Fall 2021 Nighthawk News Magazine

ON THE COVER

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n the 1500s to 1800s, the average life expectancy was 30 to 40 years old. Just living for 50 years used to be a feat in and of itself.

Fifty years seems like forever. Getting married.

Raising a family. Finding a career – all activities an average 17-year-old student might have planned until they’re 67. The next 50 years, after all, are the majority of their lives.

While there’s a variety of things you could do in life, imagine being so passionate about one specific thing that you do it for the next 50 years. We’re talking about never changing careers and consistently dedicating your life to one thing – for half a century straight.

That’s what our beloved gym teacher and football coach, Jim Prince, has been doing – coaching young men in football and in life for the past 50 years.

Those many years Prince has spent in school buildings and on football fields have left a lasting impact on not only those he has coached, but also the students of the many schools who have chosen to listen to what he has to say.

His famous “I Am Somebody” speech continues to inspire thousands of students over the course of his coaching career. His speech covers determination and self-confidence, encouraging students to remind themselves that they are somebody, they will strive, they will persevere ... in whatever life throws their way.

We wanted to dedicate this edition to Prince because of how much he’s inspired us to love our school. In his most recent speech at the Homecoming pep rally, he expressed his worry that school spirit following the long period of time we spent learning online would be at an all-time low. But then he talked

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Football head coach Jim Prince speaks to senior Jake Brown before Brown heads out on the field to make a play during a game earlier this fall.

Photo by Taylor Newton/ Nighthawk News

about the surprise he felt after witnessing the cheers and support of the fans at the Marlin Bowl and how it revitalized his idea of school spirit at First Flight.

Then, of course, he closed that speech with his rousing cheer, teaching “I Am Somebody” to the freshmen and sophomores who missed it the last two years, and thrilling the juniors and seniors who had been longing to repeat the words.

Our cover image was captured by photo editor Taylor Newton during the first home game of the season. Newton’s cover illustration encompasses the spirit and drive Prince throws into everything he does here at First Flight – whether that be hyping up

the crowd during a pep rally, watching his team come together for a win, or simply greeting students with a friendly face at the beginning of the school day.

While this edition is dedicated to Coach Prince, we also cover a variety of other subjects, including a Topics of Our Time spread that discusses global and current issues in addition to other informative and interesting stories throughout the paper. On behalf of Nighthawk News, we would like to thank our readers for the support and we hope you enjoy this first print edition of the 2021-22 school year!

– Editors-in-Chief Kayla Hallac, Maren Ingram and Maggie McNinch

NIGHTHAWK News Magazine / / fall / / 2021

WHAT’S INSIDE NEWS 4 Bursting at the seams Kira Walters shares information about the many new students at First Flight and the potential for the school building to expand.

Foster Guns discusses fun Halloween events like Howl-OScream and the Outer Banks’ beloved Wicked Woods.

FEATURES 12 Musical teachers at First Flight Abigail Haber introduces some teachers who love to rock out at gigs when they’re not busy grading papers and planning lessons.

In this month’s Topics of our Time spread, Kayla Hallac discusses the new human trafficking course staff members are required to take this year.

Fiona Finchem also sheds light on the Texas abortion law and what it might mean for the rest of the country.

FFHS Athletic Boosters holiday fundraiser – Order poinsettias and wreaths by Nov. 15.

Delivery to the school will take place around Dec. 7.

ffhsstore.ecwid.com Go Nighthawks!

OPINIONS 18 Get spooked this weekend

YOU BELIEVE Education is an investment in our future.

Callie Honeycutt reviews classic Halloween movies perfect for this time of year.

WE AGREE

Olivia Sugg shares her experience at summer camp in the mountains of NC and the importance of taking a break from social media.

Sam Smith discusses the challenge of finding affordable housing on the OBX.

SPORTS 26 Good Guys vs. Cancer is back Colin Byard highlights the Good Guys vs. Cancer basketball tournament, back again after being canceled last year.

Allie Nigro introduces the many sets of sibling athletes at First Flight.

Seven athletes sound off in our fun Sports Card Q-and-A session.

Member FDIC

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10/20/21 2:02 PM

Nifty 5

Prince celebrates a half-century of coaching

By Michael Pearson Multimedia Editor

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he pep rally is about to begin, but the featured speaker is still pondering what to say.

He brainstorms with an assistant coach on the message to deliver in the big speech. He’s perplexed – and then it hits him like a linebacker in the open field.

He rehearses a speech he’d heard only a couple of times before, a poem that the Rev. Jesse Jackson turned into words of inspiration thanks to its simple, powerful message: “I am somebody.”

That shot-in-the-dark speech has transformed into a legacy for football head coach Jim Prince, who is celebrating his 50th season of coaching the sport.

Prince began his coaching career in 1972 at Shepherd College, the school in West Virginia where he also played football and earned his degree.

Then it was on to the more prominent James Madison University program for the next 17 years.

Prince later found himself at Cox High School in Virginia Beach, where he did his first “I Am Somebody” speech after hearing JMU coach Joe Purzycki adapt it. Prince said he did the speech at Cox “out of mere chance,” having no idea how the tradition would grow.

I am ... somebody...

I will strive ...

I will persevere ...

I will win ...

Because I am ...

Somebody ...

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Photo by Taylor Newton/Nighthawk News

Jim Prince warms up the crowd at the Homecoming pep rally before launching into his full-volume ‘I Am Somebody’ speech.

“I think it’s a part of my legacy,” Prince said. “I believe that not only as a coach, but as a person, I can reach out and motivate a lot of other people besides football players.”

The latest display of that motivation came during the First Flight Homecoming pep rally. Thanks to COVID-19, it had been two years since students had heard Prince’s famous speech. The seniors and juniors were hungry for it,

Prince said, while the freshmen and sophomores were exposed to the message for the first time.

It’s hard to know if Prince is more famous for 50 years of coaching or the 32 years of firing up countless crowds with his speech. At his Virginia Beach schools, Prince did the “I am Somebody” speech seven times a year, for pep rallies, Homecoming and even graduation. After Prince departed

for FFHS in 2008, Ocean Lakes High School continued to give the speech, and still does today.

Over his 14 years of coaching at First Flight – the only head coach the Nighthawks have ever known – Prince has had the opportunity to impact the lives of hundreds of students. Senior Gage Tomlin has played for Prince since his freshman year.

“He’s so dedicated and car-

NIGHTHAWK News Magazine / / fall / / 2021

Photos by Olivia Sugg (left) Taylor Newton/Nighthawk News

Students celebrated Jim Prince’s 50 years of coaching at the Homecoming pep rally, including a poster designed by sophomore N’Nia Brickhouse (far right). Above, Prince offers advice to current senior Kendrick Pierce during his freshman season. Below are newspaper clippings of Prince’s time at Shepherd College and James Madison University that are among many highlights of his career in football found in his office.

ing,” Tomlin said. “He wants kids to get better not only in football but in life.”

The memories made by Prince’s players go beyond winning the Marlin Bowl or going for a joy ride in his Corvette during the Homecoming parade. It’s those seemingly small moments during school or practice that impact them the most.

“Freshman year when I was lined up against Parker Sylvia in practice, Coach told me to tell Parker that he ‘wasn’t gonna do nothin,’” Tomlin said. “I didn’t hear Coach and I said, ‘I’m not gonna do nothin’ and everyone laughed and Coach just looked at me and smiled.”

Thanks to the “I Am Somebody” speech, Prince’s

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outreach extends far beyond his players. All those who enter the halls of First Flight, students and staff alike, are bound to witness it in one way or another.

“Coach Prince is genuine,” Principal Chuck Lansing said.

“He cares tremendously about the game of football, but he cares even more about having an impact on young men and

even the students who get the chance to work in the weight room from other sports.”

No matter if you’re a freshman who moved to the Outer Banks during the pandemic or a senior who has known Prince since middle school, or a football player or someone who’s never gone to a game, he has the same message for all who take the time to listen.

“There are actually two meanings to ‘somebody,’” he explains. “You can be just somebody that’s part of a crowd, you’re just there, somebody in the masses. Or you can be somebody special. You can make yourself somebody special.”

Senior Michael Pearson can be reached at 22pearsonmi74@ daretolearn.org.

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New Homecoming traditions take flight

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By Audrey Lovell Staff Writer

hange: v. make (someone or something) different; alter or modify. Alternate meaning – The definition of what First Flight students are experiencing a lot of this year.

While the original class colors of red, green, orange and yellow have been a tradition since First Flight opened in 2004, this year they were switched to white, blue, navy and black, leading to a lot of mixed emotions.

“I thought that was ridiculous.

We’ve been doing those class colors since as long as I can remember,” senior Fiona McKenna said. “Also, white is so much more lame than red.”

Others, however, believed the new colors were a change for the better.

“I felt like the new class colors better represented First Flight,” senior Brylie King said.

The reason for this change was simple: bring the classes together while showing school spirit simultaneously. “(It’s) also more unifying for Homecoming because that’s what Homecoming is all about, getting together and celebrating our school,” Principal Chuck Lansing said.

The decision was agreed upon by many FFHS staff members, including Samantha Reynolds Baranyk, First Flights’ instructional technology facilitator and newly appointed Student Government Association sponsor.

“How can we support our team in a spirited way by not having school colors incorporated?” Baranyk asked.

In addition to the spirit wear colors, other changes surrounded the Homecoming floats, Homecoming pep rally and even the structure of the SGA. In the past, SGA included positions such as Secretary and Historian. Now, a board of students work together.

Photo by Taylor Newton/Nighthawk News

Senior Fiona Finchem throws her hands in the air in celebration after winning tug-o-war at the Homecoming pep rally. In the tug-o-war game, all fall athletes in each grade competed against each other for spirit points. SGA is working hard to increase student engagement this year.

“This promotes a more collaborative environment where students have to work through issues together, collaborate and reach understanding and ownership together,” Baranyk said.

“I want them to learn from each other and not have a dictatorship where the president is the only one who makes decisions for a whole class.”

With Homecoming over, SGA’s new agenda includes fundraising for sports, planning future spirit weeks and other events such as a Reverse Homecoming.

“Reverse Homecoming would be like a theme spirit week and then at the end of it we could also have another dance,” Lansing said.

Lansing is also planning on using the original class colors for reverse Homecoming to ease the switch.

This new idea is set for the winter or spring season, essentially a Homecoming week for a different sports season. It’s planned to be just like fall Homecoming, including themed dressup days, a dance and possibly another parade.

This fall’s Homecoming parade was similar to years past, except for last-minute changes to the floats. While the new class colors had been announced ahead of time, many students assumed their floats could contain the traditional red, green, orange and yel-

low colors, but that wasn’t the case.

“A lot of people had their floats done and all of their supplies (bought) for spirit week,” King said of the change of plans.

Plenty of things made this Homecoming difficult, though coming together to show school spirit – especially after 18 months of remote learning and other pandemic restrictions – ultimately made for a fun week.

“I hope that this resonates with everybody,” Lansing said, “that change is good, but transition is hard.”

Junior Audrey Lovell can be reached at 23lovellau71@daretolearn.org.

Photos by Kate Hamilton (left) and Maggie McNinch/Nighthawk News

Student Government Association representatives meet in the library (left) to discuss future plans for FFHS. (Right) One of the many things SGA representatives have done is hang a poster to spread kindness during Bullying Prevention Month. The poster will be covered with positive messages that students have written on sticky notes.

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NIGHTHAWK News Magazine / / fall / / 2021

‘Merging’ into a new school year comes with abundant traffic

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By Mackenzie Edwards Sports Editor

any upperclassmen this year have experienced a heavy flow of traffic in the student parking lot and surrounding areas after school. In some cases, students have arrived home in almost double the amount of time it normally would take them.

The traffic hasn’t been like this in previous years, so why now?

Toward the end of the summer, Dare County Schools came up with a new schedule plan for the 2021-22 school year.

“We held a meeting with the middle and elementary school and central office leadership, and they shared the hurdles and some of the problems regarding transportation with elementary school students and having to run smaller numbers of buses,” Principal Chuck Lansing said.

In the end, hours of operation for First Flight Middle and First Flight High changed.

“The changes are primarily minimal, ranging from five to 18 minutes,” Dare County Schools Superintendent John Farrelly said.

In previous years, FFHS students were going to

school for less time than those who went to Manteo High School or Cape Hatteras Secondary School.

This was one of many things that sparked the schedule shift. Another major reason for changing the hours was to avoid traffic congestion.

“The focal point of any change at First Flight Schools centers on providing enough time between the three schools to ensure that we are not having too much traffic congestion at drop-off and dismissal,” Farrelly said.

While positive changes such as more instructional time for First Flight high school resulted, other issues also developed.

“The biggest thing that I advocated for was us trying to still get out as early as possible because we have a tremendous impact on instructional time, especially with extracurriculars and athletics because of how far we have to travel for everything,” Lansing said. “My focus is always on time spent in the classroom, and I realize there’s a loss on the back end because of how late we get out now.”

Farrelly addressed this concern as well. Student-athletes have to leave class earlier to travel to away games, causing them to miss out on key instructional time. They are also starting practices 15 minutes later after school each day following last

year’s 3:15 release time. FFHS students ended their school day at 3:10 several years ago.

However, there is another prominent issue that many would say needs to be dealt with: the traffic.

“It’s been really bad,” junior Ava Norko said. “I usually have to wait 10 to 15 minutes just to get onto the main highway.”

Without any traffic, it usually takes Norko about 20 minutes to arrive home from school. Now, it can take up to 30 minutes. Other students and drivers in surrounding areas have also faced this problem as parent pickups at the middle school seem to be creating traffic jams with high school students and parents.

Lansing is open to suggestions on how to improve the traffic situation. He wants to understand what the root of this problem is and what could be done to fix it. If any student driver has any concerns about the traffic, please let him know. Lansing can be reached at lansingch@daretolearn.org.

“I would be willing to hold an open discussion and look at it with maybe a crew of 10 students who feel the same way,” Lansing said. “For us to go out there one afternoon and look, starting at like 3:20 and just observing from 3:20 to 3:35.”

