May 2016 Nighthawk News Magazine by Steve Hanf

NIGHTHAWK NEWS STAFF

WHAT’S INSIDE The sun sets on the Class of 2016: Learn more about the achievements, obstacles, hopes and dreams of a cross-section of First Flight’s senior class. Coverage begins on Page 4 and concludes with a college map spanning Pages 20-21. 22 – Renewed China partnership brings visitors to First Flight in September, offers chance to travel in 2017 23 – Faculty members ready to enjoy retirement 24 – ESL students face challenges in new surroundings 26 – ‘Adopted’ student an inspiration to the Will family 28 – Girls encouraged to explore computer science ﬁelds 29 – Giant classroom TVs pose dilemma for school 30 – Opinions abound on beaches, prom, $20s and GMOs 34 – Old friends ﬁnd new homes on D-I sports teams 35 – Special Olympics a special experience for all 37 – Spring sports seasons full of wins, losses and fun 38 – Nighthawk Sports Cards: Collect them all!

Kristina Carter Co-Editor-in-Chief

Mary Pat Thompson Co-Editor-in-Chief

Kelly Weisbecker Co-Editor-in-Chief

Steve Hanf Adviser

Nina Holly Business Manager

Byrde Wells Sports Editor

Dea Celaj Photo Editor

Mack Doebler Staff Writer

Suzanne Harrison Staff Writer

Arabella Saunders Staff Writer

Beverly Murry Staff Writer

Amy Wrenn Photographer

Sarah Skinner Staff Writer

Meghan Savona Staff Writer

Alex Rodman Staff Writer

Reid Kelly Graphic Designer

Sarah Shotton Photographer

Ashlee Geraghty Staff Writer

Mack Mandl – Webmaster

ighthawk News Magazine has been published four times this 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. Approximately 4,000 copies are inserted in the Outer Banks Sentinel, while another 2,000 will be distributed in various retail outlets on 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, while 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. You can reach the Nighthawk News staff by mail at 100 Veterans Drive, Kill Devil Hills, N.C. 27948, by phone at (252) 449-7000 ext. 2437 or by e-mail at hanfst@daretolearn.org. Advertising inquiries can be made by phone or email. Nighthawk News is a member of North Carolina Scholastic Media and the Columbia Scholastic, National Scholastic, and Southern Interscholastic press associations. Our stories also are published online at NighthawkNews.org. Follow us on Twitter @FFNighthawkNews, Facebook.com/NighthawkNews and Instagram @FFHSNighthawkNews. Target Printing and Distribution of the Fayetteville Observer prints our publication.

summer / / 2016

ON THE COVER

and, surf and sun. That’s why visitors flock to the Outer Banks year after year, and it’s a big reason we love this place we call home. Even when the sun doesn’t shine. Clouds rolled in as seniors Nathan Butcher, Caroline Cowan, Carla Hardy, Israel Lopez, Sarah Mandis, Laura Maniet, Hunter Midkiff, Sara Munson, Alex Thomas, Kelly Weisbecker and Chloe Williams arrived at Jockey’s Ridge. Park Rangers graciously agreed to let us into Soundside Park after the regular 7 p.m. closing time. Sunset came at 7:50, but as the sun dipped toward the sound, it became obscured by clouds. Undaunted, senior Sarah Shotton and junior Amy Wrenn shot on. “It was a bummer, but there’s nothing we could have done to change it that night,” Shotton said. “We kind of worked with what nature gave us. It was still pretty. It’s still better than skyscrapers and big open farm fields. We got to be standing in a body of water up to our knees.” And brave the elements. “My legit worst fear is crabs,” Shotton said. “When the first person screamed, I was like, ‘We need to do this ASAP and get out of here. We’re in their territory now.’ ” Several of the seniors went out for frozen yogurt after the shoot, but Shotton had to skip Surfin’ Spoon because she was soaked.

Photo by Amy Wrenn/Nighthawk News After wading into the water at Jockey’s Ridge Soundside Park, members of the First Flight Class of 2016 have fun trying different poses for the cover of their final high school newspaper. Still, she loved the experience, as did those involved. “They thought it was really cool and were excited they got to be on the cover,” Shotton said. “They were glad they decided to come out instead of sitting at home and not taking part like some kids did.” So here we go – let us introduce you to the first ever Senior Edition of Nighthawk News Magazine. A round of applause to everyone involved, from the writers and photographers to the many incredible and interesting seniors who gave us a glimpse into their lives. – From The Editors

Photos by Amy Wrenn/Nighthawk News Senior photographer Sarah Shotton throws caution to the wind while getting the cover shot in the Roanoke Sound. After the formal photos, the seniors lingered for more fun. Sarah Mandis and Laura Maniet (above) captured the moment on social media, and Kelly Weisbecker and Carla Hardy (below) paused for a hug. NIGHTHAWK News Magazine / / table of contents

Dark path leads to Breit future

ne of senior Cole Breit’s favorite items of clothing is a T-shirt that proclaims “I pooped today!” For most, a shirt like this would be bought as a joke, but in Breit’s case, this shirt is laced with a note of seriousness. When Breit was 11 years old, he was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, a chronic bowel disease that causes ulcers and inflammation in the digestive tract. Following his diagnosis, Breit was subjected to countless medical tests, colonoscopies and prescriptions. After developing an allergy to the medication Remicade, Breit learned that his only other option was surgery. When his surgery finally happened, it took 12 hours and left Breit with a small hole in his side and a colostomy bag – a disposal bag that permits the collection of bodily wastes. Throughout the six months Breit had to wear the colostomy bag, he was presented with a variety of challenges. “I wasn’t really normal,” Breit said. “I tried to be normal over the summer and I just couldn’t do as many things as I could when I didn’t have a colostomy bag. I tried to swim in the pool, tried to play some basketball with my friends, tried to do whatever with my friends so I wouldn’t be ‘the weird kid with a bag on his side.’ ” Six months passed, and Breit was back in the hospital for a second surgery to reroute his intestines. “I went back to get the second surgery, which rerouted everything, so I was back to normal,” Breit said. “I was feeling great and I was doing great.” Confident that his medical complications had finally come to an end, Breit was devastated when his symptoms returned a year later. He made another trip to the hospital to get bloodwork done, but what started as a routine check-

Photo by Amy Wrenn/Nighthawk News Senior Cole Breit stands center stage concentrating on playing his guitar. Breit plays in Duck United Methodist Church’s praise band and First Flight’s marching and jazz bands. up quickly blossomed into a shocking discovery. Breit learned that he had tested positive for Crohn’s disease. He had been misdiagnosed two years earlier and had endured years of medical complications because of it. Following this news, Breit’s life slowly began to unravel. “That really hit me hard,” Breit said. “I went through one of the hardest times of my life, one of the most emotional times of my life. I just didn’t feel any hope or anything like that.” In an attempt to cope with what he was feeling,

Breit turned to material things, hoping they would make up for whatever he was lacking. “I would try pornography, I would try video games, I would try TV, I would try crying myself to sleep,” Breit said. “But nothing was working out, nothing was filling the void that had been clawed out of my life.” When all else failed, Breit turned to God. His parents were members of Duck United Methodist Church and his father sang in the choir. One Sunday, Breit woke up with the same emptiness that had

been plaguing him for months and decided he would give religion a try. “I hit rock bottom and I had no other choices left except for going to church, because that’s the only thing I hadn’t tried,” Breit said. “When all else failed, I went to God.” Breit found that going to church could fill that feeling of emptiness inside of him. Later that year, he joined his church’s praise band and discovered that his life was finally changing for the better. “I joined the praise band and really got my life back together,” Breit said.

