schaefering said.
The team didn’t have a captain last year and coach Aaron Mcarden wanted one this year. With Schaefering being one of the only seniors, he was chosen. Schaefering didn’t mind because he and Mcarden had a good bond having spent a year together previously. Mcarden is a 2017 North graduate and he now volunteers to help the team out and keep the team alive.
“He is an amazing human being,” Schaefering said. “He’s an amazing guy and he’s a really good coach. He knows how to connect and teach you in a way that makes sense.”
The positive coaching is helpful because most of the team is freshmen and haven’t practiced long. The season has had its ups and downs but having a good coach helps get rid of the downs. The team has an optimistic future and will be spearheaded by coach Mcarden and Schaefering. (Brief by Kevin McGuire)
by Carter McDevitt cmcdevitt291@g.fhsdschools.org
The term ‘greatest’ is thrown around a lot when talking about sports. There’s something about the term that elevates it from all the rest, both in the way that it sounds and what it means. To be great literally means to be a level above all others, so it’s no surprise that people want their favorite thing to be the greatest.
I think this is most prevalent in sports, specifically when talking about who is a specific sport’s GOAT, or greatest of all time. There have been debates over this in every sport, whether it be Messi or Ronaldo in soccer, Ruth or Bonds in baseball, Tiger or Nicklaus in golf, etc. But easily the most hotly debated of them all is whether Michael Jordan or Lebron James is the greatest
basketball player of all time. This debate has been a constant on the internet for over five years and will most likely heat back up later this year as Lebron is set to become the all-time leading scorer in NBA history. I have always viewed Jordan as the greatest ever, which seems to become more and more unpopular with each passing year, especially with people my age. The large majority of people who believe Lebron is the GOAT seem to be the people who have grown up watching him; the 20 somethings and younger who have seen him dominate the league for their entire lives. It’s not like it doesn’t make sense, few could compare to him. He has spent the last 20 seasons dominating the entire league, winning multiple championships and MVPs while statistically being one of the best players of all time. So why do I think
Senior Julius Cox prepares to throw his bowling ball down the lane on November 27th. Julius has been bowling for multiple years and is one of the veteran players on the team (Photo by Sadie Cotton)it’s Jordan? Because of accolades.
Michael Jordan ended his career as a six time champion to Lebron’s four, six time finals MVP to Lebron’s four and five time league MVP to Lebron’s four, all while putting up more points per game and slightly less rebounds and assists per-game. Jordan also has nine more scoring titles and won Defensive Player of the Year, which Lebron has not won. Jordan continues to hold many statistical records like highest all time player efficiency rating (players total contributions) and win shares per 48 (total wins contributed).
Jordan was so great, his name has literally become an adjective for greatness, with people describing other great people as ‘the Michael Jordan of blank’. To me, greatness is a lot less objective than people make it out to be. Greatness is more about what you accomplished than how good you were, and I think that’s a very important distinction. You can argue all day whether or not someone or something is better
than another, but that doesn’t automatically mean that they’re greater. Tom Brady is a great example of this. No one will ever tell you he’s anywhere near the best quarterback of all time, but Brady is easily the greatest football player ever, and that is because of his accolades and what he’s been able to accomplish.
Being the best is completely subjective, Lebron may be the best player ever to you, but Jordan was able to accomplish more in five less seasons, and to me that is greatness. This doesn’t mean Lebron doesn’t still have a chance to cement himself as the GOAT however. If he continues to collect longevity records and adds a few more trophies to his case, then he very well could become the greatest. But for me as of right now, Jordan’s peak as a player, as well as what he was able to accomplish in the time that he did, makes him the greatest basketball player of all time.