Junior Mackenzie Edwards can be reached at 23edwardsma78@daretolearn.org.

FFHS is over-capacity, but expansion plans aren’t in the works yet

By Kira Walters Staff Writer

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ven a global pandemic could not stop the influx of people on the Outer Banks. Families from all over have been coming here for a fresh start.

But what does this mean for the few schools in the county?

First Flight has, for a long time, been a well-populated school. However, the school has not ever had as many students enrolling.

“My understanding is that the school is designed for having about 810 students and right now we are around 980, but of those 980, 65 or so are virtual,” Principal Chuck Lansing said. “That really only puts us about 100 over capacity.”

Even with a high carrying capacity, First Flight has been over-capacity for multiple years.

“This year’s total population is 966, whereas last year it was around 881,” guidance counselor Beth Garrett said.

Staff members at First Flight are seeing the effects of having so many new students, including the counselors.

“In the three years I’ve been here, this is definitely the most new students I’ve had to enroll,” Garret said.

On the flipside, fewer students are un-enrolling than in

years past.

“This year we’ve only had 42 students withdraw compared to last year where we had 85. The year before that we had 61 students withdraw,” Garrett said. “So this year is the least amount we’ve had withdrawn in the past three years with the most enrolling.”

One of the many new students this year is sophomore James Dudeck, from Troy, New York.

“Transferring schools was interesting considering getting a hold on the different curriculums and different classes and stuff like that, but overall it was pretty seamless,” Dudeck said. “I love it here.

It’s pretty great. I mean, I’m still getting used to it, but so far it’s been really nice.”

Junior Aeden Savage was another student who is new to First Flight this year, and he too is adjusting to the change well.

“I moved here from Woodbridge, Virginia,” Savage said.

“It was definitely a new experience, transferring schools, but it was kind of fun to meet new people. Changing the address was pretty difficult, but other than that it went well. I like it here.”

While it is great to have all these new faces, First Flight is visibly over-capacity. Every seat is filled in most classrooms and there aren’t enough classrooms for each teacher to

NIGHTHAWK News Magazine / / news

Photo by Taylor Newton/Nighthawk News

First Flight students rush out of school in waves of people at the end of the day. Students have experienced crowded hallways this year with the influx of new students.

have their own, so many have to move around throughout the day. It can sometimes take up to 30 minutes to simply get out of the parking lot.

“We are over-capacity. Our classes are definitely more full, if you just look around.

Most are at the capacity of the room,” Garrett said.

But like many modern buildings, First Flight was built with the intent to expand.

“I heard the area behind the media center and the wing that goes off of that side of the building was left open in order to be built on at a later time,” Lansing said. “It’s not something that has even been mentioned or talked about yet. Obviously, if we keep going up at a rate of 100 or more students per year, at some point it would have to be discussed.”

While expansion is an op-

tion, Lansing explains that it’s not a possibility in the near future.

“It’s not a problem, it’s just something we need to get used to,” Lansing said. “Some classes may be bigger than they used to be, but there’s always the possibility of more teachers if the numbers continue.”

Sophomore Kira Walters can be reached @24walterski77@ daretolearn.org.

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Curtain comes up for ‘All Together Now’

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By Callie Honeycutt Social Media Editor

wo hours on the stage. Three performances in front of a packed house. StageKraft actors and technical theater crew working their way through 15 songs. They’re “All in This Together.”

After not having the chance to put on a musical at all last year – plus having the onset of the pandemic cancel “Chicago” after months of preparation – co-directors Lauren Deal, Monica Penn, John Buford and Le Hook are back with their crew and ready to put on a show.

“We couldn’t do either show last year and ‘Chicago’ was canceled in 2020 one week before opening night, so this is really special to us,” Deal said. “We’re excited to finally get on stage and perform for an audience again.”

While the FFHS theater department usually does a fall play and then a spring musical, Deal and her co-directors had to find the best way to put on a show this year. “All Together Now” features 15 songs that audience members will recognize and enjoy.

“The company was offering this show without having to pay rights or royalties, so this is what we went with in hopes of saving some of the money we lost when we weren’t able to do ‘Chicago,’ ” Deal said.

With conflicting schedules a factor, multiple teachers and staff members have gotten involved with the musical to help make sure it’s something that can still happen this year. That includes a helping hand from Hook even though he is best known around the school for being a favorite substitute teacher.

“This year I am working full time, so I am here every day now and I was asked to serve as a temporary director because of some health problems with the staff and I agreed to do that,” Hook said. “So here I am!”

Hook has a wide range of experience from producing many different shows over his teaching and professional career, so he’s proven to be a great candidate for helping with the musical this fall.

“Altogether, I have taught high school for 15 years in three different states. This involved directing or technical direction of about 30-plus productions,

Photo by Michael Pearson/Nighthawk News

First Flight Middle student Jaylen Lindsay learns choreography after school for the upcoming ‘All Together Now’ fall musical. Several special guests will be joining high school students in this production.

including several musicals. I also built the scenery for over 400 regional theater productions in North Carolina, Virginia, Oregon and Alabama,” Hook said.

Having anyone and everyone pitch in for “All Together Now” was more important than ever for

students who have missed the opportunity to perform because of COVID-19.

“If you were to be in every show from freshman to senior year, you’d have done eight by the time you’d graduated, with one play in the fall and a musical in the spring each year usually,” senior Loxley Wayland said. “I will have only done five shows by the time I graduate, six if you count ‘Chicago,’ but we never got to perform it for an audience as lockdown happened the week before our opening night.”

With a show this big, there is a lot of preparing and practice that goes into it.

“There’s a lot of work that goes into making a show that happens behind the scenes, including designing and building the sets, making props, selecting costumes and so much more that the tech crew does,” Wayland said.

Directing and acting on stage is not the only way students participate in the musical. There are a variety of people working on costumes, props, the set, sound, microphones, lights, spotlights, backstage running crew and choreography.

“I am helping choreograph the musical because I did it my freshman year and they needed help choreographing a dance back then, so I helped and it was really fun,” senior Hannah Montgomery said. “I have done it every year since.”

Losing a year to do a show means most students want to participate in any way they can.

“I wasn’t able to do the actual musical this year, so I thought I would just choreograph it instead,” Montgomery said.

Each and every role is vital in a show such as this.

“They learn the song first, and then I give them tools, tips, and coach them along in making the song come alive through them,” Buford said.

With the show being a mix of songs from multiple time periods, the performance is sure to bring back fond memories for everyone when the curtain goes up Nov. 11-13.

“I can’t not do ‘High School Musical’ without thinking of when I taught these kids in middle school, so this stirs up those kinds of memories for me,” Buford said.

Senior Callie Honeycutt can be reached at 22honeycuttca54@daretolearn.org.

The fall of f ll carnivals

By Versailles Dalessio Online Editor-in-Chief

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any are familiar with apple bobbing, face painting, hair spraying, dunking the teacher, pumpkin painting, eating spooky sweet treats, buying raffle tickets and so much more that defines “fall fun.” Local events like the Nags Head Elementary Pumpkin Fair, Kitty Hawk Elementary Carnival and First Flight Elementary Trick-or-Treat Night are among the most popular, attracting large crowds, especially young children who are looking to celebrate the season.

However, in response to the pandemic, these events have been temporarily shut down or modified, which impacts those who regularly attend and how the community contributes each year.

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“In terms of community involvement, it may affect how elementary school kids see older middle and high school kids involved with school events, and if they’re not seeing that, then they might not feel like that’s something important they should be a part of,” junior Hope Halloran said.

While each school’s PTO welcomes help from the community and any volunteers willing to be part of these beloved traditions, many students look forward to and rely on these events for service hours, which could potentially impact how they will earn them.

“In that aspect, I do think it’s going to place a pretty big dent,” senior Allegra Mackenzie-Reece said. “Down here, I find it hard sometimes to earn community service hours and I know these provided a lot of opportunities for high schoolers.”

The events that have taken the place of the traditional carnivals have been smaller and used fewer volunteers. First Flight had a rock concert with food vendors and a silent raffle.

Nags Head held the “Great Pumpkin and Mum Sale” in early October to help people decorate for fall. Kitty Hawk has shifted its carnival to a “Friday Night Lights” after Halloween, with its traditional games, live music, raffles, food and other fun scheduled for Friday, Nov. 5, from 4-8:30.

While students have missed the chance to volunteer or have fun with friends at their old schools, they also agree with the measures being taken for COVID-19 to try to keep everyone safe during the pandemic.

“I think it’s a good idea just because I feel like we’re a really tourist-filled area, and after the summer we needed

some time to calm down after all the tourists being down here and a lot of precautions for COVID-19 not being taken,” Mackenzie-Reece said. “I think this is a good time to start taking them more seriously, so we don’t end up with even worse of an epidemic.”

And while many can agree that these fall festivities will be missed, there need to be some boundaries between safety and fun so experiences like these will be able to happen again in the future.

“I think it’s a good idea that these events are shut down temporarily because of the risks of COVID-19, but I also feel bad because (the children) don’t get the whole fall experience,” junior Rylee Smeltzer said.

Senior Versailles Dalessio can be reached at 22dalessiove31@daretolearn. org.

NIGHTHAWK News Magazine / / fall / / 2021

Photo by Mark Buckler Photography

Locals and visitors alike take part in the 20th anniversary of the ADVICE 5K Turkey Trot. Approximately 800 people participated in the run/walk, which occurs each Thanksgiving.

Gobble, gobble: The ADVICE 5K Turkey Trot celebrates 25 years

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By Emmy Benton News Editor

urkey trots are a Thanksgiving Day tradition across the country, and the Outer Banks is no exception.

The ADVICE 5K Turkey Trot in Duck is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, and race director Nancy Caviness is thrilled to achieve this.

“It is a big deal,” Caviness said. “A lot of races don’t make it this long, and to have something that makes it to 25 years is a huge milestone.”

Turkey trots, which usually consist of about 3.1 miles or longer, account for the biggest day of running in the United States. When Caviness moved to the Outer Banks and found that the area was lacking in running events, she and her best friend, Donna Black, decided to start their own race.

“The very first Turkey Trot was in 1996 and it was very successful by all accounts and we just kept it going,” Caviness said.

Now, 25 years later, it’s still a beloved part of many people’s Thanksgivings.

“It really holds a very special place in people’s hearts,” Caviness said.

“There’s a lot of young people who are now not so young anymore, this is part of their Thanksgiving. They don’t know anything but participating in this race on Thanksgiving Day.” Chris Carroll, owner of Sweater Box Creations in Nags Head, shares this sentiment. Carroll has been a sponsor of the event the past four years and is tasked with baking the pies for the race, so she has a first-hand account of the sense of community that the race brings.

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“There’s a lot of good energy and people are happy,” Carroll said.

“They’re together, and I’m sure some of those families just see each other at the Turkey Trot, so they’ve gotten to know each other through the years.”

Duck Mayor Don Kingston has enjoyed participating in the Turkey Trot through the years.

“It has become a Thanksgiving tradition for our family since we built our house in 2000,” Kingston said.

“Our family participates in and enjoys the community gathering early in the morning.”

The event, which was canceled last year due to COVID-19, benefits the community by placing its net proceeds in a permanent charitable endowment fund that is managed by the Outer Banks Community Foundation. The endowment was established to improve the overall health of the Outer Banks community by providing grants to local nonprofits that work to do so. Since the 25th anniversary is this year, Caviness plans to raise $25,000 – an intimidating but not impossible goal.

Kingston is proud of what the endowment has accomplished within the community.

“Our personal appreciation goes out to Nancy Caviness and Donna Black, along with the many volunteers and sponsors,” Kingston said. “They are responsible for the continued success of this event and the growth of its charitable endowment with the Outer Banks Community Foundation.”

Along with fundraising to support the endowment, Caviness tries to help local businesses by sourcing her materials locally or in other parts of North Carolina.

“It’s not only raising money that helps the local community, but it’s also trying to keep the dollars in the community as opposed to trying to find a bargain somewhere else,” Caviness said. “The people who produce everything for us, this is an opportunity for them, too. We try really hard to have it help the community in all different ways.”

Carroll appreciates what the grants are doing in the community, and thinks they support many great programs.

“It’s trying to keep us healthy in some fashion,” Carroll said. “And it’s specifically for our community where it makes an impact that we can see, whether it’s within Dare County or the surrounding counties.”

To thank the community for its support, Caviness came up with the idea of a Community Concert on the Town of Duck Green that is free and open to the public, scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 24, from 1 to 5 p.m.

“It’s going to coincide with our packet pick-up,” Caviness said. “Anybody that wants to attend that event, it’s kind of our race’s thank you to the community for letting us do the event for 25 years.”

Along with most every event happening amid the pandemic, Caviness has had to make some alterations to ensure the safety of the 650 participants, whose ages range from 2 to 80 years old. This includes changes to packet pick-up and the post-race party, staggered start times, and adding a virtual option.

The virtual option was made so that people who chose not to travel to Duck this year, or were unable to participate because of COVID, didn’t feel left out.

The virtual race also acts as a back-up plan, so the race could still happen even if case numbers rose.

“A logistical reason of having the virtual option is that if things were really to go terribly, terribly bad, and we had to cancel because of COVID, that the entire event would go to virtual because there’s no going back now,” Caviness said.

For packet pick-up, the packets will be prepared ahead of time so participants won’t have to interact with as many volunteers. Start times will be staggered based on different paces that people can identify as, and the end of the race will change to prevent a mass gathering. After people cross the finish line, the post-race party will look a little different, too.

“We’re going to have a bag with their finisher’s gift and all the goodies already wrapped up for them,” Caviness said. “So then they can just take their bag and find their family, and stay in that area safely and wait for all the prizes to be drawn.”

Caviness hopes people enjoy the 25th anniversary race, even with the changes that had to be made, and she’s excited for people to come together once again to celebrate Thanksgiving.

“I have so much gratitude for everyone that makes it possible,” Caviness said. “I have great sponsors, the town is always so welcoming to let us do this, and all the people that participate in it. All these families that do it year after year, it’s wonderful. There’s just nothing not to love about it. I’m a very, very lucky race director.”