“That’s when I think I grew up and became a man.” Despite the many obstacles Breit has faced, he has been able to overcome them all and believes he’s a better person today because of it. “I think I would be a stuck up, arrogant idiot if I hadn’t gone through any of that,” Breit said. “I wouldn’t be who I am today. I wouldn’t be humble, I wouldn’t be gracious, and I wouldn’t be loving.” His experiences have taught him many life lessons that he hopes he can use to help others who are experiencing similar challenges. “I think my story is a great story and I think people can relate to it,” Breit said. “Everybody’s failed and everyone’s screwed up and I believe I can help people get to their solution faster just by my attitude, my words, my actions and how I treat others.” Maintaining a positive attitude has played a significant role in Breit’s life. He believes his positive attitude has allowed him to enjoy high school more than most do. “Overall, my high school experience was amazing,” Breit said. “I had great memories and lots of friends. I was in marching band, jazz band, chorus, I played baseball my freshman and junior year. It’s just cool to go through high school and not have a bad experience, because lots of people do have bad experiences.” Breit will be attending the college of engineering at NC State. He is looking forward to the freedom of college and starting a new chapter of his life. He hopes to apply the same positive attitude he’s had in high school to college. “College is a different experience and it’s a way to grow up,” Breit said. “I think it’s gonna be a great experience for me.” – Arabella Saunders summer / / 2016

Photo by Amy Wrenn/Nighthawk News Senior Ryan Seal shows off a map of Australia, her soon-to-be home. With support from her family, friends and Jesus, Seal is excited for her future and the plans that she has set.

Seal takes long leap of faith Down Under

hile most seniors are preparing themselves for leaving home, senior Ryan Seal is preparing herself for a move all the way to Australia. Seal plans on attending Hillsong International Leadership College in Australia and is leaving in July. “I was looking online at colleges and was pretty set on going to Liberty University. Then I saw an ad for Hillsong College,” Seal said. “It was such a Jesus thing. I had always loved their music, so when I ﬁgured out they had a college I was stoked.” Hillsong College is located in Sydney and is known mostly for ministry, especially through Christian music. They have a fellowship band that originated from Hillsong Church. They have had a lot of success in the world of Christian music.

One of the biggest inﬂuences toward her decision to attend Hillsong was her relationship with God. Seal will be studying worship pastoral leadership with a vocal focus, and if she decides to stay, she plans to get a bachelor’s degree in Theology. “As of now, I’m just trusting in the Lord. My biggest dream is to become a worship pastor and travel the world showing people the love of Jesus Christ,” Seal said. Like most graduating seniors, Seal says that she is mostly looking forward to change, growth, meeting new people, and all that the Lord has in store for her. Between her family, work and church, Seal knows that she has a good support system as she embarks on this journey. Seal is an active member of Liberty Christian Fellowship and also works at Surﬁn’ Spoon.

“The hardest thing is going to be being away from my family, work and church,” she said. “I’ve loved living here and couldn’t have asked for a better place to grow up.” All of the support from her family and friends is going to make the transition easier, but what’s really made this easier is her support from Jesus. “Though I was born and raised here and most of my family is here, I know that Jesus is with me and I’m doing what he wants me to,” Seal said. Throughout her life, Seal has put her faith in God and she knows that whatever she embarks on, God has a plan for her life. “Don’t be afraid to go after your biggest dream. Give it to the Lord and watch him make something so beautiful out of it and greater than you could imagine. Don’t limit yourself and don’t limit Jesus. He’s got a big plan for you.” – Ashlee Geraghty

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NIGHTHAWK News Magazine / / senior celebration

Dreams do come true

he American Dream is an often overlooked and rather cliché term to the average U.S. citizen, but what does it mean when you’re from another country? To senior Alejandra Sanchez, the idea of the American Dream means new possibilities for success and prosperity in a country where practically everything anyone could ask for is at their fingertips. Sanchez was born in Mexico and moved to the United States when she was seven years old. While Sanchez should have been going into the second grade, the language barrier was initially so difficult that her parents made the decision to put her back in first grade. Since she knew no English, she began to avoid all of her homework except the math portion, where some of her family could help her. Eventually Sanchez was able to overcome the language obstacle, becoming fully fluent in English by third grade. “Even with the language barrier, I was put into classes I should have been put in, but it challenged me. I was part of the ESL program for two years, so when I was in third grade I was taken out of it,” Sanchez said.

Photo by Dea Celaj/Nighthawk News Senior Alejandra Sanchez works with freshman Wilmer Hernandez in English class. Sanchez enjoys helping students during her free period so they can chase the same ‘American Dream’ she did. Now, Sanchez turns what was a handicap for her into something that can benefit others facing the same issues she once dealt with. As part of her senior project, Sanchez created a website that offers details on scholarships, legal information, personal accounts of new students facing similar problems, and what her idea of the American Dream is. Her presentation has since helped students with crucial information they may have not been able to find without the website. “The people that benefited from it were the people that saw it through my presentation and my senior project,” Sanchez said. “I peer tutor

the newcomers for third period, so two of them that are graduating next year have been able to access the website and look at different scholarships.” In Mexico, a sophomore in college would be getting the equivalent education of a high school senior in America. The better opportunities, lifestyle and the search for the American Dream are what enticed Sanchez’s family. “The American Dream means having a better education than the one you have in your country,” Sanchez said. “You don’t have the same opportunities over there as you do here.” – Beverly Murry

summer / / 2016

ValedictorIAN

chool had always come easily to Ian Kenny, but after taking ﬁve Advanced Placement classes his junior year, he was forced to adapt to the large workload and rigorous schedule. His competitive nature and strong motivation pushed him above and beyond all expectations. Leading his class with a 5.0284 weighted GPA, Kenny was named First Flight’s 20152016 valedictorian. “I have always held myself to a high standard of success. I don’t like losing and it’s kind of a problem sometimes, but it’s also good because it pushes me,” Kenny said. “But I have learned that sometimes you have to learn differently in some classes than you would in others, so you can’t let your initial failure be discouraging.” Though Kenny has taken on more than his fair share of school activities as DECA Club president, National Honor Society member, Student Government Association treasurer, and JV/varsity men’s soccer player, he believes in quality over quantity. “I feel like colleges are more concerned about your impact in high school rather than having your name attached to a lot of things,” Kenny said. “You want to focus on a few things that you can be extremely good at, and not over-stretch yourself.” Looking back on the countless nights with-

out sleep, dozens of missed school sporting events, and endless hours of homework and stress, Kenny concluded that: “It was definitely worth it.” Earning the title of valedictorian has opened doors for Kenny that are shut and locked for others. “Being valedictorian gives you more choices as to where you want to go after high school, and you’re setting yourself up for the rest of your life,” Kenny said. “If you think of being valedictorian as a crowning, then you aren’t going to be successful. It is really just a stepping stone in your life.” After applying to Harvard and being accepted to the Ivy League’s University of Pennsylvania, Kenny will be attending UNC-Chapel Hill’s business school this fall with plans to double-major in business and sustainability. Kenny’s interests in sustainability were influenced by the environment of the Outer Banks and his desires to maintain the beaches. With his sustainability degree, Kenny aspires to find a career that will help him preserve and protect the environment, and that will take him somewhere more than this beach. An ocean-full of opportunity awaits. “As much as I have done in high school, looking back, there is so much more I could have accomplished,” Kenny said. “There is always room for improvement.” – Alex Rodman

Photo by Sarah Shotton/Nighthawk News For senior Ian Kenny, school was no day at the beach. After a rigorous course load and a wide array of extracurricular activities, Kenny earned the title of 2016 valedictorian.

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Eckard shifts from hallways to highways

enioritis, daunting GPAs and graduation are some buzzwords guaranteed to fill any senior’s stomach with at least a tinge of anxiety. To some, getting to see their friends is what prompts them to get out of bed in the morning and brave those anxieties. To others, it is the educational value that comes with going to school. For Isaac Eckard, it was the thrill of adventure and exploration that got him out of his bed. A bed, mind you, that was placed in the back of his 1998 Toyota Tacoma. For his senior year, Eckard decided to drive from the Outer Banks to New Mexico and explore New Mexico and Colorado – while finishing his studies online, of course. What prompted the journey? “Well, my grandparents wanted me to come and visit them,” he said. “And I didn’t really have any obligations – no soccer obligations – so I was like, ‘I have free time and my dog. Might as well get out there and visit them for a little bit.’” While on the road, Eckard had “a pretty good schedule going for us.” Eckard would drive until he got a little under half a tank of gas, then stop for a 15-minute break with his dog, Kai, and get more gas. Most roadtrippers will tell you that music is pretty important during a trip, sometimes to keep you awake and sometimes just to entertain. In Eckard’s Tacoma, the

Photo provided by Isaac Eckard Isaac Eckard’s dog, Kai, enjoys the view in Twin Lakes, Colorado, in the San Isabel National Forest. Kai was Eckard’s faithful companion on his unique trip. radio was broken, but he didn’t sit in silence. “I had to use a bluetooth speaker and my phone most of the time. I would use Pandora, but I downloaded a few songs before I came back. (That) kept it going,” he said, before adding, “I definitely need to fix that sometime soon. It was like just a little speaker I had sitting on the dash.” To get to Albuquerque, Eckard took I-40 through Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas. He skipped stops in Tennessee, as he was already familiar with the state.