“I think [Jordan] is the GOAT for multiple reasons, 6-0 in the finals, stayed loyal to his team, and had a two 3-peats, a DPOY, OPOY, MVPs, everything else,” -Tyler Oestreich (12) “Take away the accolades from MJ, I think Lebrons the best player of all time but if you’re including accolades [Jordan] might be the GOAT,” -Jonathan Ohst (12)
GAMES 1072 PPG 30.1 AST 5.3 TREB 6.2 FG% .497 PER 27.9 WS/48 .2553 Championships 6 MVPs 5
80% 20% < > < < < > >
GAMES 1383 PPG 27.1 AST 7.3 TREB 7.5 FG% .504 PER 27.3 WS/48 .2281 Championships 4 MVPs 4
The boys basketball program saw last years varsity and c team coaches leave and Larry Green become head coach
by Chase Pray praychase315@gmail.com
At the beginning of this boys basketball season, three coaches received new positions. Two of them, new JV coach Cory Patterson and assistant coach Konrad Laughman, are new to North this year. The third, Larry Green, was the former assistant coach who had taken over as the head coach for the entire boys program after former coach Mark Wright stepped down.
“Basketball changed my life,” Green said. “I still remember coaches from my high school and college days and I remember just how much they taught me and I want to be like them for the athletes here at North.”
Coming from playing on a high school and college team, Green understands the game and knows what to do to best help his athletes. The jump from player to coach after he came to North was difficult for Green, but he eventually found his groove and adapted as time went on. However, he once again has to adapt and change as a coach since he’s taking on multiple new responsibilities as the head coach.
“It’s definitely more stressful
and time consuming since I’m even more involved with the program then I was and I’m definitely planning even more now,” Green said. “But I’m loving this experience and hope to continue it in the coming years.”
It’s already stressful enough for a coach to begin their first season at a new school, but new assistant coach Laughman began his first year here at North a few weeks into the season. Laughman applied for the open position of assistant coach and was accepted towards the end of the second week of practices.
“I’ve coached at other schools [like Wright City] before so I have experience but I’m still adapting and learning from Green’s play style, but it was especially hard to adapt at the beginning when I’m coming
in towards the end of practice 10 or 11,” Laughman said. “My goal so far has been to individually connect with each of the athletes and I’m still learning stuff about each of them since I wasn’t there for the applications and cuts.”
All of the coaches, regardless of how long they’ve been at North, have one common goal in mind and that’s to improve the program as much as they can in the short amount of practices and games they have. As the season progresses, they hope to help athletes improve their game regardless of what team they’re on. One big aspect they
on is getting a better
by Jonica Schmidt jschmidt328@g.fhsdschools.org
The girls basketball team starts the season with only one senior this year. Sami Dubay is a shooting guard who transferred from Holt High School for her senior season. Dubay played at Holt for three years and made many connections during her time there. She has been playing for 14 years and has loved every second of it.
As joining a new team can be hard, Dubay has felt comfortable and connected to the team this year. With morning shoot-arounds and afternoon workouts the team has held this year, she was able to meet and bond with the girls before the season really started.
“I am looking forward to making a lot of new friends and memories this season, as well as my senior night and other cool events that happen during the season,” Dubay said.
Being the only senior on the team comes with its perks, like being the only senior for senior night, but it is also a big responsibility. As Dubay goes through the season, she has realized she is the role model to the young team. With five freshmen on the varsity team this year, she had to step up and create a positive influence and learning experience.
“With Sami being our only senior, she will bring a sense of maturity to the game that we might not have just yet due to the amount of freshmen we have this year,” junior post player Evie Kraus said.
The move from Holt was not easy on Dubay. The moving of schools, making new friends, and joining new teams was all very nerve-wracking and intimidating. During her final season at Holt, she contributed a 50 percent free throw average and three rebounds in one game against St. Charles High School. The team had welcomed Dubay as if she has been on the team for three years already. Coaches Danielle Rampley and Tommy Moran have had a big impact on the welcoming of Dubay. They made sure that everyone felt included and united. Having a good team dynamic is crucial in the way the season plays out. The team wants to start building a foundation for the future to which Dubay is helping contribute to during her final year.
“It is bittersweet to be the only senior,” Dubay said. “I miss my friends that I was going to play and graduate with, but I’m looking forward to making my last year of basketball a really good one.”
This year’s varsity girls swim team is significantly smaller than last years, with them losing almost half of their swimmers from the previous year. During the 2021-22 swim season last year, girls swim had 20 swimmers. A good mix of seniors leaving and some swimmers not returning means they are competing with 12 swimmers this year. Junior Sailor Sulin has swam for three years and has enjoyed her time on the team.