Junior Emmy Benton can be reached at 23bentonem58@daretolearn.org.

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T pics of

1,O O Eyes on Human Trafficking: locals spotlight a global issue I

By Kayla Hallac Editor-in-Chief

n 2019, the USA and Puerto Rico had a total of 1,883 human trafficking cases, according to the FBI. That total included the following: – 1,607 non-consensual commercial sex acts.

– 274 cases of involuntary servitude.

– 708 offenders who were arrested.

While the topic of human trafficking may seem far beyond the Outer Banks, the beach community might have the perfect conditions offenders seek.

“We live in an area with lots of hospitality rooms, which is a factor that can increase the potential for human trafficking,” said Reida Roberts, Dare County Schools Exceptional Children’s Director said. “Traffickers are now moving to smaller areas of states with big cities to help them stay under the radar.”

The North Carolina General Assembly and NC State Board of Education have enacted legislation and policy requiring all educators to receive six hours of professional development in mental health this school year. A portion of this training, entitled the “1,000 Eyes For Schools” campaign, is an in depth hour-long program that provides all school staffs with the information they need to recognize human trafficking and who is at risk.

Administrators and politicians alike knew something needed to be done to prevent the spread of human trafficking at the local level, especially with mental health in the spotlight after COVID-19.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has brought emotional well-being to the forefront,” Roberts said. “We want our students and teachers to work in safe and healthy places!

When someone is in crisis, there’s a renewed commitment to get them help.”

Principal Chuck Lansing agreed with the importance

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Pictured above is an infographic describing the different signs to be aware of when looking for human trafficking. Staff members with Dare County Schools completed training modules on human trafficking earlier this semester that included information from the Thousand Eyes campaign.

being placed on promoting positivity for students and teachers.

“I think locally we have become more aware of this issue and how it could be really happening in our community, and any time we discover a problem, especially one affecting our students, we want to take steps to fix that problem,” Lansing said.

While the session is only an hour long, it provides topnotch information allowing staff to recognize warning signs they identify in the school system – and across the world. The program is especially important because human traffickers often disguise their motives to gain their intended reward.

“Knowledge is power.

Just having an awareness of the signs of a person being trafficked can make a huge

difference,” Roberts said. “A person who suspects that a young child is being groomed or an older child is being victimized can notify the proper authority and actually save a life.”

Having knowledge about human trafficking is especially important due to the unique signals. Human trafficking always involves an exchange of something valuable. Because of this, the offender may disguise his or her motives to gain their intended reward.

“At first the trafficker may be nicer to their victim to gain their trust and make them go along with what they want.

As time goes on, they become more controlling and will start telling them they can’t do certain things,” Roberts said.

“If the victim does not comply with this, they may become

erratic and violent towards their victim.”

Spanish teacher Nitzia Gale witnessed a real-world example of these signs when she owned a laundromat service in the Philippines.

“Traffickers are very clever and often offer high-paying jobs, and these offers are attractive to a person that wants to get out of poverty,” Gale said. “Traffickers target not only poor people but also people in search of jobs such as modeling or acting.”

One day, a young girl came claiming she was not allowed to speak with anyone because her “boss” didn’t allow it.

“I found out that she was working for a Saudi family for three years. They did not pay her a penny in three years and held her passport as well,” Gale said. “She was not able to sleep in a bed, she slept on the floor with a blanket. She was malnourished as well. I encouraged her to run away.”

Because the risk factors can be hidden, the training

will be especially important so that staff can recognize the issue before it’s too late.

“Now you have a larger mass of adults as teachers – it’s almost like another watch group,” Health Sciences teacher Jennifer Kovacs said.

Lansing agreed, stating it’s important to know what’s occurring within students’ lives inside and outside of school.

“Many students are not able to articulate what is happening to them, so knowing warning signs allows us to get a head start on helping them,” Lansing said. “I want all of our students to feel safe at school and to trust the adults that we have here. My office is always open, as is every office of each counselor and assistant principal.”

For more information on the 1,000 Eyes Campaign visit https://www.friendtofriend. me/1000-eyes-campaign Senior Kayla Hallac can be reached at 22hallacka85@ daretolearn.org.

NIGHTHAWK News Magazine / / fall / / 2021

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New Texas abortion law sparks controversy

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n Sept. 1, 2021, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed a bill into law banning abortion procedures as early as six weeks into a pregnancy.

As soon as cardiac activity is detectable, an abortion becomes illegal. This takes about six weeks – which is before many people know they are pregnant in the first place.

The new law is managed by normal, private civilians who can’t sue abortion patients, but can sue anyone who “aids and abets” with the abortion. This includes an Uber driver who drops a patient off at an abortion clinic or someone who provides financial assistance to a patient.

Anyone who successfully sues an abortion provider or someone who aids an abortion patient could receive up to $10,000. Texas has also created a website where anyone can submit anonymous tips about someone who they believe has had an abortion or is planning on having one.

Although the ban is limited to Texas at the moment, this newly instated law could potentially come with serious consequences that could reach far beyond Texas borders.

Roe v. Wade is a 1973 decision by the U.S. Supreme Court that made it possible for people to have legal abortions without extreme government interference.

This court decision is in jeopardy thanks to Texas’ new law, with many legal scholars worrying that other pro-life states are likely to follow. So, what does this mean for women all around America?

Among U.S. abortion patients, 75% are poor or low-income, including 49% who live below the federal poverty level. So now, unable to receive abortion care, these women living in poverty will have no choice but to provide for themselves and their child despite unforgiving circumstances.

If Roe v. Wade is overturned or more states follow in Texas’ footsteps, the healthcare and wellbeing of countless American women will be in jeopardy – but at what cost?

Women who cannot get an abortion in Texas or don’t have the resources to go out of state are more likely to attempt to end their pregnancies on their own, which is risky and can even result in the woman’s death. Instead of simply allowing Texas women to continue making their own decisions when it comes to their bodies, lawmakers have created a more dangerous situation – by eliminating access to safe and accessible abortions.

And then comes the question being asked by millions of American women: “Why should men be able to make decisions about women’s bodies?”

There is so much men don’t know and will never

Photo by Jordan Vonderhaar/Getty Images/TNS

An abortion rights activist holds a sign in support of Planned Parenthood at a rally at the Texas State Capitol in Austin after a new abortion law went into effect in the state.

be capable of imagining. Do they know what it’s like to be raped and forced to carry the rapist’s child? Or to be living in such poor conditions that they don’t want to bring a child into this world, even if no part of them wants to have an abortion?

The law is extremely unfair, dangerous and strips away basic civil and constitutional rights. Women should be able to make their own decisions about their own bodies, without a male voice telling them what they can and cannot do.

Senior Fiona Finchem can be reached at 22finchemfi99@daretolearn.org.

ATTENTION girls: Look out for each other

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heck on your friends and the relationships they are in. Are your friends OK? Are they being treated well? Could they be a victim of domestic abuse?

Don’t let your friend be a victim.

On average, nearly 20 people per minute are physically abused by an intimate partner in the United States, equating to nearly 10 million domestic violence cases in a single year, according to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

A recent event put a spotlight on domestic abuse in 2021. Gabby Petito departed with her boyfriend, Brian Laundrie, on a cross-country trip in June. They were documenting the trip on Instagram with fun photos portraying an image of happiness and love.

All contact ominously stopped in August. No more Instagram posts of Petito frolicking in the canyons or picnicking with Laundrie on river rocks.

No more texts to family or friends.

Laundrie drove all the way home from their travels to Florida without Petito. After Petito was reported missing, her boyfriend disappeared.

Petito was found dead in Grand

Teton National Park, Wyoming, and on Oct. 12, the cause of death from the autopsy was released: manual strangulation.

The mystery became more ominous on Oct. 21, when Laundrie’s remains were found in Florida. Assumptions were made. Laundrie has been implied to be an abuser who went on to murder his girlfriend before taking his own life.

If Petito had the opportunity to look back in hindsight on their relationship, maybe she could see the signs of violence. Instead, she was under a spell believing Laundrie would never put her in danger. He did.

I highly encourage you to find @gabspetito and @bizarre_design_ on Instagram. They look to be in love with each other during their adven-

NIGHTHAWK News Magazine / / topics of our time

These screenshots feature images of Gabby Petito and Brian Laundrie on their personal Instagram accounts during the beginning of their trip. Petito’s death and the search for Laundrie has reminded people that just because a relationship looks happy doesn’t mean it is.

tures. This part of them that lives on through social media is a disguise. It’s horrific.

There are ways to help. Women need to support women. In any situation where a girl looks uncomfortable or is visibly in danger, speak up. Staying silent is endorsing the abuse.

Be sure to check on yourself and your relationships.

Are you OK? Are you being treated well? Could you be a victim of domestic abuse?

Don’t let yourself be a victim.

To report domestic abuse, contact Outer Banks Hotline at (252) 261-8164 or National Domestic Hotline at (737) 225-3150.

Senior Kayla Hallac can be reached at 22hallacka85@daretolearn.org.

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Getting pulled over 101: the dos and don’ts of traffic stops

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By Joey Krieg Business Manager

ou wake up late and need to be at school in 10 minutes.

You can make it, but you have to hurry. You’re getting close to the school and you notice a car pull out behind you. The blue and red lights shine and you’re on the highway unsure of where to go.

Where’s the best place to pull over?

And what do you do next?

First, look for a safe place to turn into, whether that be a parking lot or down a side street. If there’s nowhere else to go, pull off to the side of the road as far as possible. Generally, it’s best to pull over to a place where the officer won’t be in danger while at your window.

The officer will input your license plate into a system that will bring up the owner’s name and information. From there, the officer can put your information into the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NCIC) and see who he or she is dealing with.

“Other than activating my lights, I call it in, tell dispatch where I’m going to be at and what plate information I have on the vehicle,” Southern Shores Police Officer Joshua Liverman said.

While the police officer is doing this, it is important that you stay calm and try not to look as if you are grabbing at something, because this may

Photo by Michael Pearson/Nighthawk News

There’s a big difference between seeing a Kill Devil Hills police cruiser in the parking lot and seeing the blue lights flashing behind you. Traffic stops can be intimidating for drivers, but there are ways to handle it.

cause the officer to feel unsafe. Don’t reach for your registration until the officer asks for it.

“If they’re digging around or anything like that, I’m going to treat it differently than if someone is just sitting there patiently waiting,” Liverman said.

Next, the officer will come to your window and ask for your license and registration. The officer will tell you the reason he or she stopped you and

may even give you an opportunity to explain your reasoning for your specific violation.

“Once I get that information, I’ll run them for warrants and check the status of their license,” Liverman said.

“From there I can issue them a ticket or give them a warning.”

If you do not have your license on you, which is illegal, the officer will simply ask for your name to check if

you actually have a valid license.

In some cases, the officer may give you a fine or court date for driving without your license, but if you’re lucky, he or she will write you off with a warning. Sometimes, the officer may not even give you a warning, just remind you to always keep your license with you at all times.

Registration, on the other hand, is another story. Your registration is a way to prove you have insurance on your car. It also proves that you or a family member own the car and that it is not stolen.

If you get pulled over without your registration, things will probably not go so well. Driving without registration is a criminal offense and a Class 3 misdemeanor in North Carolina.

Your car could also be towed or impounded and worst of all, if you miss your court date for this type of charge, you will have a warrant for your arrest.

If you have the necessary materials, the officer will bring them to the cruiser and do further checks on you.

Then the officer will come back to your window and explain what course of action they’re taking regarding your violation.

Ultimately, when getting pulled over, it’s best to stay calm and cooperative with the officer. Doing this will likely reduce consequences.

Senior Joey Krieg can be reached at 22kriegjo52@daretolearn.org.

Germ jumble: Do you have the flu or COVID-19?

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By Kayla Loveless Staff Writer

ou let out a cough, and your throat is suddenly dry. Your skin is burning, and to your horror, the thermometer shows you’re running a fever. Now what? These days, you don’t know whether it’s COVID-19, just another strand of the flu, or something else.

Both COVID-19 and the flu are highly contagious respiratory illnesses, but they are caused by completely different viruses. COVID-19 is caused by a newly discovered virus in 2019, while the flu is caused by differing influenza viruses that have been around for centuries.

They share a number of symptoms, including a fever, runny nose, shortness of breath and sore throat. Sophomore Khloe Tucker struggled with these symptoms in late 2020.

“I had all the symptoms: I was coughing, I threw up and I had a fever. I had to do a (COVID) test at home,” Tucker said. “I couldn’t breathe – I had to cough until it got to the point where I could breathe again.”

That COVID test Tucker took came back negative, so in her case, all those symptoms were being caused by something else.

Mistaking the flu for COVID has become a common issue since March 2020. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that people receive a COVID-19 test when presenting any form of flu or COVID-19 symptoms to confirm a diag-

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nosis. While the process of flu and COVID-19 testing may seem confusing, Dr. John Sanchez of The Outer Banks Hospital Urgent Care & Family Medicine in Nags Head explained the process.

“Almost all cases of suspected COVID-19 were tested for the flu as well to help tease out the cause of infection,” Sanchez said. “Through testing, the number of reported cases of the flu last season was close to zero.”

With the latest flu season right around the corner, things have changed drastically over the past 10 months due to the development of the COVID-19 vaccine, although breakthrough cases remain possible even for those who have been vaccinated.

The question now is what will this flu season look like as people begin to experience shared symptoms between COVID and the flu such as coughing, difficulty breathing, muscle pain, headache, etc. Additional COVID symptoms include loss of taste and/or smell, but even those symptoms can be seen in many respiratory illnesses.

Illnesses such as colds, flu and COVID that are spread by airborne transmission can be prevented with social distancing, but research shows that only 18 percent of Americans are still practicing social distancing compared to 38 percent who were taking extra precautions in March. Forty-seven percent of Americans say they have not attempted social distancing in the past month.

So what does that mean for this year’s flu season?

“There were close to zero reported cases of the flu last year, on both local and national levels,” Sanchez

said. “I think masking and social distancing had a lot to do with that, so we shall see.”