When you’re on the road, travelers get bombarded with billboards and restaurants all vying for your money. Eckard, however, had a more frugal way to eat. “I packed all my food. Sometimes I would stop in McDonald’s and grab a cheeseburger, but I’d just give it to my dog,” Eckard explained. “It’s more for him, I’d just grab like an ice cream cone and he’d get the cheeseburger.” He carried all the food he needed in a cargo trailer he borrowed. Cold items were kept in a cooler, and instead of buying bags of ice,

he used big blocks of ice because they lasted longer. Spending money on hotel rooms every night would drive a steep bill, and Eckard wasn’t packing that sort of cash. Because of this, he took a more adventurous approach, camping in the back of his Tacoma. “The first day I slept (in my car) was obviously really scary. I had gone to Asheville and stayed at a family friend’s house and then from there I was on my own and it was pretty nerve-racking the first night,” Eckard said. “The second night was a little better, but it took a couple nights to get adjusted to it.” Once he was used to it, he began to learn the best ways to car camp and still take advantage of the services he could. “Most of the time we would dry camp for like four days and then come out and stay at the closest state park and get a nice shower. You pay 10 bucks, they give you a shower, they give you electric, water at your campsite… . Very nice.” The trip provided a great deal of freedom. “I wasn’t really on a schedule, I just did what I wanted to and explored,” Eckard said. “If I wanted to stop and stay at a camp spot that I thought was super nice I could just be like, ‘Yeah, we’re gonna stay here for the day and hang out.’ ” Eckard arrived in Albuquerque around the end of November and stayed with his grandparents until

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Photos provided by Isaac Eckard Isaac Eckard enjoyed taking breathtaking photographs of landscapes such as Poncha Springs, Colorado, on the way to the Rio Grande National Forest (top) as well as in the Sandia National Forest in New Mexico. February. While he was there, he worked a few jobs to get together some money. “I did warehouse maintenance for my grandpa’s company. They do food distributing in Albuquerque,” Eckard said. “I drove some forklifts for a little bit and re-did the roofs for the warehouse. We did it for an ice cream company, so we could get free ice cream all the time. I almost got sick off of ice cream. I also cut firewood for my grandpa down in the national forest. He’s got a cabin down there in the Gila.” In February, Eckard went up to Colorado to continue his travels. He did some fly-fishing and tried to snowboard a bit, but had to wait until he could find some new gear. His friend is a ski guide on Telluride Mountain, and with much-needed gear and a friend, Eckard was able to explore the mountain. “The employee housing was like 9,900 feet and then the peak goes to like 13,300 feet,” Eckard said. “We hike like halfway up it, the lift goes to like 10 thousand (feet), and then you have to hike the rest of the way. That was pretty scary. The icy footholds the whole way up, just in snowboard shoes, straight down on either side, just the board on your back with the wind blow-

ing 20 mph. “I was like, ‘Are you sure we can drop in on that?’ It was so steep I’d never snowboarded anything that steep, but once you got on, it was good.” After Telluride, Eckard went back to Albuquerque to visit with his grandparents one more time. He went on a camping trip with them and then began the drive home to the beach. “It definitely makes you appreciate coming back to the beach,” he said. “I missed the ocean and my family. I’m definitely sorry I missed my senior year, but I’m glad I did what I did.” To any aspiring adventurers, Eckard has some advice: “Organize your gear. After the third night, my gear was all over the place. The third night I stopped at a truck stop and I wanted to camp and all my gear was just everywhere and I just put pillows and blankets on top of my gear and bed and he (the dog) had to sleep on that and I slept on the bed and it was just a mess,” Eckard explained. Most of all, though, “Don’t be afraid to hit the road. Go for it. I was definitely afraid at first, but after the first couple of days it gets better.” – Mack Doebler

NIGHTHAWK News Magazine / / senior celebration

Making a racket

any young athletes devote countless hours and invest tons of money into the sports they play in order to achieve the ever-elusive dream of becoming a college athlete. For senior Jack Brady, this dream is on the brink of becoming a reality. Brady has his sights set on walking on to the tennis team at UNC Charlotte after getting accepted into the college earlier this year. For Brady, this opportunity is a direct result of dedication to a sport he has been involved with since a young age. Brady began playing tennis when he was only seven years old. His feelings toward the sport when he began highly contradict the passion he has for tennis today. “I started playing because my mom basically forced me to go to a tennis camp at Duck Woods Country Club,” Brady said. This soon culminated into something greater, as Brady began training for the sport every week. When he reached high school, Brady took his weekly workload to a new level to see more success on the court. “It depends on what season it is: If it’s in the summer, I try to play and work out. Solo workouts are usually an hour long and I’ll play tennis for an hour and a half, so that’s about 15 hours a week during the summer,” Brady said. “If I’m getting ready for regionals, I’m over there hitting on the ball machine as much as I can for two hours at a time and working out as well. There’s a lot more effort in going to get the consistency up in your shots (during the season), you’ve just got to hit as many balls as you can.” This work ethic paid off for Brady, as he has had one of the most decorated and consistent sports careers of any First Flight athlete. He has been the conference player of the year for the past three years, MVP on the team the last three years, placed third in regionals in his sophomore and junior years and won regionals this season. Despite not being heavily recruited by colleges for tennis, Brady was still intrigued by the ability to walk on at a college. However, academics were still the main factor in determining where Brady wanted to pursue college. “I didn’t really think about playing sports that much. If I went to a school and they had a program that I could play in, I totally would,” Brady said. “As far as academically, I want to pursue something in the medical field, specifically like the physical medical field.” Brady found the perfect match with Charlotte, as the school provided for both his academic interests as well as the opportunity to play tennis. Making an NCAA Division I roster is challenging, but Brady is confident he can contribute as a walk-on. “I’m kinda just winging it as far as going and playing on the team goes,” Brady said. “I don’t think I’ll have a problem making the team. If I’m gonna play bench, which I probably won’t, I’m not gonna play, and then I’m gonna try out the next year and practice some during the offseason. But I’m sure I’ll make it in the top six.” For someone who describes tennis as “one of those sports where the amount of success you get out of it is how much effort you put into it,” Brady still maintains a relaxed approach to the game. This will surely benefit him on his journey to play college tennis as well as throughout his life.

Photo by Amy Wrenn/Nighthawk News Senior Jack Brady displays his regional first-place medal while posing with the American flag. After winning regionals for the first time, he has his sights set on college tennis. “It’s one of those sports you can play forever,” Brady said. “You actually can’t get too competitive with it unless you wanna be one of the absolutely best people in the world. There’s no reason to get too competitive.” – Byrde Wells

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summer / / 2016

From Atlantic to Pacific

ollowing in the footsteps of her older brothers, Heidi Jacobson is planning to travel 5,000 miles from home when she graduates. Leaving the Outer Banks can be a lot easier to do when you’re excited about your future, and Jacobson is. She is attending Brigham Young University (BYU) in Hawaii, like a lot of people she knows have done before her. Growing up in a small town and being a Mormon who attends church almost every day, she’s always been surrounded by a close-knit group of people who are like her family, which can make leaving even more difficult. Although Jacobson has chosen a spot that’s far away from all things familiar, BYU is a small school of 2,500 students, with 97 percent of those being Mormon. Knowing that she’ll be surrounded by people going through

the same thing will help make the transition from North Carolina to Hawaii a lot easier. “Leaving everyone I know will be hard, but since BYU is a Mormon school, I’ll be going to school with people I know I have something in common with, so that’s really cool,” Jacobson said. “It’s nice to know that I won’t be alone.” BYU is on a 100-acre campus settled between mountains and the beach, which is another thing that will make Jacobson’s college experience so much different from the rest of her peers. The ideal scenery is a stark contrast when compared to the busy cities many colleges are in. “I’m most excited about living in such a beautiful place and living right across from the beach,” Jacobson said. “Hawaii is an amazing place full of cool opportunities that I hope to take advantage of while I’m there.”