“Swimming has been great all three years,” Sulin said. “My teammates are great and it’s a great sport for me between fall soccer and spring soccer.”
Swimming can be quite the time commitment for a high school student. Practices take place at 8:30 in the evening most days during the winter and can be tough for some. Having practice that late in the evening can limit the amount of time a student athlete has for homework or any other extra curricular activities. But being sure to maintain the balance between school and sports is the key to a great high school athlete. Maintaining the student-athlete balance can be difficult and junior Cassie Hodgkins can confirm.
“It’s definitely do-able,” Hodgkins said. “But it does make it difficult to have enough time for everything. We are swimming at 8:30 at night, but it’s something I really enjoy so it’s okay.” (
Senior Sami Dubay transfers from Holt High and becomes the sole senior on team Brief by Tony Biondo) Senior Sami Dubay waits for her teammates to pass the ball in a game against Fort Zumwalt East on Nov. 29. Dubay is a senior shooting guard and it’s her first year as a member of the FHN varsity girls basketball team. (Photo by Etaf Abdallah) On Nov. 16, the varsity girls swim team poses before practice at the Rec-Plex. The ‘22-23 girls swim team is recovering from losing 8 seniors from the previous season. (Photo by Hannah Button)
“AS
Here I talk about my experience throughout my last four years of high school and how it has left my brain on fire
by Sophia Black sblack565@g.fhsdschools.org
Exhausted. That is the word I would use to describe the way I feel about the last four years of my life. And the biggest contributor: school. Honestly school makes me feel like my brain is on fire half of the time, I can’t even go to sleep without thinking about all the homework I have looming over me or the fact that I have to get up in the morning and run on only about six hours of sleep. All of this has been rinse and repeat every weekday for nine months for the last four years of my life.
I really started to notice my feelings of exhaustion from school during my junior year. I was so stressed with the workload of all of my classes on top of going to work almost every other day. School started to become my most dreaded part of the day, and even with my four classes, I still dread coming to school. I don’t fear not being able to do the work in front of me but I loathe the fact that I have to do it. Even now that I like all of my classes, it’s still hard for me to want to be in them. The worst part of it all is I still feel like I haven’t done enough to get into the colleges I want to get into.
The biggest fear I have is that I’ve done all of this work and it’s still not enough. I know that I’ve done the work and I’ve done my best to have
good grades and have something to show for it, but that shouldn’t be the point of school. Students shouldn’t have to feel like they have to burn themselves out just to go to college. Going to school is important and worth it but it feels like I’m not going to school to learn, I’m going to school to get into a “good” college and only memorizing what I need to for a good grade.
Sometimes I feel like I’ve only learned how to cram and how to guess well. I rush until the last minute to do everything because I’m so overwhelmed and exhausted. Only taking four classes this year is probably the only way I would have been able to work, do homework, and apply to colleges.
But the problem is, not everyone can have a lighter workload like this and I think the best way to make students feel less exhausted and more enthusiastic about coming to school is to allow for more flexibility.
If we are able to have more time to work and actually understand the work put in front of us, it would make school feel less like a chore and more like something we actually look forward to. I love learning but being under constant pressure and moving from topic to topic in the span of two weeks makes it feel like I’m not really learning and I’m just trying to survive.
How has academic burnout effected you?
“There are definitely some nights where I have a lot of homework and it burns me out since I spend so much time on it,” Chris Brickner, 11.
“When I get burnt out it gives me a lack of sleep. Cause I”m up late. I just dont sleep anymore,” Shalini Sharma, 10.
“School makes me stressed out sometimes and it makes me not want to do my homework some nights, ” Ethan McCoy, 11.
(Illustration by Violet Newton)Senior Rachel Trapf holds a diploma while wearing a graduation cap on Nov. 17. The seniors last day of school is expected to be May 18, but can change with possible snow make up days. However, graduation will still take place on June 3. (Photo by Payton Johnston)
Valedictorians at FHN do not get recognized for their hard work
by Ella Struble estruble765@g.fhsdschools.orgmagine there’s an individual high school sport, one in which the only ‘score’ you are given is in a single competition, a competition that lasts your entire high school career. Every tournament, meet, match and even practice is a part of your final score. The season is nine months long and you’re at practice for seven hours a day, five days a week. You push yourself to the absolute limit. The day comes where your final score is calculated and you’re in first. You’re so proud of yourself, your parents are proud, even your siblings are proud.