Sophomore Kayla Loveless can be reached at 24lovelesska73@daretolearn.org.

NIGHTHAWK News Magazine / / fall / / 2021

Moving on and getting ‘older’: students miss siblings at college

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By Maggie McNinch Editor-In-Chief

ohn Mayer’s 2017 song “Moving On and Getting Over” may have been about a break-up, but there can be similar emotions of sadness and loss when you have to say goodbye to older siblings leaving home and moving into college.

An end-of-summer activity this year for many First Flight students involved loading up the car, driving miles upon miles, spending some last minute quality time with their siblings, helping move them into their dorm or apartment and eventually giving them one last hug and saying goodbye.

This process can feel overwhelming. Not only does the college student have to pack their whole life up and then unpack it a few days later, they also have to stress about meeting their roommates for the first time, worry that they forgot something and come to terms with the fact that after their family leaves, they will truly be on their own.

When senior Callie Honeycutt brought her sister, Cassie, to school, Cassie experienced many of these same feelings.

“I feel like it was just a lot for her at once and of course me and my mom are crying in the background,” Callie said.

Even though the actual move-in process began with a bit of a rocky start, Callie and her family made sure Cassie had everything she needed in her new town before they left. This included testing out a few different coffee shops so that Cassie would know

where to go when she was on her own.

While this was some students’ first time bringing their older siblings to college, others are old pros at it by now. As the youngest of three kids, senior Tucker Crook has some experience in this department. His siblings have taken the family to distant places with their choices of going to schools in Chicago and San Diego.

“It was fun going to those cities where they are going but the saddest part was seeing my parents cry when they left,” Crook said.

Being a pro at it, however, doesn’t make it any easier. Senior Dylan Byard took his sister to college for the second time this summer and found that if anything, it was harder to say goodbye.

“It was sad because we kinda got closer by the end of that summer and then she had to leave,” Byard said.

The jump from seeing an older sibling almost everyday since you’ve been born to whenever they decide to come home takes some getting used to.

For junior Trent Sylvia, the house feels quieter with his brother gone.

“There’s not much to do without him because it’s just me and my mom basically,” Sylvia said.

The absence of an older sibling can bring about many changes in the house, sometimes including added duties for the siblings left behind to complete. This is the case for junior Kayla Lamm.

“I’m not used to being the oldest kid in the house and I’ve had to take on a lot more responsibility, like driving my little sister around because that was always Ella’s job,” Lamm said.

Junior Delaney Hanf echoes similar

Submitted photo Senior Callie Honeycutt (right) poses with her sister, Cassie, on a college visit to the University of South Carolina earlier this semester.

thoughts after bringing her brother to school: “The most annoying thing is that I have to do all of his chores now,” she said.

The fact that an older sibling is no longer a part of everyday life is difficult to get used to. Many students oftentimes find themselves forgetting that they’re gone.

“I did look around the house to try and show him a meme I found one time, but he wasn’t there so I had to text him it,” Hanf said with a laugh.

Sylvia shares a similar experience: “I walked all the way upstairs from my room one time and I forgot he wasn’t there. You don’t even think about it

though, you’re just like, ‘I’m going to go tell Tyler something.’”

While everyone’s emotions towards this experience can vary, they all uncover one simple fact: the love between siblings is a hard thing to break, even as they move on and get older.

Callie puts it best: “(The whole experience) was really bittersweet because I was excited for her and I knew she was starting this really big chapter of her life but I knew I would have to go home and she wasn’t going to be there.”

Senior Maggie McNinch can be reached at 22mcninchma07@daretolearn.org.

Submitted photos

Senior Tucker Crook has watched both of his older siblings head off to college, with Hunter (second from left) having recently graduated from the University of Illinois-Chicago and Camden (at right) now a sophomore at the University of San Diego. While heading off to college is a big step in the older sibling’s life, it can be hard for younger students to watch them leave.

NIGHTHAWK News Magazine / / features

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Schoolhouse Rock: Teachers enjoy side gigs

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By Abigail Haber Staff Writer

he enjoyable, carefree scene of a band practicing is different from a school atmosphere – focused and quiet. Nevertheless, a number of First Flight teachers play in bands, enjoying the thrill of performing in front of an audience. Sometimes the teachers bring a taste of their music into school, playing for students and livening up the building. On occasion, you might wind up hearing a class learning while the teacher shows off a piece of music.

Jonny Waters, a social studies teacher, has been singing and playing instruments for 20 years. He formed his group in college and performed for the first time at the ECU Battle of The Bands in 2012. When Waters and his group were selected as a finalist for the ECU Battle of The Bands, they were able to play for the annual Barefoot on the Mall festival.

He and his band have been playing together ever since. His band goes by the name Jonny Waters & Co. and often plays at festivals, concerts and in restaurants. While the band most often plays in North Carolina and Virginia, the musicians sometimes travel to different places to play. Waters every so often will play guitar for his students, as well.

“I like to play for my classes whenever I get the chance to,” Waters said.

Last year, Waters and a few other talented teachers played guitar in the rotunda before school started.

“I loved being able to perform in the rotunda for students.” Waters said.

“I was honored and really stoked to play for everyone!”

Matthew Haskett is a new English teacher here who plays music on the side. Haskett has a history with music, playing guitar for 23 years and creating his own bands for almost 20 years.

His current band, The Clawbacks, was started with a friend around 2014.

“I had moved back to the Outer Banks not too long before and I reached out to a drummer and had talked to him about forming a band,” Haskett said. “He just didn’t really have the time, but he actually ended up buying a house and ended up building a practice space in the back.”

Eventually, Haskett and his drummer started playing together and formed the band.

“He called me up and we started playing,” Haskett said.

Haskett and his drummer started off alone before later inviting a bassist to the group. Currently, his band plays locally on the Outer Banks and in many restaurants. The Clawbacks have played at venues like Jack Brown’s, The Blue Crab Tavern and The Bonzer Shack. The band was planning to play in DC and Maryland before COVID-19 became an obstacle.

Ted Mitchell, a new social studies teacher, is a drummer in the band Stereo in Words. Mitchell has been drumming long before Stereo in Words, for over 35 years.

“I’ve played in a number of bands over the years and have recorded albums and played shows of all sizes in many places,” Mitchell said.

His current band has been playing together for a year and a half. The band is composed of four people who write and perform their own music.

“We started writing and rehearsing on a regular basis after the first wave of COVID calmed down,” Mitchell said.

So far, the band has played at the Rock the Cape Festival in Avon, Uncle Ike’s in Corolla, Outer Banks Brewing Station and The Blue Crab Tavern.

Music is a major facet of life for many people that creates a place to connect with others and relax. Music also is a tool to help students bond with their teachers and make a space of understanding.

“Music is the universal language, and what better positive greeting for people than some good vibrations!”

Waters said.

Sophomore Abigail Haber can be reached at 24haberab93@daretolearn. org.

Submitted Photo

New English teacher Matthew Haskett strums the guitar while playing at Secret Island Tavern. Haskett has been his band’s guitarist since 2014.

Submitted Photo

New social studies teacher Ted Mitchell plays the drums at a gig with his band.

Jonny Waters performs at the 2021 Outer Banks Seafood Festival earlier this month.

Waters is a Social Studies teacher and popular musician on the OBX who enjoys performing at local events and even for his students from time to time.

Photo by Taylor Newton/ Nighthawk News

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NIGHTHAWK News Magazine / / fall / / 2021

New position hopes to increase student engagement

By Arden Carlyle Staff Writer

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irst Flight students and staff hope to see normality in the 2021-2022 school year as COVID-19 has brought many challenges, disappointments and setbacks to the school system.

Principal Chuck Lansing made the decision last spring to implement a Student Engagement Coordinator position that would help alleviate his concerns regarding student engagement now that students are back in school full-time.

“We were basically out of school for two years, and during that time people began to feel one way or another about school,” Lansing said. “One thing that I wanted when we returned was somebody to help organize events and remind kids and teachers that school can be fun even if class is not.”

The Student Engagement Coordinator, Lindsay Austin, is a new addition to the FFHS staff this year.

“My job is to plan big events such as Homecoming and Prom along with

other smaller events and making students excited to come to school,” Austin said.

Austin is ecstatic about her new role and the number of opportunities that this school year will bring.

During spirit week, for instance, students were welcomed each morning with music in the rotunda and sweet treats for dressing up. The Homecoming pep rally ended with ice cream sandwiches as everyone exited the stadium.

“I’m really excited about the opportunity to come and bring a sense of community back to the school and to get everyone excited about the traditions and non-academic events of First Flight,” Austin said.

With the pandemic enforcing strict rules and regulations, Austin feels that encouraging school pride is essential for a successful school community.

“There’s something about taking pride and being proud of the school that you come from,” Austin said.

The passion and motivation carried out by Austin has been an important asset to FFHS. “There were a number of appli-

Submitted Photo

Student Engagement Coordinator Lindsay Austin (middle) poses with fellow staff members Samantha Baranyk (left) and Mora Newton at a special staff event. Austin is working as both the athletic trainer and the new position of planning fun events for students.

cants,” Lansing said. “When I interviewed Ms. Austin, I knew after the first five minutes that she genuinely cared about kids and that she would go

the extra mile every time to make an event special.”

Senior Arden Carlyle can be reached at 22carlylear66@daretolearn.org.

Local ice cream shop embodies the American dream

By Mackenzie Edwards Sports Editor

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he American Dream: the belief that anyone can come to the United States to be anyone and accomplish anything they want to do. This ideology is no exception for Lukasz Chrzanowski and Basia Iinicka.

Chrzanowski and Iinicka opened Holy Cow Creamery – a local ice cream shop – in the spring of 2021. They’re one of the few places on the Outer Banks that serve homemade ice cream, yet this is just one of the things that makes Holy Cow unique.

The two friends moved from Poland to the Outer Banks on a J1 visa in 2003.

After spending a couple years on the island, Chrzanowski and Iinicka decided to make the permanent move to the United States.

Over the years, the two have worked several jobs prior to owning the ice cream shop. Today, both Chrzanowski and Iinicka work frontline care jobs as a KDH lifeguard and a registered nurse, respectively.

Despite loving their daytime jobs, they discovered ice cream was their true passion.

“Making ice cream was my dream.

I grew up in the same beach town like we live in now, but it was in Poland,” Chrzanowski said. “That’s why I always wanted to open an ice cream shop.”

After opening Holy Cow, Iinicka continued to work as a nurse during the day. Afterwards, she goes to the shop to make ice cream at night. This provided her with a change of pace.

NIGHTHAWK News Magazine / / features

Photo by Lukasz Chrzanowski

Basia Iinicka and Lukasz Chrzanowski (above) pose in front of their business before it opened in the spring. Holy Cow Creamery has grown to be a successful ice cream shop thanks to a variety of unique flavors. Iinicka (left) wears her day job attire while working at Holy Cow Creamery at night.

“It’s just refreshing to come here because as much as I love nursing still, this is a happy environment. This is where you can be more creative,” Iinicka said.

Iinicka and Chrzanowski came up with dozens of innovative flavors over the summer and are finding inspiration everywhere. Their flavors range all over the place from classics like the Cookie Monster (blue ice cream with Chips Ahoy, OREO, and cookie dough pieces,) holiday specials like orange gingerbread and even a flavor inspired by

local coffee shop Front Porch Cafe.

“I grew up baking and cooking and indulging in all kinds of sweets. A lot of times I was inspired by things like desserts from childhood, or any trips I had gone on,” Iinicka said.

Holy Cow prides itself upon quality ice cream and customer service.

“We love ice cream. We love eating it, making it, and serving it to people,” Iinicka said.

Driving past Holy Cow’s parking lot in the evening, you’d never be able to tell it was a new business. People

are lined up from the door to the beach road waiting to get their ice cream.

“It’s been busy. We’ve had some challenges, but overall we couldn’t be happier and more grateful for the wonderful season we had,” Iinicka said.

Holy Cow has remained open through the fall, with plans to close at some point this winter to get ready for what promises to be another busy spring and summer ahead.

Junior Mackenzie Edwards can be reached at 23edwardsma78@daretolearn.org.

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A r t i s t s

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Guns gets jump on teaching gig

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By Daisy Morales Social Media Editor

typical band student can play one instrument. Some can play two and every once in a while a superb student might learn to play three or four. But what about a student who can play eight instruments and on top of that be a teacher?

Sounds impossible. Until you meet Sydney Guns.

The senior’s abilities as a student extend far beyond an academic perspective. Guns can do a variety of things when it comes to music. She can play flute, piccolo, bass trombone, regular tenor trombone, baritone saxophone, tenor saxophone, piano and cello.

Plus, she is one of the drum majors for the marching band.

What else can this fantastic student do?

“Sydney is currently teaching all of the seventh-grade band by herself with my assistance,” band director Robert Lamberg explained. “We both go every day and co-teach the sixth-grade band, and a couple times a week we co-teach eighth-graders as well.”

Guns is getting this early introduction to classroom teaching because former high school band director Bob Ebert left this summer, with Lamberg replacing him at the high school.

“I have an internship with him (Lamberg) and he reached out to Mrs. (Diane) Childress because they still don’t have a band director over there and wondered if I could go over as an intern, and teach seventh grade alone and then sixth grade with him,” Guns explained. “Ms. Childress said yes and I got approval from Mr. (Chuck) Lansing and then the next day we went over.”

But it wasn’t that long ago that Guns herself attended middle school. So what do those students think of her?

“Everybody treats me as a real teacher,” Guns said. “They like to have fun, though sometimes they forget I’m in high school and so I know all their TikTok trends that they’re doing in my class.”

Guns teaches around 10-15 sixth-graders and seven seventh-graders. Because of COVID, many middle schoolers have had difficulty with learning how to play an instrument.

“The seventh-graders never got a sixth-grade year, so we have to spend a lot of time with the basics,” Guns said. “It is hard on all the middle schoolers because we have to social distance and I cannot get super close to them to show them important skills.”