However, going to college in Hawaii won’t make her classes any easier or dorms any roomier. Jacobson will still have the same struggles that every college kid in America has: complaints about cafeteria food, classes that will be difficult, and tuition that will be high, but Jacobson is still anxious and excited about it all – the good and the bad. “I can’t wait to take classes that I’m genuinely interested in. I’m majoring in international business management and minoring in psychology,” Jacobson said. “I’m not too excited about sharing a dorm with three other people or having to eat cafeteria food, but there’s nothing else I’m not looking forward to. There are so many amazing things to do there.” When asked where they want to go to college, most kids don’t know what to say. Even into their junior or senior year, a lot of stu-

Photo by Dea Celaj/Nighthawk News Senior Heidi Jacobson is eager to experience life on another beach. When she leaves here, she will enroll at BYU-Hawaii. dents don’t have an answer. But this was never the case for Jacobson. “I’ve known that I wanted to go to BYU ever since I visited the campus

when I traveled to Hawaii to see my brother when I was little,” she said. “It’s always been where I wanted to go.” – Meghan Savona

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Faith in your future. Chowan University NIGHTHAWK News Magazine / / senior celebration

Fighting for your child’s future

hen Shontel Ayers first learned she was pregnant, she was both shocked and terrified. The standout student didn’t want to accept that her life was about to change forever. Ayers found out she was pregnant at the end of her junior year. Nine months later, in the middle of senior year, her son Oliver was born. “In the beginning, it was shocking,” Ayers said. “I’m a straight-A student, I have a high GPA, everyone thought I was just gonna go to college, and so did I.” School has always been an important aspect of Ayers’ life. Prior to her pregnancy, she had plans to graduate high school, college, and eventually earn her master’s degree. “Everyone else was really excited about college and their next steps in life and my path really changed,” Ayers said. “I wanted to go to school for eight years and get my master’s degree in psychology, and my overall goal was to open up my own practice.” Despite her changing path in life, Ayers was determined to keep her education a priority. She maintained her lofty grades and hasn’t stopped planning for college. “School has always been very important to me,” Ayers said. “I never thought about dropping out.” Though it has been challenging, Ayers has been able to balance raising a child while attending high school with the help of others. “You really have to utilize the help of family and friends,” Ayers said. “It’s not easy, but you have to make certain things a priority.” Her peers have also played an

Photos by Amy Wrenn/Nighthawk News Senior Shontel Ayers and Oliver share a fun moment in the hallway after paying a visit to English teacher Hunter Will’s class. important role. Ayers has been overwhelmed by the amount of support she received throughout her pregnancy and still today. “There’s been a lot of support from people I didn’t even interact with before, people that love my son,” Ayers said. “It makes me really glad that he can have that support even when people don’t know him.”

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Though her plans in life have changed, Ayers is still excited for what the future holds. She will be getting married in April of next year to her high school boyfriend and now fiance, Austin Whitaker. Whitaker is currently in the Coast Guard and will be stationed in St. Louis this summer. Ayers and her son plan to move to St. Louis in August to be with him.

There, she will be furthering her education by earning her associate degree online. She has one more reason to graduate now. “I’m very happy being a mother,” Ayers said. “Having a child pushes you a lot harder because you’re not only fighting for your future, you’re fighting for your child’s future as well.” – Arabella Saunders

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Rolling way out of town

ome students plan to take community college classes, or move to a school a hundred or so miles away. Senior Ben Rollason has plans to move halfway across the country next fall, to Wisconsin. He’s been accepted into the Milwaukee School of Engineering, where he plans to study the field of electrical engineering. “Ever since I was a little kid, I’ve always excelled in math, and when I took physics the part I really enjoyed and understood was the electrical part of it,” Rollason said. “I decided that I would be an electrical engineer.” Despite knowing what career he wanted to enter, he stumbled upon the school he’ll be attending as a fluke. “I got an email one day, and I thought it was one of those spam emails, so I emailed them back just to see if I could get an actual person to respond,” he said. “But one of the academic advisers there emailed me back, and she told me that the ACT (interest survey) you fill out was how they found me.” This was enough to get Rollason interested in the school, which is more than a thousand miles away.

“I applied just to see if I’d get in, because my only other school that I planned on applying to was UNC Charlotte. I got in there, too.” However, after taking a trip to Wisconsin to tour MSOE, he found a host of possibilities he wouldn’t have been able to find in-state. “One of the reasons I’m moving to Milwaukee is because it’s so heavily industrial and has so many opportunities in an urban environment,” Rollason said. This could allow him to work jobs or internships in the city while still in college, as well as post-graduation. “I fell in love with the city. It’s beautiful,” Rollason said. “It’s extremely diverse and I’m just looking for a change. I’ve lived in North Carolina my whole life.” Rollason encourages any other students looking for something more to take a chance. “It’s a big world out there,” he said. “There’s a lot more to see than you would ever imagine, if you get the chance to get out of the Outer Banks. You might be scared, but the best way is to face your fears and just get it done.” – Sarah Skinner

NIGHTHAWK News Magazine / / senior celebration

Photo by Dea Celaj/Nighthawk News Senior class vice president Ben Rollason challenged students on the first day of school to a match of ‘First Flight against the world.’ As he heads off to Milwaukee, he will take his own advice with him.

The write stuff

hloe Williams has been a writer her whole life, a pursuit she plans to continue through college and into a career in the writing arts. “I would love to write books,” the senior said. “I really like telling stories that way.” She’s also interested in screenwriting and magazine writing, both of which she plans to study when she leaves for UNC Chapel Hill: “I know it’s going to be writing. I’m just not sure what kind it’s going to be.” Though she’s not out of high school yet, Williams has netted some real-world experience in the world of magazine publishing. Last year, she shadowed at Girl’s Life Magazine, a Baltimore-based publication aimed at tween and teen girls. “I started reading Girl’s Life Magazine in seventh grade,” Williams said. “There, I just hung out with them and learned what it was like to work there. I got to see how they put everything together.” Her involvement with the periodical didn’t stop after her day

in Maryland, however: “I became an online intern with them. I’ve had two articles published on their website. And then I had an interview published in the actual magazine.” Seeing her name and her ideas in print was surreal for Williams. “I was reading it, and I was like, hey – this girl sounds really familiar. She sounds just like me. Oh, wait – it is me!” Williams has also been working on a novel since freshman year. “It’s been four years in the making, so I’m just very invested in it and I’ve worked on it a lot,” Williams said. “I’m almost done editing it. I found a couple of literary agents, so I’m going to send my manuscript to one of the agents. If she likes it, she’ll represent me and try to help me ﬁnd a publisher.” As for her dedication to her craft? “Be very proactive. It’s very easy to choose other things over your writing. Don’t be worried about money. Writers don’t make a lot, but the satisfaction you get will be worth any monetary loss.” –Sarah Skinner

Photo by Dea Celaj /Nighthawk News Chloe Williams poses with a handful of her favorite things – books. The senior has always had an interest in reading and writing, and has been working on a novel since her freshman year.

summer / / 2016

Butcher kills it on the canvas

enior Nathan Butcher has grown up surrounded by art. “It all goes back to my mom,” Butcher said. “She is the art teacher at First Flight Elementary. Art has pretty much always been a part of my life. We always do little crafty things at my house, like when my sister is visiting home and she'll have friends over or something. The last little craft thing that we did was called Suminagashi, which is an ancient style of Japanese marbling and it looks really cool!” Despite Butcher’s experience, this has been the most challenging year for him when it comes to his artwork. This year in Advanced Placement Art, students spent two months working on Chuck Close pieces, and Butcher called it the hardest piece he has done so far. Each square uses different colors to make up the larger design, which for Butcher was a self-portrait. “I try to break things down into individual shapes and sections and try to handle it in small chunks,” Butcher said. “It’s a really good way to handle my art for me.” Jenna Saunders has taught Butcher since freshman year and knows how hard he truly works to get what he wants out of his artwork. “I love most all of his pieces,” Saunders

said. “A lot of thought goes into each one and that is part of the experience. It isn't just aesthetically pleasing, but his planning and ideas behind it are intriguing as well.” It takes more than just talent to create art. It takes time and a real passion to get what you truly want out of a piece. “Some typical feelings when I’m creating art are frustration or anger when something isn’t turning out the way I want it to, but I also feel happiness and joy when I’m creating something. My mind really flows really easily onto my art,” Butcher said. “It is really a way for me to let my creativity flow, and that’s something I want to keep with me after I graduate.” He plans to attend the University of North Carolina at Asheville, and while he plans to major in Environmental Science, he intends to minor in art. Butcher plans to go into a career with the National Parks Service, but hopes to continue on with art. “Art and the environment to me are connected because they are both very peaceful and calming,” he said. “They have also been a big part of my life for as long as I can remember. I hope that I’ll be able to continue with art on the side because it definitely is a big part of who I am.” – Suzanne Harrison

Photo by Amy Wrenn/Nighthawk News Senior Nathan Butcher displays his summer AP Art project titled ‘Jimi.’ Butcher calls Jimi Hendrix one of his muses and said the singer was the inspiration for this project.