But your school isn’t.
Or at least they don’t show it. Because when your name is called at the awards ceremony, your placing isn’t even mentioned. After four years of unwavering discipline and determination, don’t you deserve some sort of recognition? According to your school, no, you don’t. So you’re handed your participation trophy and you walk away, crushed. Sounds pretty heartbreaking doesn’t it?; working hard for years to achieve something your school refuses to even acknowledge. Luckily for athletes at North, this isn’t their reality. But since 2010, every FHSD valedictorian has walked out of the Family Arena after graduation with the same experience, the one laid out for you above.
Often, when defending the lack of valedictorian
recognition, people will turn to the effects of competition, arguing that creating a competitive environment is inherently harmful. But the reality is, we as humans thrive on competition, it pushes us to be better, it makes us strive for greatness. This fact is even recognized by our school; they hype up students at pep rallies by pitting the classes against each other and creating tournaments to promote better attendance. Our district utilizes the power of competition to their advantage on the daily, while simultaneously preaching its detriments when it comes to class rankings.
However, it must be recognized that competition for valedictorian is very different from that of a rally or attendance bracket. It’s much more difficult to become first in your class than it is to win a dance battle or arrive to school on time. But that raises the question: should achievements be ignored simply because they’re difficult to attain? Anyone being truthful to themselves would agree that the answer to that question is no, yet our district continues to cite the ‘danger of competition’ when disregarding our valedictorians.
Our district’s decision to not recognize valedictorians is vehemently protected using concerns for student mental health, suggesting that, in their eyes, the solution to mental illness in high schools is not to reduce homework assigned or kill the finals system, but to take away
academic recognition. Our district uses newly emphasized concerns for mental health to deflect student pushback, effectively shaping the narrative into an issue of ‘either you fight for academic recognition, or you fight for mental health’, missing out on the point of valedictorian recognition entirely. Valedictorians are not tools used to wreck the psychological health of students, they are simply the students of the highest academic achievement receiving the recognition they deserve.
Ultimately, the intent behind implementing the cum laude system was to recognize more students for their achievements, an idea most everyone supports. But nothing says that the cum laude and valedictorian systems must be mutually exclusive. It is possible for Francis Howell graduations to be an event where everyone is recognized for their achievements. That’s the graduation system Francis Howell should adopt, one where those who completed over 80 hours of service work wear their NHS stole with honor, one where those who managed to maintain a GPA of 3.8 are designated as cum laude, one where those who fought long and hard to muster courage to make it to school every day walk across that stage proud of all they’ve overcome.
And one where our valedictorians are announced, receiving the recognition they undoubtedly deserve.
FHN SENIOR SURVEY
In a survey of current FHN seniors:
95.5%
Agree that valedictorians should be recognized at graduation 70.2% Believe both the Cum Laude System and Valedictorian System should be used
14.9% Believe only the Cum Laude System should be used
Sophomore Ellie Barnum cradles a fake baby in the nursery on Nov 17. She supports the head, while making sure it feels comfortable. Students who take the Child Development class are taught that when it comes to picking up babies it’s important to be careful, because of how delicate they are.
(Photo by Faith Smith)
On June 24, 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. Some teenagers are beginning to worry about their future on whether or not they would have to choose to follow through with a pregnancy. Teens also worry that they may not be able to consent to a pregnancy, if they can afford a baby or if they have the support to do so. Some teen parents may not be strong and healthy enough to survive to term. Potential parents should be able to choose whether or not to follow through with a pregnancy.
Having teenagers go through with a pregnancy can be very expensive in America. Many can’t afford to have a baby and support them while balancing school life or continuing their future careers. Without the proper support, many parents or more likely, single parents, find themselves living in a constant struggle to stay alive.