Despite the challenges for these new music stu-

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Photo by Maren Ingram/Nighthawk News

Sydney Guns conducts middle school band rehearsal during her internship at FFMS. She has carried her passion for music over from the high school, where she is one of the leading drum majors in the marching band.

dents, Guns and Lamberg have both started planning for a holiday concert, and Guns said the sixth-graders are doing especially well learning how to play their instruments.

Certainly, they have a teacher who can relate.

Guns has been a music student since a very young age.

“I started working with Andrew Sanchez, who’s a First Flight graduate, when I was 10 years old,” Guns said. “I had been playing piano when I was 5 and then I picked flute in sixth grade and I’ve stuck with it ever since.”

Guns explained that it was when taking lessons from Sanchez that she discovered her passion for music. Currently, Guns is taking orchestra, honors jazz band, percussion ensemble and honors marching band.

Managing her time between being a teacher and a student just takes organization and planning.

“They kind of go hand-in-hand. Since I’m a drum major at the high school, I kind of do similar things over there,” Guns said. “It’s just mastering time management, and also making sure that we have lesson plans so that we know exactly what to do each day.”

Guns added that teaching music right now could help her later in life when she is trying to become a teacher. Her goal is to major in music education and flute performance on her way to becoming a high school band director.

So far, Lamberg has been impressed with the way Guns has improved in the classroom week after week.

“It gives me a good foundation,” she said of the

internship. “Teaching people how to play instruments and then learning myself how to play instruments that I don’t already play is really good. It also teaches me basic fundamentals that I sometimes overlook, like counting and sight reading.”

Guns added that music has always been her favorite and that band class has left her with many incredible memories that she wants others to experience. Despite long hours in August at band camp and extra rehearsals every Tuesday and Thursday night during football season, the band constantly brings joy into her life.

“We are really just like a big family in there and so everybody looks out for each other,” Guns said. “Almost every day, something super funny happens and everyone enjoys every second of it. We are constantly laughing about something, but we do get serious when we need to.”

After missing out on many of those fun moments last year during the shortened marching season in February and March, Guns has worked hard to make sure her senior season is one to remember.

“Since day one, she has come in determined to make this her best year,” Lamberg said. “Her help is one of the things helping the band achieve the success we are having this year.”

As both a student and a teacher, Guns gives her full potential when it comes to music.

“I just love music, and I want everybody else to love music just as much,” Guns said.

Junior Daisy Morales can be reached at 23moralesda04@daretolearn.org.

NIGHTHAWK News Magazine / / fall / / 2021

the Spotlight Hughes creates his own world one sketch at a time

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By Kate Hamilton Online Editor-in-Chief

rt is meant to be fun. You are able to play and explore with different mediums to create unique art pieces. Whether it be sketching, painting, or sculpting, there are so many ways to express your creativity and imagination.

For junior Bodie Hughes, art is something that has always come naturally. Hughes has been passionate about art since he was little and this passion has continued to grow stronger as years have passed.

Hughes spends roughly 10 hours a week creating different pieces of art. He enjoys sketching during the school day, but feels he can create better content when he is in the comfort of his home.

“I just draw in my screened-in porch. I just chill there for an hour, put on some music and just draw whatever I want,” Hughes said.

Hughes enjoys drawing at his house because he is not limited to what he can draw. He is able to sketch whatever comes to mind, and isn’t being told what

parameters he has to stay within.

While creative expression comes easy to Hughes, he also knows that practice makes perfect.

“It’s like everything you do – it’s easy to do but hard to master,” Hughes said. “If you just keep on drawing just a little bit every single day, you will get better.”

First Flight offers several art classes to allow students to experiment with different mediums and explore what art has to offer. Alice Baldwin has been an art teacher at First Flight for eight years and has had the opportunity to teach a number of different art classes such as Art I, III, IV and AP, and Sculpture and Ceramics I & II. “I love that my day is full of a variety of students and mediums,” Baldwin said.

Hughes takes both Ceramics and Art III with Baldwin and enjoys having two different classes where he is able to put his artistic skills to use.

“Bodie is always upbeat and ready to create. It doesn’t matter the medium or if it’s second or third, he’s always up for a challenge,” Baldwin described.

While Hughes is a great student to have in the classroom, he is also a beloved peer.

“He is extravagant,” junior Logan Theissen said.

“I like his sense of humor and that he has a lot of creativity.”

While Hughes is known for his fun personality, his artwork also catches his classmates’ attention.

“The way he draws is a bit more rigid. He likes to scribble and then put it all together and it looks really good,” junior Ava Norko said. “He does fantasy work like dragons and it looks pretty cool.”

Hughes enjoys art for many reasons, but mostly for the fact that he is able to create whatever he desires. He comes up with an idea of an image in his mind and then puts it on paper. There are no rules telling Hughes what is right or wrong or what looks good or bad. He is able to create his art the way he desires.

“You are God,” Hughes said. “You can make whatever you want.”

Senior Kate Hamilton can be reached at 22Hamiltonka86@daretolearn.org.

Bodie Hughes sketches in his free time, allowing him to express his creative abilities and nurture his artistic talents. He has been recognized by his teacher and classmates for his impressive skills.

Photo by Taylor Newton/ Nighthawk News

NIGHTHAWK News Magazine / / features

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Our View: School spirit returns despite changes and challenges Nighthawk News Editors-in-Chief: Kayla Hallac, Maren Ingram, Maggie McNinch Online Editors-in-Chief: Versailles Dalessio, Kate Hamilton, Olivia Sugg Features Editors: Emma Braithwaite, Allie Nigro Opinions Editors: Fiona Finchem, Samuel Smith Sports Editors: Mackenzie Edwards, Noah Kinnisten Photo Editor: Taylor Newton News Editors: Emmy Benton, Stella Bryson Multimedia Editor: Michael Pearson Social Media Editors: Daisy Morales-Bravo, Callie Honeycutt Business Manager: Joey Krieg Staff Writers: N’Nia Brickhouse, Colin Byard, Arden Carlyle, Foster Guns, Abigail Haber, Tatum Love, Kayla Loveless, Audrey Lovell, Kira Walters Adviser: Steve Hanf

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ighthawk News Magazine is published four times a year by the journalism classes at First Flight High School. The publication is distributed free to the FFHS student body, faculty and staff and to First Flight Middle School. Approximately 3,000 copies are distributed in various retail outlets throughout the Outer Banks.

The Nighthawk News staff strives to provide informative and accurate coverage of individuals and events within the school and the Dare County community. The opinion pages serve as a forum for the publications staff and community. Views expressed in Nighthawk News do not represent the opinions of the faculty or administration, the Dare County School Board or its administration. Editorials represent the views of the staff; bylined columns are the opinion of the authors.

Readers are encouraged to write letters to the editor on matters of concern.

Letters may be mailed to FFHS or delivered to Room B-214. They must be signed.

We reserve the right to edit letters for length, grammatical errors or libelous content.

Reach us by mail at 100 Veterans Drive, Kill Devil Hills, N.C. 27948, by phone at (252) 449-7000 or by e-mail at hanfst@daretolearn.org. Advertising inquiries can be made by phone or email.

Nighthawk News is a member of the North Carolina Scholastic Media Association and the National Scholastic and Southern Interscholastic press associations. Our stories also are published online at NighthawkNews.com. Follow us on Twitter @FFNighthawkNews, Facebook.com/NighthawkNews, Instagram @FFHSNighthawkNews and Snapchat at Nighthawk.News. Sun Coast Press of Venice, Florida, prints our paper.

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ellow, orange, green and red. we loved keeping up with the daiFor years these were First ly updates on the new Spirit Count Flight High School’s class website. The mornings were filled colors, meant to represent the with excitement thanks to the music spirit of each grade level. These colors echoing through the rotunda each day, have been a tradition since the school the candy being handed out to everyopened in 2004, so why one who dressed up, the change it now? photo booth, red carpet When First Flight first and other decorations that opened, students who went supplemented the daily to Manteo had to switch themes. schools, leaving the rest of Although this Hometheir class behind. Mancoming was one for the STAFF teo’s class colors were also books when it came to yellow, orange, green and changes and new tradiEDITORIAL red, so students kept the tions, it was also one for tradition as a way to keep their class the books for how much fun was had by whole. the student body.

Yet, class colors were changed this Homecoming spirit is usually at year because they “divide us.” The an all-time high, but for the 2021-22 Class of 2022 has been waiting to wear school year, the beloved Marlin Bowl red since they were decked out in yelseemed to be the epitome of First low four years ago, and with barely any Flight spirit. notice, the tradition was stripped away.

After the Nighthawks had defeatAlthough the changing of class ed Manteo in annual Marlin Bowl, colors was something to get used to, students of all grades were celebrating students at First Flight were still able on the field draped in black. Cheers to have a lot of fun while decked out were ringing throughout the stadiin our new white, blue, navy and black um and the school was more spirited during the school day and the Homethan anybody had both expected and coming parade. planned for.

For our spirit days, the biggest After missing out on so many complaint held by students was that special moments last year, it was so good to be back. Even after all of the the themes seemed out of the blue, potential for things to go wrong, such but nonetheless the students and staff as canceling the dance and shortening managed to have a good time showing the pep rally, we think each student their peculiar form of school spirit. thoroughly enjoyed spirit week, and Once we got to each day, the themes were admittedly quite fun. Ath- we can’t wait for the next. The school has a long way to go to match the spirit leisure, red carpet, movie characters of previous years, but clearly it can be – the themes gave students a chance done and the Nighthawk News staff to go all out with whatever they could is excited for our school to reach its scrounge together from their closets.

Overall, we definitely did enjoy potential. our spirit week. It was good to get out This staff editorial reflects the opinion of normal clothes for a change, and of the Nighthawk News editorial board.

IN OUR OPINION

Hawk Talk: What’s your favorite Harry Potter movie?

“Either the first or the third one, because they are more cheerful than the rest of the movies” – sophomore Katie Bryson

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“ ‘The Deathly Hallows Part 2’ because it has an unexpected twist.”

– junior Brodie Nash

“‘ The Philosopher’s Stone’ because the chess scene is crazy.”

– senior Warner Campbell

“Definitely ‘Prisoner of Azkaban.’ The cinematography is absolutely beautiful and it has some of my favorite scenes from the film series. Also, Gary Oldman...”

– junior Zoe Kane

NIGHTHAWK News Magazine / / fall / / 2021

OBX housing crisis hits too close to home

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t’s 9:30 on a Thursday night.

Four of us survey the scene: a middle-aged moving man whose son was born a few weeks prior; a recent high school graduate at the beginning of his new moving job; my friend Cash with a burrito that nobody was quite sure where it came from; and me – with a bleeding laceration from dropping a dresser on my ankle.

After hours of uninterrupted moving, and a brief scream of anger directed toward a box TV from 1994, our group took a break surrounded by the boxes and furniture acquired over the course of 15 years that had yet to be moved. Let’s rewind and see how this mess of a night came to fruition.

Two months prior, I was living in the house I had lived in my entire life.

The earliest memory I have is standing in the living room of said house talking about how smart I am for a 2-year-old (a narcissist I may be, but at least I’ve been consistent for a decade).

I had seen friends and family move before. Something would happen and they would find a new place and live with it, but I always felt like they were handling it far better than I could have.

Instead of thinking too hard about how I would react, I reasoned that I would never have to worry about it.

I had my house. It had always been my house. That could never change.

To put it bluntly, that changed.

To spare you the legal mumbo jumbo, events led to my family no longer having our house. We were all sad, save my dog Rosy, who was ecstatic to be getting pity treats. When I got the news, I called my best friend, made a few jokes, teared up a bit and did all of the grand-scale coping in a matter of 30 minutes.

I think the length of my coping is due to the fact that I didn’t have to worry about the fundamental details.

I knew we had friends and family in

the area who would welcome us with open arms – that we had a safety net that would ensure me having a home and that I was going to be all right no matter what. I was never going to be without the likes of food and shelter, never in a million years.

Once we started actually looking for a new place to live, however, the worries began to arise.

In the Outer Banks right now, those looking to sell their houses will make a beautiful profit, while those looking to buy are left in the dust, or more aptly, the sand.

The reasons behind such an occurrence can be seen in First Flight High School itself. For those unaware, the student populace within FFHS has increased drastically. The sheer number of individuals in the hallways between classes has seen a notable change since previous years.

The same goes for the Outer Banks as a whole. There are far more people on the beach for any number of reasons, all looking for housing in much the same way my family was. Sellers have their pick of the litter and, given basic economics, the highest bidder wins, leaving the average Joe or Janet to shuffle off and try to find another new house.

Mere weeks after finding out I was losing my house, I came to find out that some of my friends in school, friends at my job and even the lady who cuts my hair into the gorgeous shape it’s in are all experiencing the

Photo by Michael Pearson/Nighthawk News

A series of homes being built near First Flight Elementary School is adding to the number of real estate listings in the area, but the issue of affordable housing on the OBX won’t be solved by a handful of houses going up in Kill Devil Hills.

exact same problem with housing.

I learned this fun thing in AP Biology about competition. Zero competition is bad, since in the wild it means one group will grow unimpeded and ruin the environment. Moderate competition is good, since it keeps each group in check without leading to resource depletion. Now, given what we know about too many potential buyers on the Outer Banks, can you guess what too much competition does?

Too much competition means everybody loses. The market is great, so many owners with occupants in rental houses are ending those leases and evicting the occupants in favor of selling the home to someone who will pay top dollar for it.

Those “average” people looking to either find a new rental or buy a house of their own – such as myself and my aforementioned friends – simply can’t match up to the price being asked of them.

As I said, I had a safety net. I had the privilege of knowing that no matter what happened, I would be all

right. Not everybody has that privilege.

As a matter of fact, a worryingly large portion of our peers, acquaintances, friends and maybe even family don’t have that guarantee.

Without having gone through this house debacle, I wouldn’t have understood the problem plaguing the beach I call home. If this continues, people we all know and love won’t be able to call it home anymore. This isn’t something political or the fault of any one person; it’s an institutional issue that results from some people wanting more than what works, and others needing more than what doesn’t.

At the end of the day, until the “housing crisis” dies down, all I can emphasize is a safety net. I had my friends to help me move and make my new house seem like an actual home. If you’re going through a similar situation, here’s hoping you too will find a house, but until then, find those people or things that make wherever you are, a home.