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NIGHTHAWK News Magazine / / senior celebration

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hile seniors Tommy Berge, Carson Oehrli and Laura Maniet all plan to go into different branches of the military, they all share one important trait – they all want to serve their country. “It’s just what I’ve always wanted to do,” Berge said. “I always just wanted to be in the military.” Although indecisive on which branch he preferred at first, going back and forth between the Marine Corps and the Navy, Berge settled on joining the Navy after attending Virginia Military Institute. The one thing Berge never changed his mind about, however, was his decision to become a pilot. “My grandpa has always had an interest in planes – in the Air Force and all that – but I don’t think he actually served,” Berge said. “He was just a computer guy, IBM. But he was always interested in planes. So maybe that’s what influenced me.” While his grandpa’s interest may have been passed down to him, Berge remembers the moment it became clear that he wanted to be a pilot. “I went to the bombing range in Columbia and I saw the F-16s. They came and did some strafing, and I watched it and it was really cool. I was like, ‘I wanna fly a plane, cause that looks like fun.’ ” It all clicked then. He wanted to be pilot for the military. And, with research, he decided on being a pilot for the Navy instead of for the Marine Corps. “There’s a lot more people in the Navy than there are in the Marines,” Berge said. “And, being a Marine is a whole other level of a sense of pride.” That’s a statement Carson Oehrli would undoubtedly agree with. On Aug. 22, Oehrli will leave the Outer Banks for Parris Island, South Carolina, to begin his basic training in the Marine Corps. “That’s like the mecca for Marine training,” Oehrli said. While both guys have always known they wanted to serve, Berge is the first person in his family to do so. Oehrli’s family is different: He comes from generations upon generations of veterans. “My grandfather on my step-dad’s side was an Army corpsman – a medic for the Army during the D-Day Landing in Normandy during World War II,” Oehrli said. “He got two purple hearts, his bronze star, and his service medals.” So while joining the Marine Corps was definitely a personal decision, Oehrli was influenced by the accomplishments of his family members. “My grandparents have always told me stories of their service,” Oehrli said. “None of them ever wanted me to join the service just because of what they know now. Or, what they knew. My grandfather, who was in the Navy, wanted me to join the Navy because he thought it was a little summer / / 2016

to serve, honor their country bit safer than the Marine Corps, but I wasn’t gonna do that.” He’s not afraid. One of the main things that drew Oehrli to the Marine Corps was the strong bonds formed between soldiers fighting side by side. “Military things in general are all about brotherhood, but one of the special things about the Marine Corps is how big of a brotherhood it is,” said Oehrli, who then added: “It’s not just brother – it’s brother and sister.” And Laura Maniet is about to join the family. Next school year, she will be attending the United States Military Academy Preparatory School in West Point, New York. She’ll spend five years at West Point: one year in the prep school and the other four devoted to the Military Academy. “You’re guaranteed a job right out of college, so that’s pretty great. You’re getting a crazy-good education because the teachers there are all top-notch. It’s pretty awesome. The experiences that you have with these people is really special because you’re all going to be miserable together at the same time,” Maniet said, laughing. “You make good friends through it.” Maniet’s older brother, Dan, is a West Point graduate. She remembers hearing stories of her brother’s experiences, which ranged from learning to respect his upperclassmen to practicing jumping out of planes. Intrigued, she started thinking about applying. “At my brother’s graduation, I was like, ‘This cannot be the last time I come here. I have to come back here again,’ ” Maniet said. And now it has come full circle. “I feel good about what I’m doing. I know some people may think it’s sacrificing a lot because basically all your free time is taken away, you don’t really get to go out with your friends as much, but it doesn’t really feel bad,” Maniet said. “I don’t feel like I’m really losing anything. I feel like I’m doing something good for the world.” All three students plan to make positive impacts with their service, whether in peacetime or war. Oehrli knows people have different views about the role of the military, and he recognizes that “you can’t just be hardcore military where you think military conflict is the only way.” There are pros and cons to all combat, Oehrli said, but there’s no mistaking the sacrifice made by all those who choose to serve. “A lot of people enjoy the freedom but they don’t understand what goes into making it,” Oehrli said. “Whatever side of the fence you stand on, it’s important to support and stand with the troops. It kinda gets under my skin when people disrespect the flag or don’t stand up for the Pledge. Your beliefs are your beliefs, but there’s no substitute for respect. Men and women risk their lives and give their lives for the freedom of people.” – Mary Pat Thompson NIGHTHAWK News Magazine / / senior celebration

Photo by Sarah Shotton/Nighthawk News Seniors (from left) Tommy Berge, Laura Maniet and Carson Oehrli stand proudly in front of the Veteran’s Memorial off Veteran’s Drive in Kill Devil Hills. The town’s memorial stands across from the high school and serves as a daily reminder of those who have risked their lives for the sake of the country. Berge, Maniet and Oehrli are among several graduating seniors who plan to enter into military service.

Tech troubles vanish at Henderson’s hands

any adults dream of running their own company, but few manage to accomplish it. It’s even more uncommon for students in high school to run a business, but for senior John Henderson it is a reality. Henderson first realized his love for technology in the second grade when his teacher, Mrs. White, discovered that he was very good with helping her solve technical problems – even though his solutions usually involved just turning the computer off and on again. However, his parents didn’t really want him to have anything to do with computers. White told his parents that they would be doing him a disservice if they didn’t encourage his interest in computers and technology. Now, Henderson runs his own small computer repair business and has worked in the school library alongside Susan McFarlane as a tech assistant for two years. “He’s one of those students that from the minute he walked in, I could rely on him to do things because of his self-taught gift with computers and programming,” McFarlane said. His ability and desire to help people are among the aspects that have made his business so successful. “My favorite part about running my business is probably a tie between easy money,” Henderson said, “and trying to help people – especially the elderly – not get screwed over

Photo by Sarah Shotton/Nighthawk News Senior John Henderson is known for his technology prowess. Henderson looks forward to continuing his education in computer technology integration and maintaining his business. by other big businesses.” Henderson will be attending College of the Albemarle in the fall for Computer Technology Integration and plans to transfer to a four-year college after that. Despite his busy school schedule, his business thrives, and he intends to continue solving

people’s computer problems during college. “It usually doesn’t conflict with my school schedule,” Henderson said. “My customers understand that I am a student and their computers might get put on the back burner if I have something important come up.” – Kelly Weisbecker

summer / / 2016

A note to my freshman self self once in awhile. Don’t let yourself become so consumed by everything that you don’t have time for yourself anymore. But don’t forget to write down everything you do so you can accurately report it on your college and scholarship applications. I know it seems crazy to start thinking about college now, but these four years will fly by. It seemed like just yesterday I was stepping into this building thinking “how on earth am I ever going to figure this place out?” and now I know it like the back of my hand.

Ultimately, the best advice I can give you is to have fun, be yourself, and do your best. High school is more fun than you’ll ever know. You just have to figure out your interests and partake in whatever group or activity best correlates. I promise that you’ll have a ball as long as you let yourself have fun. Come in with a good attitude and an open mind and it’ll be great. Take advantage of your last years here before you leave for the real world. Senior Kelly Weisbecker can be reached at weisbeckerke0220@daretolearn.org.

