pandemic

NORTH

THE ICING ON THE CAKE

This issue of the North Star is all about seniors and putting the last touch on their last year at FHN.

Francis Howell North St. Charles, MO 63303 5.11.22 | Vol 36 Issue 06 @FHNtoday

4

Grogan Kraus

Kraus committed to play for the first ever Missouri S&T Volleyball team.

7

Nostalgia Quiz

Take a quiz to figure out which childhood game you are.

16

Lily Cash’s Cats

Read more about Lily Cash and her unique family of cats.

ON THE COVER

An ice cream cake is surrounded by sprinkles. The cake is to celebrate the class of 2022 and the impending graduation. Seniors are ramping up to put the last touches on their final year at North. (photo by Justin Brewer)

LETTER FROM THE EDITORS

Ingredients: 409 seniors 4 years 7 high school dances

Countless sporting events 1 pandemic 14 days left

Directions: For the seniors of the class of ‘22, our high school experience began like any other. August of 2018 was just your average back to school season. We all started high school with high hopes and big expectations. We all had our own expectations, but the one thing that no one was expecting was our 4-year run.

When we started high school, no one thought we would live through a pandemic and the chaos that came from that, but we did. Our freshman year was classic, with pep rallies, dances and the usual nonsense that comes with being a freshman.

Sophomore year came around like an unsuspecting raisin cookie that looked like a delicious chocolate chip cookie. The pandemic. A lot of students and staff thought COVID-19 would blow over and we were just getting an extended spring break. That spring break, however, extended until our junior year. Junior year was battered, mixed and blended into a wannabe normal year. Many of FHN’s students remained virtual for the 20202021 school year. Things like masks, virtual assemblies and accidentally sleeping through online classes characterized junior year.

Now it’s senior year and our timer is about to go off. We were built up layer after layer to become who we are today. It’s been a long road full of hardships, loss and obstacles, but also memories, friendships and unforgettable experiences. We walked the ‘red carpet’ and shouted ‘Two Two’ at the juniors. The mask mandate went away and we were no longer scared of our teachers receiving phone calls from the nurse’s office. Things were shaping up to be a normal year.

Result:

So no matter what your experiences were, they made you who you are today and they built your ‘layers.’ So head off to your post-high school adventures and remember where you came from. Remember the ingredients that made you, you.

Editors-in-Chief, Justin Brewer & Macy Cronin

On June 5, 2021, the class of 2021 watches as the graduation ceremony begins. The ceremony was held at the St. Charles Family Arena in the evening. (Photo by Taylor Hill)

THE FINAL WALK

Graduation for the Francis Howell School District is going to be held at the St. Charles Family Arena on Saturday, June 4. In the past, all three high schools have had their ceremony on the same day and this year, the tradition is continuing. FHN’s ceremony begins at 10 a.m. but all graduating seniors are asked to arrive no later than 9:15 a.m. Guests should enter the arena through gates one, two, three or four and graduates should enter through gates one and two. Guests can enter the arena starting at 9 a.m.

The commencement ceremony will begin promptly at 10 a.m. The ceremony will consist of many things including the recognition of seniors, disbursement of diplomas and speeches from the graduation marshal and the Senior Class President, Zach Zimmerman. Zimmerman will give a speech that draws a meaningful comparison between our class and Crocs.

“I am looking forward to getting to see all of my teachers and all of my family come out and support me and all of my friends at graduation,” Zimmerman said. “I feel like it’s a culmination of basically our entire lives. Them being with us at the end of it all is very important to me.”

Many people, including Zimmerman, have spent anywhere from four to 13 years with their classmates and graduation is one of the final times everyone will be together. Zimmerman is looking forward to the ceremony and the possibilities it brings.

“It’s our whole lives coming to one moment,” Zimmerman said. “It’s the end of one chapter and the beginning of a whole other chapter of our lives and the start of it all will be at graduation.” (story by Justin Brewer)

ALL KNIGHTER

The FHN All Knighter makes its return this year. The All-Knighter is an event held for seniors to honor their graduation and offers a fun opportunity to celebrate with their classmates. This year it will be held on Saturday, June 4, the night of graduation. Check in begins at 10:30 p.m. and the event continues until 5:30 a.m. on Sunday, June 5. The doors will lock shortly after and students will not be able to leave the building until Sunday morning.

The All Knighter features various activities and food throughout the night. There will also be games, prizes and inflatables available to students as well as a valuable gift. Each senior will receive a gift that will be beneficial to them in college. The event is planned, put on and chaperoned by parent volunteers. The specific details of the night’s plans are kept secret and are only known by the respective volunteers. This ensures that the events of the night will be a surprise when those attending arrive. Previous years, All Knighter’s have featured things like a hypnotist and cartoonist. Given that this is the first one since 2019, it is sure to be a surprise.

“I just hope that they all have a good time celebrating graduation and all the milestones they’ve achieved thus far,” All-Knighter committee chair Shelby Witherbee said.

The cost to attend is $160 and could’ve been played in total upfront or divided into a 4-month $40 payment plan. The money, medical release form and registration form were due on April 30. (story by Justin Brewer)

RETURNS

GRADUATION SCHEDULE

Here is the schedule for graduations day. As there will be many things going on that day, here is a timeline of events.

Arrival

When: 9:15 a.m. Where: Family Arena

Graduates and their familys can begin arriving at 9 a.m. Students and guests should enter through their respective gates and proceed to their seats.

Ceremony

When: 10 a.m. Where: Family Arena

The commencement ceremony will begin promptly at 10 a.m.

Free Time

When: 1 p.m. Where: Anywhere You Please

Graduates and their families are free to do what they want in the time after the ceremony. This would be a great time to take pictures or have a luncheon.

All-Knighter

When: 10:30 p.m. Where: FHN

Seniors attending the All-Knighter need to arrive no later than 10:30 p.m. The doors will be locked until 5:30 a.m. the next morning.