Junior Samuel Smith can be reached at 23smithsa22@daretolearn.org.

When RC Theatres Kill Devil Hills Movies 10 showed a 20th-anniversary edition of the first Harry Potter movie – ‘Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone’ – so many Potter fans flocked to the weekend showings that the theater continued playing re-runs from the rest of the franchise. We asked students about their favorite movie from the world of Harry Potter as OBX locals wait for the final four movies to return to the big screen later this fall:

“ ‘The Order of the Phoenix’ because it is a big turning point in the series.”

– sophomore J.J. Woerner

NIGHTHAWK News Magazine / / opinions

“My favorite Harry Potter movie is ‘The Goblet of Fire’ because even though Harry didn’t put his name into the contest, he still took the dub in the Triwizard Tournament.”

– senior Cooper Daniels

“ ‘The Goblet of Fire,’ because the Triwizard Tournament was really well thought out and very suspenseful.”

– sophomore Ava Nultemeier

“ ‘The Goblet of Fire,’ because I like the story and it was cool how they went to the cup and got transported to where Voldemort is.”

– freshman Zander Tomlin

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The importance of ‘taking flight’ into male-dominated fields

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magine flying a tiny airplane at 10,000 ft. above the ground, cruising at 185 miles per hour, around the world. Or better yet, imagine being only 19 years old and doing it alone. This is exactly what 19-yearold Zara Rutherford from Belgium is doing – attempting to be the youngest woman to fly completely solo around the world.

Rutherford started in Belgium back in August of 2021 and will be flying over 52 countries with the goal to end the journey and set the record in November. Over the course of her trip, she has made many pit stops along the way, including Iceland, Greenland, Costa Rica and even in our very own backyard – the First Flight Airport in the Birthplace of Aviation, Kill Devil Hills, N.C. I was shocked and amazed when my mom mentioned that a 19-yearold female pilot attempting to be the youngest woman to fly solo around the world would be landing a mere three minutes from our house back on Aug. 29. Growing up, I was always very intrigued with Amelia Earhart and her story, so the thought of someone attempting such a big feat visiting my tiny hometown was astonishing.

After multiple delays due to weather conditions on the day that Rutherford would be flying into the First Flight Airport, everyone was starting to think that she would skip this stop and continue on down to Fayetteville, where her overnight stop would be.

But just as we were getting ready to head over to my grandmother’s house for dinner, my mom got word that Rutherford had landed. We rushed out the door and headed straight to the airport.

Submitted photo Senior Maren Ingram (left) stands with her sister beside Zara Rutherford after watching her fly into the First Flight Airport, one of many stops for the pioneering young woman on her journey around the world.

Seeing Rutherford make her landing and watching her climb out of the tiny aircraft and thinking about the great distances she had traveled so far was confounding. But what was more bewildering to me was the sheer courage and determination such a young woman must have to attempt something so utterly terrifying as flying around the world alone.

I relayed my astonishment to Rutherford when my sister and I got to meet and take a picture with her. I said to her: “You are so amazing and so brave, I would be so scared if I were you.”

Her response was quite possibly one of the most humble things I’ve ever heard. “I am a little scared,” she said, laughing and holding her finger to her lips.

That. That is what makes Rutherford such an incredible inspiration to young women all over the world who are watching her attempt something that seems so scary and completely impossible. Those few words that she said to me taught me that you can be a little scared while also being so incredibly brave and determined at the same time.

One of Rutherford’s ultimate goals, besides record-setting, of course, is to encourage young women to get into the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM), or other fields that are male-dominated.

Individuals like Marie Curie and Florence Nightingale faced entering male-dominated STEM fields with incredible courage. Other powerful women like Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Frida Kahlo defied odds in terms of gender gaps especially within education and government office. These powerful women stand in the light for young girls to look up to and inspire them to follow in their footsteps’, especially when it comes to breaking gender gaps and stereotypes.

Even in today’s world it can take a lot of courage to walk into say, a college engineering class that is predominantly male-based, or to be the only female working for a specific company. But the thing is, the more we as women step up and gather the courage to face some of these battles, the easier it will get for other women down the road.

Zara Rutherford’s name will go down in history with some of the most famous names in women’s history – because of the sheer determination it’s taken her to attempt something that seems so impossible, but can be done with just a little courage.

So take the leap. Enroll in that STEM class, become an engineer, or learn to fly planes. And remember, you can do something courageous, defy the odds and break the stereotype, while being a little bit scared at the same time.

Senior Maren Ingram can be reached at 22ingramma01@daretolearn.org.

The arrival times in each city Zara Rutherford has landed in appear on a board from the FlyZolo website, which includes her stop at the birthplace of aviation on Aug. 29 (fourth from the bottom). The map shows Rutherford’s route as she travels across the world on a plane.

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NIGHTHAWK News Magazine / / fall / / 2021

Summer camp empowers girls to rule the world

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ake up at 10, throw on a bathing suit, grab breakfast and then spend the whole day at the beach with your friends. This is the normal summer routine for teenagers on the Outer Banks, but some people do it a little differently.

Growing up in this area, most of us went to week-long surf “camps” from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. with all of our friends. Yet on the Outer Banks, “traditional” residential summer camps are thought of as an archaic idea limited to “The Parent Trap” and Disney Channel shows.

I went to my first week of residential summer camp the summer after third grade and never imagined the influence it would have on my life.

Every time I tell someone that I spent five weeks this past summer without my phone, I always get the same response: “Wow, I could never do that.”

But after a few days I completely forgot about it.

For me, camp is its own bubble where I don’t worry about anything except what is happening at that moment. This summer when I left for camp, everyone thought that COVID-19 was basically over and the mask-wearing and constant COVID-related newscasts were steadily decreasing. But when I got home, the Delta variant was in full swing and North Carolina’s positive case rates were at their highest since winter – and I had no idea.

Being away from the news and social media turned out to be such a good thing for me and everyone at my all-girls summer camp. So many young girls are greatly influenced by social media.

In a recent Time Magazine article, researchers have found large amounts of correlation between social media use and rising rates of mental health issues, including anxiety, depression, suicidal behavior and eating disorders, especially in teenage girls.

As someone who takes anxiety medication and has an ongoing struggle with anxiety, I can attest to this statement. Social media definitely plays a large role in that part of my life; whether it’s worrying why someone looks better in a bikini than me or getting upset when I see a Snapchat story with a big group of friends.

But at camp all of the worries and constant comparing yourself to others all disappears. Even though life returns to normal when I get home and Instagram and Snapchat suddenly appear NIGHTHAWK News Magazine / / features

Submitted photo

Olivia Sugg and her fellow campers at Camp Illahee pose for a photo in their red, white and blue attire. Camp Illahee has been a place the junior has learned countless lessons and built great bonds with other girls.

again, I try to not get caught back up in the toxic cycle of comparing myself to others.

Camp Illahee, located in Brevard, North Carolina, has given me so much more than lifelong friendships and summer companions as an only child.

The time I have spent at camp has taught me independence, self worth, the importance of kindness and so much more that I can’t even begin to put into words.

This past summer at camp had the greatest impact on me that any summer has ever had, but in a much different way. After being there for four weeks as a camper, I got home and was contacted about coming back to be a counselor for the five-day junior camp session that is held as an introduction to camp for younger girls.

My mom and I knew it would be hard to make this work because I live nine hours away and had already missed so much work this summer, but I wanted to go more than anything and my mom knew how much I needed it.

So I bought a last-minute plane ticket and five days later left the Norfolk airport by myself at five in the morning. That week at camp was easily the most impactful of my summer, if not my life.

Even though it sounds like a cliche, I wanted to pour the energy and kindness into those girls the way my counselors had once poured it into me. When I got to camp (for the second time that summer), I realized that I was going to be in a cabin with 14 girls (opposed to the normal eight) who were 9 and 10 – the same age I was when I first attended camp at that same session.

While being a “mom” to 14 girls for a week was difficult, to say the least, I would not trade the experience for anything. The feeling that I would get when one of the girls sat on my bed and gave me the biggest hug made all of the middle-of-the-night wake-ups so worth it.

I saw so much of myself in those girls this summer and just wanted them to get the same experience that I had at that age. Each and every one of the girls was so special and I hope that I inspired them to continue to come to camp each summer and get the same experiences out of it as I did.

I truly hope that my influence in those few days will at least take away a small amount of the toxic thoughts that social media puts into young girls’ heads, because camp has truly done that for me.

I understand that spending that much time away from home or “off the grid” with only letters as communication is not in the picture for everyone, but I challenge you to at least take a step back and not worry about the constant stream of social media and sharing every moment on the internet.

One of my favorite moments this summer was when my 20 best friends from camp and I were laying on the ground late at night looking up at the most beautiful, bright stars I had ever seen while we all smiled and laughed.

One of my friends said that we should take a picture of the stars but a counselor instantly interjected saying,

“No, don’t take a picture, just look up and take a mental image of this exact moment.”

After almost two years of being stuck at home and spending even more time on social media than normal, I needed camp this summer more than ever and I know I am not the only one who was (or still is) in need of a “detox.”

In a blog post from March of 2021, one of my camp directors talked about how we are all in need of a technology “detox” and mentioned “replacing Instagram likes with big hugs.” That quote is something that I have thought a lot about these past few months as I posted on Instagram and reminded myself not to constantly check how many likes I had or see how many people viewed my story.

When my campers download Instagram or Snapchat in the next few years, maybe they will think of how much they matter and how beautiful they are and not that they wish they could look like the newest Instagram model, because I know that camp has done that for me.

Junior Olivia Sugg can be reached at 23suggol52@daretolearn.org.

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‘Squid Game’ will make you lose your marbles WARNING: Spoilers for “Squid Game” will be discussed in this review.

Read at your own discretion. magine you were out in public and were offered millions of dollars just to play a few classic childhood games. You would take up the offer, right? Well, after watching “Squid Game,” you may change your mind on that proposal.

“Squid Game” is a new Korean Netflix series that has become the biggest thing in pop culture around the world.

And with it’s huge differences from our typical American media, this is really no surprise.

In the beginning, you meet the main character, Gi-Hun, who is a dad who lost his daughter in a custody battle to his ex-wife. This led him to having a serious gambling addiction that puts him and his mother in hundreds of millions of won (South Korean currency) in debt, not just to the banks, but also to some goons and loan sharks who end up attacking him in the first episode.

So when our seemingly not-so-good protagonist is met with the opportunity of a lifetime to win enough money to get out of his debt with apparently little to no downside, he jumps on it, as most people would. However, he was

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putting a little more on the line than he expected: his life.

When Gi-Hun and 455 other debtors all wake up in a large empty room with nothing but enough beds for them all and get told they need to get ready to play a few games, I’m sure not one of them was thinking that what was going to happen next was even a possibility. When they all walked through the childish corridors to the next room and were met with the kid-friendly game “Red Light, Green Light,” I’m sure the last thing they anticipated was for the first person who lost to get shot down.

As the game winds down, a soothing cover of Frank Sinatra’s “Fly Me to the Moon” begins playing in the background. As a watcher, this gives you really contradictory feelings because you begin to see some sort of beauty in the madness and gore, which is what this show really seems to push toward the viewer.

When “Red Light, Green Light” is finally over and about half of the participants are “eliminated,” they are shown the cash prize of 45 billion won, which equates to about $37 million. With this knowledge, characters decide that this may be their best and only option left in life because of the conditions they are already having to live through.

of this, considering the overwhelming amount of content covering it on every social media app.

Overall, the show is great, and that seems to be the consensus across the board between critics and casual watchers. With it’s beautiful visuals and cinematography, lovable (and hate-able) characters, underlying meanings and symbolism, impeccable acting, shock factor and suspense, there is no doubt that “Squid Game” is an instant classic.

Senior Noah Kinnisten can be reached at 22kinnistenno93@daretolearn.org.

You can never be ‘too old’ for trick-or-treating

alloween night – small children with bright smiles walk through their neighborhood trick-or-treating in their costumes. But what’s to stop teenagers from doing the same?

As we get older, many people passing out candy will give you a weird look for still dressing up and going out for Halloween. It isn’t as cute for a teenager to wear a costume and beg for candy as it is for a toddler.

Even though I no longer go trick-or-treating, I don’t think it’s all that weird for someone to want to spend Halloween night with a few friends going house to house.

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Through the six games played, a few characters with very different personalities and ideals are met – some of which you will come to love, which is not such a good thing when they are playing in a game to their death. However, others will leave you cheering when their faces are not shown again.

This K-Drama has already taken the world by storm, so much so that it is projected to be Netflix’s biggest hit ever, which is unheard of from a non-English title. And unless you have been living under a rock since Sept. 17, I’m sure you already knew all

After all, we’re technically still kids.

However, an ordinance in Chesapeake, Virginia, disagrees. Anyone over the age of 14 who goes trick-or-treating can be found guilty of a Class 4 misdemeanor and can be fined up to $250. It isn’t exclusive to Chesapeake, either; many other towns, including ones in North Carolina, have similar age restrictions on trickor-treating.

Luckily, these laws are rarely enforced.

What’s there to gain by limiting who can trick or treat?

Lots of people continue dressing up for Halloween even into adulthood without much judgment from their peers, yet adding the collection of candy crosses the line

because of the childish connotation.

Charging a teenager with a misdemeanor and fining them for going trick-or-treating on Halloween night is way too extreme. Why should they get something on their permanent record for something as little as that? Let them have fun while they can.

Trick-or-treating is a tradition that many of us remember well from when we were little. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to continue the tradition before your childhood ends and it’s time to go off to college or enter the workforce.

If you want to go trick-or-treating, there shouldn’t be any rules stopping you from doing so.

Relive your childhood memories, and make some more in the process.

Sophomore N’Nia Brickhouse can be reached at 24brickhousenn92@daretolearn.org.

NIGHTHAWK News Magazine / / fall / / 2021

Seven movies you should watch this Halloween season

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ith 17 Halloweens under my belt, I can confidently say I know which movies are the best and which ones you should avoid. Here are seven Halloween movies ranging from scary to funny that have stayed timeless throughout the years.