By Kelly Weisbecker Co-Editor-in-Chief

ear Freshman Self, I know that the prospect of high school seems incredibly daunting right now, but these years will definitely be some of the best of your life. I’m going to tell you what I wish I knew when I was a freshman; hopefully, you’ll glean some useful advice from this. Always participate in spirit week. Go all out. It’s so much fun, and I promise people won’t judge you. It’s a great way to connect with the rest of the school, plus it makes for some great insta pics with your squad. I fully encourage you to find other ways to connect with your school. Joining clubs or things like band and theater is a great way to find yourself and new friends. I came into high school with a handful of close friends and now I’m leaving with an entire family. Joining theater was easily one of the best decisions of my life. I learned to express myself and I gained a great group of friends in the process. And don’t forget about journalism: That class will be one of the best classes you’ll ever take. Even though you have to do a lot of writing – you’ll get better with practice, I promise it’ll be worthwhile. You’ll also find lots of close friends in there, to. You just have to come out of your shell. It’s a great way to keep you aware of what’s happening in your community and letting everyone else know what’s happening (Who doesn’t love knowing all the details before everyone else?) Plus, if you’re one of the staff photographers, you get into the sports games for free if you’re taking photos. These years will be some of the most fun, but also some of the busiest of your life, so don’t forget to take some time for yourself to relax. If you want to see the jazz band perform at the Jubilee but it’s a late show, go for it – treat yourNIGHTHAWK News Magazine / / senior celebration

Nighthawks flying far Graphics by Reid Kelly Design by Mack Doebler Information compiled by First Flight Guidance No matter where college, the military, travel or work takes you, Class of 2016 ... “Be well, do good work and keep in touch.” – Garrison Keillor

1 Appalachian State University Kyle Beckner Hannah Blizzard James Douglas Samantha Fonseca Hunter Midkiff Elizabeth Palmer Caldwell Community College Morgan Gates Campbell University Claire Crawford John Golliday

Cape Fear Community College Caroline Cowan Joey Dunn Zachary Goodwin Molly Gray Seth Gray Tracy Hargis Heather Heinz Rebecca Hite Tucker Miller Eric Nott Taylor Robinson August Seward Brooke Vuyovich Jayda Willis Christian Vargas Central Piedmont Community College Caleb Heuneman

College of the Albemarle at Manteo Nick Beerli Caroline Chavez Ian Cowen Christian Dick Sydney Dunstan Jessica Faracca Paxton Finch Declan Gallagher Josh Healy Daniel Heath John Henderson Windy Hoover

Connor Hughes Cuyler Jarvis Donald Just Luke Kight Rosslyn LaCroix Emily Lewis Alejandra Monica-Sanchez William Naranjo Kyle Neff Marshall Perry Hannah Ross Broadhurst Brooke Seifferman Stephen Jared Smith Charles Swanner Maiah Tabb Patty Urbina Curi Christian Valle

North Carolina State University Jodi Awtrey Cole Breit Cliff Jenkins Parks Kelly Hannah Kurtz Sam Weybright

College of the Albemarle at Elizabeth City Brooke Moore

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Ethan Gilbreath Carla Hardy Ian Kenny Rory McFarlane Lauren O’Dell Chloe Williams

Pitt Community College Alan Sanchez Preston Wilkinson University of North Carolina at Asheville Nathan Butcher Alissa Halker Alexis Schmidt

Chowan University Samantha Xiques East Carolina University Timothy Buchanan Landon Grifﬁn Alyssa Hamilton Jazmine Knieper Grayson Murphy Skylar Nelson Jeremy Serﬂing Heath Spry Abby Swain Morgan Tappero

University of North Carolina at Charlotte Jack Brady Richard Carroll Dylan Clough Carson Lewis University of North Carolina at Greensboro Henry Barnette Jayde Bruff Madison Ciero Katrina Grier Jack Konstanzer Austin MacDonald Julian Muniz Peter Yanacek

Halifax Community College Lacy Robbins Methodist University Austin Edwards Mid-Atlantic Christian University Brealle White

University of North Carolina at Pembroke Sara Wentz

NASCAR Technical Institute Branden Byrum

7 summer / / 2016

and near from the nest (10) FLORIDA Flagler University Zoe Ballard Chance DeBoy Kelly Weisbecker Florida State University Robert Sessoms

Inspiration Academy Olivia Maramenides Tallahassee Community College Curran Chambers

(6) OREGON

University of South Florida Mary Brogan

University of South Oregon Madison Musika

University of Tampa Sarah Mandis

(7) HAWAII

(11) RHODE ISLAND

Brigham Young University Heidi Jacobson

University of North Carolina at Wilmington Casey Buchanan Audrey Bunn Wade Cobb Christian Davis Reid Kelly Jordan Leatherwood

Johnson + Wales Alex Walworth

(8) VIRGINIA

(12) AUSTRALIA

Advanced Institute of Technology Jagger Ange Kaitlyn Day Hampden-Sydney Samuel Beacham

Western Carolina University Julia Brodeur Ashley Garner

(13) SOUTH CAROLINA

Old Dominion Vanessa Davidsen

William Peace University Chandler Mielke

Bob Jones Alexis Edwards

Radford University Rebecca Ayers

(1) WISCONSIN

Converse College Ashtyn Felthousen

Rudy + Kelly Hallie Ryce

Milwaukee School of Engineering Benjamin Rollason

The Citadel Hunter Savage

Sweet Briar College Madeline Kiousis

(2) VERMONT

University of South Carolina Sara Munson Farley Wickre

Virginia Commonwealth University Nina Holly

Castleton University Alivian Van Lunen

(14) MISSOURI

Virginia Military Institute Tommy Berge

(3) MASSACHUSETTS Wellesley College Margaret Roberts

MILITARY Kyle Cortez (Naval Academy) Wake Felts (Air Force) Laura Maniet (West Point) Carson Oehrli (Marines) Dylan Turner (Coast Guard) Jason Williams (Coast Guard)

(9) PENNSYLVANIA

Baltimore City Community College Hope Ferstermann

Luzerne County Community College Kai-von Baxter

(5) ALABAMA

Penn State Sarah Shotton

University of Alabama Carter Eike Aran McDermott

Evangel University James Lewis

William and Mary Lauren Mahler

(4) MARYLAND

Hillsong International Leadership College Ryan Seal

University of the Sciences in Philadelphia Devan Rodman

8 NIGHTHAWK News Magazine / / senior celebration

China Partnership ready for hosts, travelers By Sarah Skinner Staff Writer

any clubs take trips, but none go quite as far as the China Partnership. The partnership, which will be reinstated this fall, pairs a school from the United States with a school from China and sends students between the schools to foster international communication and cultural awareness. First Flight’s sister school is Meicun Senior High School, from Wuxi (pronounced woo-shi) in the Jiangsu Province in eastern China. “I’m very excited,” Principal Arty Tillett said. “It’s a life-changing experience for the students.” Tillett, media center coordinator Susan McFarlane and journalism teacher Steve Hanf are heading up the revival of the program. The partnership got its start nine years ago, when former teacher Jane Shipman applied for a grant through the state to kick off the program. After First Flight was chosen as one of the 10 schools for the grant, Shipman and Tillett traveled to China to set up the partnership.

“There’s a radical difference in how education is done,” Tillett said. “For example, the students stay in the same classroom all day while the teachers leave. And extracurriculars aren’t part of the academics and are done at night.” These differences in culture and lifestyle are what the China Partnership aims to expose students to over a 10-day trip to China. “(The students) fly from Raleigh or Norfolk to Seattle, and then fly from there to Shanghai. It’s a 16hour flight,” Tillett said. On the trip, students will stay with a host exchange family for three days, one of which they will spend going to school with the host students. The host students will also take the First Flight students around the community they live in for a firsthand view of life half a world away. For the remaining three days, the students will tour famous sites such as the Great Wall of China and Shanghai. This 10-day trip comes with a reasonable but still hefty price tag: $1,800. However, Tillett is adamant that any student who wishes to will be able to participate. “The goal is that this will not be

based on socioeconomic status and whose parents can afford the experience,” Tillett said. “We want to fundraise and have donations from the community to make it available to all students.” On the other side of the partnership, Meicun will send students to stay with host families on the Outer Banks before they travel up the East Coast. McFarlane, who has hosted students for her children in the past, spoke about how everyone who participated got something unique out of it. Her experience is one of the reasons she wanted to help rekindle the partnership. “Some of them kept in touch afterwards. For some of them it was just a one-time experience. But it was great to experience all the different things,” McFarlane said. “I had a great time – I hosted for two years – just providing the opportunity.” The leaders of the effort will begin distributing applications for the partnership before the end of the current school year. Tillett plans to make the applications criteria-based on a student’s interest and fit for the partnership.