Pregnancy isn’t a simple case of having a baby and potentially putting it up for adoption if a parent is unable to support
a child. There can be various postpartum issues, and not only that, but the risk of dying while giving birth and the risks of disorders such as postpartum depression can be high for teenagers. There’s a threat over a mother’s personal health that should be a basic right to everyone. One’s personal health has always been left for one to decide on their own.
Not all mothers had the choice to consent to sex either. As a lot of unconsented sex can lead to pregnancies, teenagers shouldn’t have to be worried about the challenges of having a baby. Teenagers aren’t allowed to adopt at this age, so what difference is there in being mature enough to have a baby but not to adopt.
The choice of having children should be of one’s own free will. Many can be prepared and want to go into early parenthood but no one should be stripped of that choice and their future, and especially not forced into it.
(Column by Miranda Fabian)
Roe versus Wade was a Supreme Court case that began on Jan. 22, 1973. This case took place when Norma McCorvey, otherwise known as Jane Roe, wanted to safely and legally end her pregnancy despite the fact that it was not a life-threatening term. She brought it to the Supreme Court and in a 7-2 decision the court sided with Roe. It was ruled that criminalizing abortion went against a woman’s constitutional right of privacy. However, Roe versus Wade was overturned on June 24, 2022, in a 6-3 vote. The ruling made the legalization of abortions up to the state legislature.
The concept of changing how much something costs based on supply and demand is called dynamic pricing and is used in many well-known industries, including businesses like Ticketmaster. Prices for tickets at Six Flags are constant and are not affected by the amount of rides they have open. As an alternative, every day, the park could put out a list of what rides are completely open that day, what rides might open at some point and what rides won’t be open at all. Season pass prices could be increased or decreased, but if there are only five rides open one day, people should only pay $25 at the gate.
In our area, Six Flags is the closest thing we have to a big-time amusement park, but once you arrive, it’s hit or miss whether any rides you actually want to ride are open. One day, the Batman, Catwoman, Colossus and
Screamin’ Eagle could all be closed, and the next day they’re the only ones that are open. This makes planning a visit to Six Flags hard because there is no guarantee whether you’ll get to do the things you planned on going there for.
The main issue for people that want to go to Six Flags is the cost. Park visits do vary in cost, but if you go to the park for one day and get a ticket at the gate, it’s $70. A basic season pass is $60, which means the pricing is whacky right off the bat. The kicker is a one day pass, if you pay online, only costs $40, but you have to plan ahead in order to get one. This isn’t dynamic pricing, it’s just coercing money from their consumers.
(Column by Michaela Manfull) The Mr. Freeze Reverse Blast Ride stands at 218 feet tall in Eureka Missouri. The ride starts by launching from the station hitting 0-70 miles per hour. You’ll be shot into a 150-feet loop backwards, the train will twist around the track as you flip. The ride takes less than 50 seconds. (Photo by Etaf Abdallah)Seasonal depression resources are available to anyone who is struggling during this time of year and taking the step to get help is worth it.
On Behalf of the Editorial Staff yourFHN@FHNtoday.com
Text or call the helpline to get Information and referalls to Treatment for mental illness.
To call: Call 1-800-662-4357
To text: Text your zip code to 435748
By contacting your counselor about ongoing mental health issues they can host a consultation for you and give you further help based on the consult.
To contact your counselor: Fill out the following form.
A newly emerged treatment is a treatment that uses a kind of lamp called a light box that mimics sunlight in order to gain a positive chemical response from your brain.
To buy a light box: Visit the following link to learn more about what kind of light box would be best for you.
If you are interested in learning more about the symptoms, cause, and more treatment for seasonal depression visit the National Institute of Mental Health’s website.
To visit the website: Scan the following QR code.
This website helps you with reduced pricing for therapists near you.
To visit the website: Scan the following QR code.
This critically acclaimed app specializes in sessions for meditation and mindfulness. The app has courses of all different durations.