Great Pumpkin does exist.

If there is a classic Halloween movie, this is it. I will never ever get sick of watching this movie. I love how it makes you feel like a little kid again.

There is at least one character that everyone can relate to and honestly, who doesn’t love Charlie Brown?

starts to threaten the safety of Halloweentown and the rest of the world, and it’s up to Marmie and her family to save everyone.

Now this is the best Halloween movie Disney ever made. Not only is it funny, interesting and has a good story line, but the sequels are just as good as the original. Every little girl wanted to find out she was a secret witch after this movie. I will never get sick of it and if you get anything from this review, it’s that you need to watch this movie.

The Nightmare Before Christmas Story by: Tim Burton Director: Henry Selick This follows the story of Jack Skellington, Halloween Town’s Pumpkin King, who gets bored with the repetitive life of scaring people one day a year every year, so he goes exploring for something more exciting. When Jack stumbles upon Christmas Town, he returns home with a new mission, to take over Christmas. Watch this movie to learn a lesson about being grateful for what you have and never taking something for granted.

I love this movie. I think that if you watch it at the perfect time it rolls Halloween right into Thanksgiving and keeps the holiday spirit going. It is one of those movies you never get sick of watching and always puts a smile on your face. There are a few side stories that get distracting, but it all comes together at the end.

It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown Story by: Charles M. Schulz Director: Bill Melendez Continuing the Peanuts storyline, this show follows Charlie Brown and his friends as they celebrate Halloween. Linus, Charlie Brown’s friend, stays up all night to catch The Great Pumpkin – who only comes on Halloween – to prove to his friends that The NIGHTHAWK News Magazine / / opinions

This is the story of a friendly, young ghost named Casper who haunts a mansion. After a ghost communicator arrives to talk to Casper, Casper quickly falls in love with his daughter, Kat. Their relationship is rocky to say the least, since Casper is transparent and the little girl is human. The movie follows Casper as he learns about young love and how to be a mature young ghost.

As a little girl, I always imagined a little ghost like Casper coming to my house and falling in love with me. It never happened, but this is still a great movie. I would probably get bored watching it now, but little kids love this movie. I suggest it to anyone with little siblings when you need to distract them for an hour and 36 minutes.

Hocus Pocus Story by: David Kirschner; Mick Garris Director: Kenny Ortega After freeing three evil witches, The Sanderson Sisters, from an abandoned house, main characters Max, Dani and Allison try to capture them again as The Sanderson Sisters wreak havoc on the town as payback for all the years they spent in captivity.

This movie is just like every other Disney movie: short, sweet, and with a heartwarming message at the end. It was made in the ’90s, so the language is iffy, but I love the costumes and The Sanderson Sisters are a timeless Halloween costume. Disney definitely has better movies but this is one of the best Halloween ones.

Halloweentown Story by: Paul Bernbaum Director: Duwayne Dunham Following her grandma to Halloweentown (a town of supernatural creatures), Marmie finds out she comes from a long line of witches and is about to become one on her 13th birthday.

Almost at the same time, an evil being

Ghostbusters Story by: Ivan Reitman Director: Jason Reitman This is the story of three scientists who, after they lose their jobs, decide to become Ghostbusters and use technology to earn money by fighting supernatural creatures. After opening a gate to another dimension and releasing a ton of ghosts into New York, the Ghostbusters must now save New York City.

This movie is obviously a classic. It isn’t my favorite, but the main characters are really funny and there are some popular lines in this movie that people still use to this day. I love the all-female sequel to this movie, but the franchise is so big now it’s hard to even figure out where it starts and ends.

Casper Story by: Joe Oriolo Director: Brad Silberling

Halloween Story by: John Carpenter Director: John Carpenter At 6 years old, Michael Myers kills his mom and sister on Halloween and is sentenced to life in prison. Flashforward 15 years and Myers is now 21 years old and escapes jail with a stolen car. He heads back to his hometown to find more helpless victims to murder on Halloween night.

I am not a fan of scary movies at all, but this one is not that bad. Probably because it was made in the ’70s, the graphics are pretty terrible. Everyone knows who the villain Michael Myers is and there are so many sequels. I would watch this again if I had to but it wouldn’t be my first choice.

Senior Callie Honeycutt can be reached at 22honeycuttca54@daretolearn.org.

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Halloween scares return

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By Foster Guns Staff Writer

alloween has a special place in many people’s hearts.

From trick-or-treating to being chased by someone dressed like a zombie, there’s always a way to get into the Halloween spirit.

Unless you’re worried about catching a deadly virus, of course. But this year, Halloween scares at Wicked Woods and Busch Gardens are back in full swing.

Wicked Woods, formally known as Wanchese Woods, has been a staple of Halloween on the Outer Banks since 2013. Despite COVID-19 restrictions, the staff at Wicked Woods still managed to give sophomore Brooke Tomlin a good scare at last year’s visit.

“Before we even got into the trail, there was an actor in a swamp monster costume. He chased me and I face-planted,” Tomlin said.

The beginning of the trail is always the scariest part of the attraction. It’s pitch-black because your eyes haven’t adjusted to the darkness yet. Then, out of nowhere, someone bangs on a drum and a bunch of characters jump-scare you. The “fun” continues from there, with creepy clowns lurking at the next stop, contortionists with flashing strobe lights crawling at you, a desperate hospital patient laying on a gurney begging to be helped...

While some might think working for a haunted house may be an odd job, it can be very rewarding, especially for actors like Logan Elkins.

“I’ve worked here my whole life,” Elkins said. “My favorite part of working here at Wicked Woods is scaring people. It’s so much fun.”

Just like many other businesses on the Outer Banks, Wicked Woods is understaffed, said co-owner Amy Elkins.

“We have just had to have the actors step up their game, because there aren’t going to be two to three people per set like normal,” she said.

For thrill-seekers who don’t mind a longer drive, Howl-O-Scream at Busch Gardens in Williamsburg is an extremely popular haunted attraction that many people flock to every October. Howl-O-Scream has five terrifying haunted houses along with actors walking around the streets, so you never know when you’re going to be scared out of your mind.

Sophomore Evan Calhoun attended Howl-o-Scream earlier this fall and enjoyed roller coasters during the day before the park started delivering scares after dark.

“We got there and tried to get in as many rides as we could before 6, when Howl-O-Scream begins,” Calhoun said. “We’d gotten the food, and once the haunted houses opened, we went through all of them. My favorite haunted house was the diner because

Photo by Foster Guns/Nighthawk News

(From left) Sophomore Hailey Stanley, freshman Sadie Wilkinson, sophomore Lea Styons and sophomore Abby Wallace pose by the sign at Wicked Woods as they get prepared to be scared in an OBX Halloween tradition.

the sets were so unique and I thought it was really well done.”

Senior Porter Braddy also liked old diner haunted house the best. In the kitchen, Braddy said people were getting cut up as food, while in the dining room, there were trash bags full of body parts sticking out from the ceiling.

“I don’t get scared a whole lot, but there was a random plant that you wouldn’t think would be in the diner – I didn’t see the guy in the ghillie suit

right next to it and he jumped out,” Braddy said. “That was the only one.

The rest of them weren’t that scary.”

Still, Braddy was happy to have spent the day on roller coasters and then enjoying the spooky stuff at night, especially after last year.

“I really like Halloween and last year there wasn’t a whole lot to do for Halloween,” Braddy said. “I like scary stuff. It was really fun.”

Sophomore Foster Guns can be reached at 24gunsfo54@daretolearn.org.

GET GROOVY WITH A FALL PLAYLIST

A change of season and the start of a new school year brings another collection of current favorite songs from the First Flight student body and staff. Scan the link below to join the Nighthawk fall playlist! So put in your earbuds, turn up the volume and get some of what your fellow Nighthawks are vibing to:

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By Tatum Love, Staff Writer

NIGHTHAWK News Magazine / / fall / / 2021

Which Craft surf gathering: A spooky season surf contest

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By Emma Braithwaite Features Editor

ick, tick, tick, tick. The sound of the spinning wheel echoes through the back of your head. There are so many options it could land on.

Uncle Leo, surfer’s choice or the worst one of all, competitor’s choice. The wheel slows and comes to a stop.

Surfer’s choice! You choose your board and run into the ocean.

On Oct. 2, the second annual Which Craft Surf Gathering was held at the Byrd Street beach access. Competitors spin a game-show-style wheel to determine what surfboard they will use for each heat.

The wheel lists mostly local shapers, each having two or three unconventional boards that are laid out on the beach for the surfers to choose from.

“A lot of times we ride a certain type of board and get kind of locked into that style,” contest founder Matt Price said. “It’s really great to break out from that and be able to ride a bunch of different types of shapes and expand our minds and our ideas about riding waves.”

Having to adjust to riding new boards very quickly can be a challenge. Nonetheless, junior Chloe Wienert enjoyed this aspect of the competition.

“The second board I rode was a 6-foot2 grain bonzer. It had two side bites and a long board fin and it was a pintail,” Wienert said. “It was really fun. I think that was the most fun board I have ever ridden.”

Competitors don’t even have to own a surfboard, being that they are not required.

The contest is for people of all ages, and the heats are not based on age or gender.

Freshman Julianna Forte decided to do the competition so she could test herself against more experienced surfers.

“I thought it would be a fun way to challenge myself,” Forte said. “I got the Hard Charger award, which is when it’s pretty big surf and you go up against a bunch of older people. I went up against some older guys who have been surfing for a long time.”

Looking at the name “Which Craft,” it says exactly what the competition is about – seeing which “craft” or board the surfers will be using. But it also is a play on words with “witchcraft” since the competition happens at the beginning of October.

“I like the spooky season. Halloween is one of my favorite holidays,” Price said.

“The surf happens to be really good during that time and I thought I should do a charity surf contest.”

The contest raises money for the Outer Banks Relief Foundation. Everyone in the contest has to pay a $25 entry fee, and all the money the contest makes goes straight to the Foundation.

No matter what board the wheel gives you or what place you get, this surf competition is a fun way to kick off the spooky season.

“I would 100% do the competition again next year,” Wienert said. “It was the most fun surf contest ever.”

Junior Emma Braithwaite can be reached at 23braithwaiteem06@daretolearn.org.

NIGHTHAWK News Magazine / / halloween

Photo by Emma Braithwaite/Nighthawk News

Junior Chloe Wienert receives an award at the annual Which Craft Surf Gathering. Wienert has a well-known passion for surfing and called this annual competition ‘the most fun surf contest ever.’

Photo by Emma Braithwaite/Nighthawk News

Gathered under the tent, the head of the Which Craft Surf Gathering spins the wheel to help decide which surf board each competitor will use in the next heat. Testing themselves on different gear is what makes some surfers enjoy this unique event.

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Good Guys vs. Cancer returns with top talent

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By Colin Byard Staff Writer

he Good Guys vs. Cancer Basketball Tournament is back, and it’s better than ever.

With over 30 Division-I athletes making an appearance, it’s sure to stir up a crowd.

After losing last year to their biggest competitor – COVID-19 – this year brings a revival of the event.

Athletes look up to the event each year both because of the intense competition and touching story behind the games. The two-day event takes place at FFHS Dec. 10-11 with high-profile support from Phenom Hoops and the HoopState Network.

First Flight looks to compete against top competition and treat as many fans as possible to two amazing days of basketball. With teams like Camden and Hertford also on the court, conference teams are ready for the competition as well.

Junior Isaac Dobie is expecting big competition.

“I am looking forward to playing South Central the most at the tournament. We lost a very close game to them my freshman year and I’m excited to beat them this year,” Dobie said.

Good Guys vs. Cancer isn’t just a normal invitational. It has a backstory, one most special to athletics director and men’s basketball head coach Chad Williams.

“It’s in honor of my dad’s name, Guy Williams.

He passed away of cancer,” Williams said. “When he was diagnosed, I wanted to do something before he passed away to sort of show his journey and how much he meant to me.”

The big invitational that’s all for a good cause has raised thousands of dollars for the American Cancer Society, which sent representatives to the tournament two years ago to accept a check from Williams.

While the idea for this tournament was Williams’, he wouldn’t be able to do it without his sponsors, which include Albemarle Lawn and Tree Service, the Dare County Sheriff’s Office and Sheriff Doug Doughtie, the Outer Banks Hilton and Ramada, OBX Chevrolet, Twiddy Realty, Four Seasons Realty and many other businesses across the Outer Banks.

Inviting teams with top recruits from all over North Carolina helps the event gain popularity year after year. The third year of Good Guys vs. Cancer makes this the second biggest basketball invitational in North Carolina for high school athletes.

Photos by Taylor Newton/Nighthawk News

First Flight basketball head coach Chad Williams (above) yells out instructions to his players during the Good Guys vs. Cancer basketball showcase held at FFHS two years ago. Junior Isaac Dobie (at left) surveys the court against 4A power Myers Park High School, which came all the way from Charlotte to be part of Williams’ top-tier tournament put on in memory of his father.

“The best part about playing against Division-I competition is the atmosphere and fans that it brings,” Dobie said. “This always makes the team and myself perform better.”

First Flight isn’t the only school playing non-conference teams, or playing against tougher opponents within this tournament.

“Camden is going to play Wilson Prep. Wilson Prep is a really good private school who’s playing,” Williams explained.

While participating in a sport that you love,

playing against impressive competitors, or sitting in the bleachers watching it all happen makes for an awesome event, the fact that it’s for a good cause and has a heartwarming backstory makes it all the better.

“Knowing that we are playing for something bigger than basketball is a really cool feeling, and we as a team owe it to Coach Williams to leave everything out on the floor,” Dobie said.

Senior Colin Byard can be reached at 22byardco55@ daretolearn.org.

Long-distance runners maintain

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By Stella Bryson News Editor

fter being separated from each other for a month, running buddies Tatum Dermatas and Lily Snow reunited once again on the cross country course.

As competitors.

In late September, First Flight participated in the annual Adidas Cross Country Challenge Invitational in Cary, North Carolina. Runners from schools all over the state attended the meet.