“We’ll ask why you want to take part, and it will take some training and education culturally about things you need to know to visit China,” Tillett explained. “There’ll also be a grade expectation, as well as an expectation for some follow-up work processing, seeding and sharing information for the next group of kids.” Also, for the first time, Manteo High School and Cape Hatteras Secondary School will be taking part in the partnership, which will allow for more students to be both sent and hosted. “The Chinese school has about 3,000 students,” Tillett said. “Having all of Dare County participate will equalize the number.” The China Partnership hopes to establish an avenue for students to expand their minds and gain a whole new perspective on the world, as well as make friends that come from an entirely different culture. “They’re very kind, friendly – fascinated with the U.S. and the mystery of the West,” Tillett said. “It’s truly a life-changing experience.” Junior Sarah Skinner can be reached at skinnersa0619@daretolearn.org.

2016 Final Exam/Exam Review Schedule 1st Floor Review 12:35-3:15 Tuesday, May 31 2nd Floor Review 12:00-12:40 5th Period 8:10-9:05 1:15-3:15 2nd Period 9:10-10:43 2nd Floor Lunch 12:40-1:10 3rd Period 10:48-12:45 1st Lunch 10:48-11:16 Monday, June 6 2nd Lunch 11:32-12:00 4th Period Exam 8:10-12:00 3rd Lunch 12:17-12:45 1st Floor Lunch 12:00-12:30 4th Period 12:50-1:40 1st Floor Review 12:35-3:15 1st Period Review 1:45-3:15 2nd Floor Review 12:00-12:40 1:15-3:15 Wednesday, June 1 2nd Floor Lunch 12:40-1:10 1st Period Exam 8:10-12:00 (5th period exam for seniors Tuesday, June 7 without 1st period) 5th Period Exam 8:10-12:00 1st Floor Lunch 12:00-12:30 1st Floor Lunch 12:00-12:30 1st Floor Review 12:35-3:15 1st 12:35-3:15 2nd Floor Review 12:00-12:40 Floor E.T. 2nd Floor E.T. 12:00-12:40 1:15-3:15 1:15-3:15 2nd Floor Lunch 12:40-1:10 2nd Floor Lunch 12:40-1:10 Thursday, June 2 Wednesday, June 8 2nd Period Exam 8:10-12:00 Noon Dismissal 1st Floor Lunch 12:00-12:30 Make-up Exams 1st Floor Review 12:35-3:15 1st Period 8:10-8:45 2nd Floor Review 12:00-12:40 2nd Period 8:50-9:30 1:15-3:15 3rd Period 9:35-10:15 2nd Floor Lunch 12:40-1:10 4th Period 10:20-10:55 5th Period 11:00-11:35 Friday, June 3 Lunch 11:35 3rd Period Exam 8:10-12:00 Buses run 12:00 1st Floor Lunch 12:00-12:30

summer / / 2016

Three staff members ready for retirement By Ashlee Geraghty Staff Writer

t the beginning of this school year, many new teachers were welcomed to the First Flight staff. Now as the year comes to an end, goodbyes will be said to three staff members who have announced their retirements: photography and broadcast teacher Ken Binkley, world history teacher Donna Garcia, and counselor Susan Lee. Every day during second period, teachers turn on the Nighthawk Report for students to get the news about what is going on around the school. These announcements would not be anything without the help of Binkley. He has been teaching for 21 years and has taught at First Flight since it opened 12 years ago. Along with broadcast, he also teaches photography and digital media. He was even the golf coach for a few years. Like most teachers, Binkley enjoys helping students learn more about his field of study and seeing what they can do in it. “It gives them an opportunity to see what’s involved and if they like it or not,” Binkley said. He also has several students who have taken what he has taught them and turned it into professions and hobbies. “My favorite memory from teaching is hearing back from kids that have graduated and went off and got involved in photography or digital media or have done it as a hobby,” Binkley said. “I like when they come back and say, ‘What

NIGHTHAWK News Magazine / / news

you’ve taught me, I still use.’ ” Lee also has been here since the school opened. Prior to working here, she was the marketing entrepreneurship, travel and tourism and leadership teacher at Manteo High School for a little over 13 years. Lee always knew that she wanted to be a teacher ever since high school, where one of her business teachers inspired her. After retirement, Lee plans on spending some leisure time reading, fishing and traveling. Even though she is excited for her retirement and feels as if she has reached a milestone, it will be hard to say goodbye. “I will miss most meeting with students, families and my colleagues,” Lee said. Garcia, who will be ending a 25-year teaching career, also always knew that she wanted to be a teacher. First, though, she worked part time at a doctor’s office and was a realtor. When her kids were old enough to go to school, she knew it was time to go into teaching. “I will miss being with the students,” Garcia said. “I love being around young people and their energy and ideas.” She plans on spending more time with her grandchildren, traveling and spending more time painting. “I have enjoyed being at FFHS so much. It has been a wonderful experience where I have made very special friends,” Garcia said. Sophomore Ashlee Geraghty can be reached at geraghtyas0916@ daretolearn.org.

Photos by Amy Wrenn/Nighthawk News | Farley Wickre/Shorelines Ken Binkley helps junior Tea Lokaj (top) during one of his photography classes, counselor Susan Lee (middle) provides sophomore Emma Strickland with needed information, and Donna Garcia assists freshman Oscar Hernandez in world history class. All three staff members will retire at the end of the school year.

The struggle is real for ESL students By Brianna Curi Special to Nighthawk News

icha. Muchacho. Que chilero! ¿Qué onda? ¡No manches! You might wonder what those words mean when you hear some Hispanic students say them around school. You probably have no clue what they’re saying – and that might make you feel uncomfortable. Well, that’s how a lot of the Latino students felt when they first got to First Flight High School. Freshman Heriberto Escobar came here from Guatemala and he said his first day at FFHS was weird: “I felt bad on the first day of school. I didn’t know what to say. I could only say good morning.” Not knowing many English words was difficult for Escobar, but there were some students who would help him. “I felt bad not being able to speak English, but I had American friends that would help me when I did not pronounce something correctly,” Escobar said. Coming to the U.S. and learning English was also difficult for freshman Ezequiel Ayala, who came here from El Salvador. He enjoyed his first day at FFHS, but he was a little shy. “I was very nervous because I knew no one and I had no knowledge of the language,” Ayala said. The majority of schools in El Salvador are small, in disrepair and less advanced. Overall, the country is not as safe as the U.S. “The way of life and education is better here and there’s not a lot of violence,” Ayala said. “In my country there is a lot of delinquency. The teens are in a lot of danger because the police there are very corrupt.”

Photo by Brianna Curi/Special to Nighthawk News Students who move to North Carolina from foreign countries face the challenge of being in a school where few people speak their language. Special classes for students still learning English can help with the transition. Unlike Escobar and Ayala, freshman Wilmer Hernandez, who is from Honduras, did not have a good first experience here. He was not treated well by some of the students and he also didn’t know English, which made it even more difficult for him. “This year, no one has been mean to me, but last year, yes, the Americans would laugh at me when I didn’t say something correctly and they would say I talked like a monkey,” Hernandez said. These students and others study under Anne Pipkin in the English as a Second Language (ESL) department. Pipkin, who has been teaching ESL for eight years,

instructs the students how to read, write and speak English, but she also teaches them about American culture. “It’s not easy, but it’s rewarding. They come in knowing no English, so it’s good to see them progress,” Pipkin said. She enjoys working with the ESL students because she can connect with them. “I really like working with students that have a different background,” she explained. “I lived in the Philippines for several years, so I know what it is to live in a different country where you don’t speak the same language.” The teacher is not the only

person who helps the ESL students. Senior Alejandra Sanchez gives up her free third period to help the students with anything they need. “I help them with the small stuff like helping them learn and accurately know the language,” Sanchez said. The important thing to remember is that everyone at First Flight can help make the transition these students face a little easier. Offer a “Hey, how’s it going?” – they will appreciate it. Freshman Brianna Curi wrote this story for her Introduction to Publications year-end project. She can be reached at curibr0312@daretolearn. org.