As the season changes, the days grow shorter and the weather becomes more irritable. A side effect of these season changes that is scarcely mentioned is the seclusion that follows. Seasonal Depression often follows that feeling of isolation in the winter months. Often seasonal depression remains untreated as finances can become an issue when seeking help, but along with this, it can feel like no one around you is experiencing the same things you are. Around 10 to 20 percent of people experience some form of seasonal depression, whether it’s severe or mild. That means between your peers, about one in every five people are dealing with the same things you are. Seasonal depression is isolating and as easy as it is to feel alone. However, help is all around even if it’s hard to see.
Moodfit is a mood journal that helps users understand what brings your moods up and down.
Happify is a self guided app that helps users by utilizing strategies used in cognitive behavioral therapy.
Prioritize yourself. It’s not selfish if it’s what you need to simply get by. Taking care of yourself is something that can majorly improve mental health. Studies show that something as simple as taking a short walk outside can boost serotonin levels and decrease common symptoms of seasonal depression. Along with this, things like meditation and practicing mindfulness can also help.
Bearable is an app that you can use to track mood, medication, and excersize along with abilities to set reminders to keep yourself on a daily routine.
It can be challenging to reach out to people when seasonal depression often feels paralyzing. But there are so many resources available so there is an option for everyone. Asking for help is often clouded by the very outdated belief system that associates asking for help with weakness. However, asking for help is important and not weak at all, it’s not a burden or a bother. People who care about you want to help even if it’s hard to see someone they love hurting. Seeking help is very brave and although it can be challenging at times, it is a first step that anyone can take. Whether you talk to a friend, counselor or guardian, it is an obtainable first step to take toward better health.
There are many obstacles that can come up, such as the finances, when needing to begin therapy, medication or diagnoses. But as the years progress, mental health resources become more and more accessible. There are ways to get counseling and therapy without the support of health insurance. FHN counselors can provide resources for financial support to aid in getting therapy and medication. Along with this, there are certain UV lamps that are available to the public that mimic the light of the sun. Keeping something like this in your room can boost serotonin levels and help your body’s regulation of melatonin which can help with sleep.
Mental illness is not something that is easy to get rid of, it’s a process that consists of ups and downs. It takes time and patience, and there are times when trusting the process is imperative. There are many ways to get help and ways for you to reach out. So take the first step, talk to a guardian, a friend or a counselor. Taking the first step and putting trust in yourself and those around you is difficult but rewarding nonetheless.
Melatonin is a hormone produced by your body in response to darkness. This helps with your internal clock or circadian rhythm and helps you sleep.
Serotonin is a compound that carries messages between your nerve cells in your brain. Serotonin plays a role in mood, sleep schedule, digestion, and nausea.
Seasonal depression is a mood disorder characterized by depression that only occurs seasonally at the same time each year.
Mindfulness is a mental state achieved by focusing awareness on the present moment, it is a practice simaler to meditation. And can be used as a therapeutic technique.
Therapy is a treatment of mental conditions by verbal communication and interaction.
Dear editors,
I am an enthusiastic reader of the North Star. I began reading it in 6th grade when I would have my brother procure me every issue. The news coverage has always been fascinating; the editorials, informative and thought-provoking. I noticed an important theme in the recent editorial and I write thereon.
“There could be no definition of a successful life that does not include service to others. Find something to do. Get off the bench. Don’t sit there whining, sucking your thumb, get in the game.” These words, spoken by the late President George H.W. Bush, should send a strong message to FHN students. As a wealth of North Star editorials corroborate, there has never been a shortage of complainers. However, even now, we struggle to find students willing to serve as class delegates. Many complaints can be heard about the theme of a particular dance, but few votes were cast on the schoolwide poll to determine the very same theme.
Some of these complaints bear good ideas for change. I have brought some of these ideas to student meetings, occasionally with success. But really, it should be the complainants advancing these ideas. While it is easy to complain from the peanut gallery, there are many opportunities to get involved at FHN. We hear and see them every year over the announcements and on student news bulletins.
It’s time the complainers stopped sitting around and waiting for others to do the work for them. If one has an idea, a desired change, or a complaint with a student organization, then let him get involved or work with that student organization. He will probably even enjoy it once he gives it a try. I know that I do.
Thank you for this opportunity to address your readers.
Sincerely, Grant Kilen, Junior