That list included students who attend the North Carolina School of Science and Math in Durham, a team Submitted photo that now includes Snow, a former FFHS Former First Flight Middle School running standouts (from left) Lydia Sillies, Tatum Derma- student.

“I was running by myself in the meet tas, Lily Snow and Colin Tran celebrate a championship.

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and then Lily came out of nowhere and ran beside me,” Dermatas said.

Although the juniors now live halfway across the state from each other, in some ways, the meet was just like old times.

Snow and Dermatas were used to running together because they had been teammates since middle school and they both run the same events, so neither of them was surprised to end up next to each other in the race.

“I did get to talk to the whole team at one point, but I ended up running the last mile and a half of the race with Tatum,” Snow said.

Snow and Dermatas didn’t go easy on each other. They couldn’t forget that they were there to compete.

The duo stayed together the entire

NIGHTHAWK News Magazine / / fall / / 2021

Siblings playing sports side by side makes for a dream team

By Allie Nigro Features Editor

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here’s 10 seconds on the clock. Your teammate passes the ball and you dribble as far as you can before taking the shot. The buzzer sounds as the ball flies through the air and swishes through the net, giving your team the win.

Though this might sound like a normal basketball game, there’s one big difference – you received the pass from your brother.

This year, multiple First Flight students are playing sports side by side with their siblings, two of whom are junior Isaac Dobie and his freshman brother, Mason.

“We’ve been playing together for eight years, so we have a ton of chemistry,” Isaac said.

They are looking forward to being on the varsity basketball team this winter after years of playing together on other teams. It all started when they were young, and they have lots of funny memories.

“We used to play one-onone when we were younger,” Mason said. “Isaac would always beat me. I’d get mad and we’d end up fighting.”

Being part of the same team now comes with advantages, though.

“We both keep each other in check,” Isaac said. “If we mess up something, we’ll make sure we’re not dwelling on it, and move onto the next play while also trying to correct the mistakes.”

The brothers agree that being on the court together is something they love, but times are not always perfect. It can be easier to fight and harder to get along since they know each so well and spend so much time together.

“Sometimes arguments from off the court come onto the court,” Isaac said.

Just like Isaac and Mason, junior Mackenzie Edwards and freshman Abby Edwards are able to relate on a deep level.

They are both part of the varsity volleyball team, and with Abby being Mackenzie’s setter, they make the ultimate duo.

“Since I’m a setter, she tells me how she wants the ball differently,” Abby said. “She also tells me good job when no one else would understand that it was good.”

Senior twins Dylan and Colin Byard are both part of the varsity soccer team and also have a great relationship as they help lead their team to victory.

“We both always assist each other in goals,’’ Colin said.

Having your sibling by your side can keep you in a good mental state, too, when it comes to being reminded of what’s important.

“He helps me motivate myself,” Dylan said.

Not only do these siblings have a great relationship when playing together, but also have some fun behind-the-scenes rituals, too.

“Abby and I have a really long handshake that we made, and we do it before games,” Mackenzie said.

Submitted photo

Mackenzie Edwards (left) and sister Abby Edwards smile for a photo after a dominating home win against Pasquotank High School.

Mackenzie, a junior, has enjoyed being set up for kills by her freshman sister this season.

Having your sibling as a teammate is something special that not everyone is lucky enough to have. Sometimes, they even become your ultimate cheerleader.

“If I do something really great she’ll cheer for me extra loud,” Mackenzie said.

Junior Allie Nigro can be reached at 23nigroal20@daretolearn.org.

Photo by Wright Emory/OBX Sports Shots

Senior twins Colin and Dylan Byard embrace each other after scoring a goal for their team. Colin (left) is co-captain of the varsity soccer team, and has been playing with his brother Dylan since they were 4 years old.

their long-distance friendships race. Dermatas crossed the finish line in 21 minutes, 15.30 seconds, good for 44th place. Snow was less than three seconds behind at 21:18.20. Both placed in the top 50 competitors at the invitational.

But, Snow’s team had bragging rights: NCSSM placed fourth overall, while FFHS finished 19th. There were 200 students from 21 schools at the meet “This meet was a big deal because there were a lot of people there and it was the first time it was happening since COVID started,” Dermatas said.

Snow ran track and cross country at First Flight Middle and FFHS as a freshman and sophomore before getting the chance to finish her high school career at the prestigious residential school.

Two other former Nighthawks – JoJo NIGHTHAWK News Magazine / / sports

Morgan and Colin Tran – also are running with her this year at NCSSM. The two teams have very distinct dynamics, according to Snow.

“There are a lot of differences between the two teams,” Snow said. “I would say that the main (difference) is that not only do we all run together and go to school together, but we all live together, so the team is quite close.”

Still, all those years with her Nighthawk teammates made the reunion at the Cary race a unique experience.

“It was really weird to be competing against what used to be my team,” Snow said. “But on the other hand, it was really nice to see them all because I’ve missed them.”

Junior Stella Bryson can be reached at 23brysonst69@daretolearn.org.

Submitted Photo

Former teammates-turned-competitors (from left) JoJo Morgan, Lily Snow, Tatum Dermatas and Colin Tran enjoy a moment together after a September race in the Triangle.

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NIGHTHAWK News Magazine / / fall / / 2021

HOCO

Photos by Taylor Newton/Nighthawk News

Clockwise, from top left: Covered head-to-toe in their new class color, seniors (from left) Joey Krieg, Colin Byard, Benicio Garcia Agresto, Fiona McKenna and Warner Campbell toss around baby powder and candy on the ‘Starstruck Seniors’ float. Freshmen athletes (from left) Kallie Gregg, Caroline York, Ella Ogburn and Rylee Lundy compete in a tug-o-war against the sophomore athletes. Taking part in their first parade as Nighthawks, freshmen cheer out in an effort to show their school spirit. Leaping above the walls of the ‘Jaws’ float, juniors Kirra Dawson and Jace Porrata enjoy the return of parades after a year’s absence. Encouraging the football team, sophomores show their support for beating the Camden Bruins from their float during the Homecoming parade. Waving toward the crowd of Nighthawks filling the bleachers, cheerleaders (from left) Virginia Godley, Kelcie Dunbar, Aubrey Holland and Rhea Doyle finish their show and head back into the stands.

NIGHTHAWK News Magazine / / sports

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First Flight Sports Spotlight: Q&A with

Colin Byard

Kendrick Pierce

Grace Woerner

Emma Gibbons

Senior

Senior

Senior

Junior

How long have you been playing soccer? I have been playing for 15 years, practically my whole life.

What are you going to miss the most? I am probably just going to miss being with my friends the most.

What’s your favorite part about playing soccer? Beating Manteo.

What’s your favorite memory playing your sport? My favorite memory is the bus rides back on JV. Where is your favorite place to eat before/after a game? Jack Brown’s. I always go there with my friends, and their Greg Brady sandwich is my favorite.

What player (teammate, college or pro) do you look up to the most and why? I look up to Wes Rhodes because he is a very skilled player.

What is your dream job and why? A doctor, because I could make a living.

If you became a millionaire by age 20, what would you do with it?

I would buy a new car and save my money for the future.

How long have you been playing football? Since third grade.

What are you going to miss the most? Probably the feeling right before games, just being with the team and the environment of it and seeing the crowd and lights coming on.

What is your favorite thing to do before a game? Play Lil Baby and get in my zone.

What is your favorite part about your sport? My position. I like where I play and that I get to hit people. I play defensive line.

What player (teammate, college or pro) do you look up to the most and why? JJ Watt because that’s my position and he’s in the NFL. What’s your favorite memory playing your sport? Probably winning the championship on my birthday when I was really young, in like sixth grade.

If you became a millionaire by age 20, what would you do with it? Probably give it back to my community.

How long have you been playing tennis? Since I was about 4, so roughly about 12 or 13 years.

How long have you been playing volleyball? Four years, since seventh grade.

What’s your favorite part about playing tennis? I really like playing singles because I can feel the improvement as I grow through the years.

What’s your favorite part about playing volleyball? The competitiveness.

Where is your favorite place to eat before/after games? If it’s an away game, Panera. If it’s a home game, Jack Brown’s.

What player (teammate, college, pro) do you look up to most, and why? I’ve always been a fan of Serena Williams since I was young because we’d always watch her on TV. I remember watching her win so many different tournaments ever since I was little.

What’s your favorite memory about playing your sport? Definitely my sophomore year when we traveled overnight to play. It was just really fun to be with my teammates overnight and just goof around.

If you could have dinner with any three people (living or dead), who would it be, and why? Serena Williams is one of them because she’s awesome; Lindsay Vaughan because she’s a famous skier and I love to ski; and then Lana Del Ray because I love her music.

What is your favorite holiday, and why? Christmas, because I love seeing my family and getting free presents.

If you could have dinner with any three people (living or dead), who would it be? Drake, Michael Jordan, and my friend that passed, Caleb.

What’s a fun fact about yourself?

I grew up in New Jersey.

What is your biggest pet peeve?

When people do not pay attention.

What is a lifelong dream of yours? I’ve always wanted to be a meteorologist since I was young.

What’s your favorite TV show?

“Hawaii 5.0” because every episode had me on the edge of my seat.

If you could be any animal, what would it be? Why? A cheetah; they are really fast.

What’s your go-to karaoke song?

“Budapest” by George Ezra. I know every word.

What is a lifelong dream of yours? Probably to live somewhere that’s not in the U.S.

What’s your favorite beach access? Why do you like it? Byrd Street.

We can’t go anywhere else.

What’s a fun fact about yourself? I’m not short, I’m fun-sized.

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What’s your favorite memory of playing volleyball? In eighth grade, I got hit in the face with the ball when we were playing Currituck and the athletic trainer thought I had a concussion, but I didn’t.

If you became a millionaire by age 20, what would you do with it?

I would buy a nice house and I would spend all the money on granola bars.

What is your favorite holiday and why? I like Christmas because of the vibes it gives off. When Christmas comes around, everything is so calm and everyone is so nice.

What is a lifelong dream of yours? To play volleyball in college.

What’s a fun fact about yourself?

I have been the same height for about three years now. I have not grown an inch Favorite TV show? I like the TV show “You.” Favorite teacher ever? Ms. Brinkley: I had her three years in elementary school. I loved her – my favorite teacher ever.

Favorite beach access? I like anywhere down south because there is never anyone there.

If you could be any animal what would you be, and why? I would be an elephant because they are big.

NIGHTHAWK News Magazine / / fall / / 2021

Nighthawk student-athletes Pre-Order your copy of the 2022 Shorelines at

YearbookOrderCenter.com or stop by the yearbook room. Books are just $45 this school year!

Devon Coughlin

Alexa Hallac

Alayna Jester

Senior

Freshman

Sophomore

How long have you been running cross country? Three years.

What are you going to miss the most? Meeting the new freshmen that come in.

What is your favorite thing to do before a meet? Listen to music and talk to everyone to get hype.

What runner (teammate, college, pro) do you look up to most, and why? I look up to Warner (Campbell) the most because he’s just insane and he’s really strong mentally.

What’s your favorite memory playing your sport? My first year running, sophomore year, at the last meet in conference, at Currituck. I got sub-20 (minutes), which is what I really wanted, and I was so happy.

If you became a millionaire by age 20, what would you do with it?

Help out my family as much as I can.

What is your biggest pet peeve?

Trash talk.

What is a lifelong dream of yours? To be successful and be happy where I am.

What’s your favorite beach access? Why do you like it? Martin Street because I bike everywhere and that’s the closest to me.

What’s your favorite TV show?

“Regular Show.”

How long have you been running cross country? I have been running since the beginning of middle school.

What’s your favorite part about running cross country? It gets you in really good shape and it’s really fun to compete with people in races.

What is your favorite part about your sport? It’s super challenging, so seeing improvements through the season is always exciting.

What runner (teammate, college or pro) do you look up to the most and why? I look up to Tatum (Dermatas) because she’s a really good runner and has helped me improve a lot throughout my season.

If you became a millionaire by age 20, what would you do with it?

Buy a huge house and have fun with my friends.

What is your favorite holiday?

Why? Fourth of July, because there’s always super fun things to do with friends.

What is a lifelong dream of yours? To be successful.

What’s your favorite beach access? Why do you like it? Abalone, because there is usually some nice surf.

What’s the best movie you’ve ever seen? “50 First Dates.”

Go-to karaoke song? A Taylor Swift song, maybe “22.”

How long have you been cheering? This will be my 10th season.

Don’t miss out on 216 pages of memories from this year! Advertising spots for seniors & businesses remain as well! Contact adviser Steve Hanf with any questions at 449-7000 or hanfst@daretolearn.org.

What’s your favorite part about cheering? The teamwork aspect and having to trust the people around you stunting.

What’s your favorite memory doing your sport? The competitions when I was younger. When I was in elementary school, there were all these older kids that I looked up to, and I just loved watching them and the way they would cheer me on.

If you became a millionaire by age 20, what would you do with it?

I would probably donate a lot of it to some sort of charity.

What is your biggest pet peeve?

Being able to hear people chew their food.

What is a lifelong dream of yours? Being able to have a family and a future, and living on the Outer Banks, right on the beach.

Best teacher ever? Why? Mrs. Mascio. I hate history but I’ve learned so much in her class and she’s definitely one of my favorites.

What’s your favorite TV show?

“Grey’s Anatomy.”

Go-to karaoke song? Literally any Taylor Swift song. I know all the words to all of them.

What’s a fun fact about yourself?

I play guitar and I sing.

a book for every reader Milepost 4.5 • 3712 Croatan Hwy Kitty Hawk • (252) 255-5590 Scarborough Faire Shops Duck • (252) 261-8981 Historic Corolla Village Corolla • (252)453-2292

Photography by Kate Hamilton, Taylor Newton, Olivia Sugg and Kira Walters Reporting by Emmy Benton, Emma Braithwaite, Kayla Hallac, Callie Honeycutt, Noah Kinnisten, Audrey Lovell and Maggie McNinch NIGHTHAWK News Magazine / / sports

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NIGHTHAWK News Magazine / / fall / / 2021