summer / / 2016

La lucha es real para estudiantes de ESL Por Brianna Curi Especial para Nighthawk Noticias

irl. Boy. Cool! What’s up? No way! Tal vez te preguntes qué significan esas palabras cuando escuchas a los estudiantes hispanos decirlos en el colegio. Seguramente no tienes ni idea qué están diciendo y eso tal vez te haga sentir un poco incómodo. Bueno, asi es como se sentían los estudiantes latinos cuando llegaron a FFHS. Estudiante de primer año Heriberto Escobar vino aca de Guatemala. Su primer año en FFHS el dice que fue raro: “Me sentí mal el primer dia de colegio, no sabía qué decir. Solo sabia decir good morning.” No saber muchas palabras el ingles fue dificil para escobar pero hubo algunos estudiantes que si le ayudaron. “Pues me senti mal no pober hablar inglés, pero tenía amigos gringos que me ayudaban cuando no pronunciaba algo correctamente” Escobar dijo. Venir a los Estados Unidos y aprender inglés también fue dificil para estudiante de primer año Ezequiel Ayala, quien vino acá del Salvador. El sí disfruto de su primer dia en FFHS pero él estaba un poco tímido. “Yo estaba muy nervioso porque no conocía a nadie y no sabía nada del idioma,” Ayala dijo. La mayoría de colegios en El Salvador son pequeños, están en mal estado y son menos avanzados. En si el país no es tan seguro com-

NIGHTHAWK News Magazine / / news

Foto por Brianna Curi/Special Wilmer Hernandez, Heriberto Escobar y Ezequiel Ayala muestran las banderas de sus países. parado a los Estados Unidos. “La forma de vida y la educación es mejor aca y ademas que aca no hay tanta violencia. En mi pais hay mucha delincuencia. Los jóvenes corren mucho peligro por parte de la policía porque hay policías que son corruptos,” Ayala dijo. Diferente a Escobar y Ayala, el estudiante de primer año Wilmer Hernández no tuvo un buen primer año acá en FFHS. El no fue tratado bien por algunos de los estudiantes y no saber inglés lo hizo aún más difícil para el. “Bueno por ahorita este año nadie ha sido malo conmigo pero el año pasado, si. Los americano se reían cuando no decía algo correctamente y decían que

hablaba como un mono,” Hernández dijo. Anne Pipkin la profesora de ingles como segunda lengua ha estado enseñando por 8 años. Ella enseña a los estudiantes como leer, escribir, y hablar inglés pero también les enseña sobre la cultura americana. “No es fácil, pero es gratificante. Vienen sin saber inglés entonces es bueno verlos progresar,” Pipkin dijo. Ella disfruta trabajar con los estudiantes de inglés como segunda lengua porque ella se puede conectar con ellos. “Me gusta mucho trabajar con los estudiantes que tienen un origen diferente. Yo viví en Filipinas durante varios años, así que sé lo que es vivir en un país diferente donde no habla el mismo idioma,” Pipkin dijo. La profesora de ingles como segunda lengua no es la única persona que le ayuda a los estudiantes. Estudiantes del último año, Alejandra Sánchez quien renunció a su tercer período libre para ir a ayudar a los estudiantes con cualquier cosa que puedan necesitar. Les ayudo con las cosas pequeñas como ha aprender y conocer con precisión el idioma,” Sánchez dijo. Ella no tiene que ser la única persona que les ayuda, todos también lo podemos hacer. Solo diles “Hola, ¿Como te va?” O cualquier cosa, ellos lo apreciaran. Estudiante de primer año Brianna Curi escribió esta historia para su introducción al proyecto de fin de año de Publicaciones. Ella puede ser alcanzado en curibr0312@daretolearn.org.

From poverty to politics A

By Mary Pat Thompson Co-Editor-in-Chief

ngela Will knew there was something about Gai Nyok. It didn’t have to do with the fact that he fled his home country, Sudan, at the age of 5 – she didn’t know about that yet. It wasn’t how he seeked refuge in countries such as Ethiopia and Kenya while his home country erupted into its second civil war. No, when the then-15-year-old Nyok was in Will’s French class at Patrick Henry High School in Richmond, Virginia, she noticed the way he carried himself. “When I first met him he was really, really, skinny, scrawny and kind of shy – but self-confident at the same time,” Will said. “He takes a lot of pride in his appearance. He might not have a lot of clothes, but he’s really clean. He’s always got a nice haircut. His shoes are always polished. He’s just neat.” When Nyok resettled from the Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya to Richmond in 2001, he became a part of the Commonwealth Catholic Charities foster care program. Will didn’t know much about Nyok’s home life. She knew he worked at King’s Dominion over the summer because she had seen him there a few times. She knew he had always looked put together when he was sitting in her French class. She did not know what was going on behind the scenes, until she noticed a change in Nyok’s appearance during his junior year. “He came to school that fall and he looked unkempt,” Will said. “He was in a bad situation in the system, a bad placement. So I said, ‘How can I help?’ I was thinking temporarily, like, could I talk to someone or something.” Nyok answered her honestly and said, “Call my social worker.” She did. “When I called the social worker I said, ‘What can I do?’, and she said, ‘He needs a home,’ ” Will recalled. Immediately, she asked her husband and two children what they thought. Will’s daughter, English teacher Hunter Will, loved the idea. Although she was in college and wouldn’t be around, she appreciated having input. “Mom called and asked our feelings about having (Gai) live at our house,” Hunter said. “We were both like, ‘Yeah, that’s totally awesome! We weren’t really there anyway. But just to have that discussion with us – it was good.” So, Nyok proceeded to move in with the Will family, filling a void faced by many parents when their children leave home. “We were empty nesters, my husband and I were, for about a year,” Will said. “It was kind of fun, but it was empty. It was so nice to have him there.” When Nyok became part of the family, the Wills were not only gaining an extremely hard-working son and brother, but an incredibly intelligent one as well. He finished high school in three years, a remarkable feat considering he

Photos provided by Angela Will Students in Angela Will’s Spanish classes have learned about the impressive feats of Gai Nyok, who went from being a ‘Lost Boy of Sudan’ to a student of Will’s in Richmond to an adopted son. Will got to celebrate high school and college graduations with the impressive scholar, who now works for the U.S. State Department – and serves as godfather to Will’s grandson, Ollie. only spoke minimal amounts of English before coming to the United States. He faced some challenges – sometimes his teachers couldn’t understand him and sometimes he couldn’t understand them – but finished high school with straight-As and a scholarship to Virginia Commonwealth University. These accomplishments meant the world to Nyok – no longer the young child fighting to survive in refugee camps – but a young man about to earn a degree. Extremely driven, he graduated in four years with not one degree but two, in economics and physical science. Following graduation, he was awarded a Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellowship and given the opportunity to choose any graduate school in the country to attend for free in return for working for the State Department for three years. This led him to his current position: In October of 2015, Nyok was sworn in as a United States diplomat. As a “Lost Boy of Sudan,” he was part of the 2.5 million people either killed or displaced from 1983 to 2005 in East Africa. Now, Nyok is a 29-year-old statesman in Washington. “He wants to affect change,” Hunter said. On his journey from poverty to politics, he’s really seen it all. “He gives a different viewpoint,” Angela said. “Although he’s part of the family, he looks at things a little bit differently. And he can give really good advice, because he knows how we

work and he knows how the world works, too.” Nyok’s first assignment is Venezuela, although that is not the end goal. Now that he is an American citizen and no longer a Sudanese citizen, he has more opportunities to make change in his birth country: He “chose to be an American,” Angela said. “He thinks he can do more that way.” Thanks to a little help from the Wills, Nyok can have that opportunity to do more. “He’s always said, ‘I’m going back home.’ He calls Sudan home,” Hunter said. “So, I mean, that scared Mom. That’s always scared her. But I think this is his way of getting to where he needs to be – making change on a global level.” Junior Mary Pat Thompson can be reached at thompsonma1001@daretolearn.org. summer / / 2016

AP Art turns hallway into gallery By Arabella Saunders Staff Writer

ightmares, memories, space, the elements, food: These are just some of the subjects that inspired the artwork featured in First Flight’s first AP Art student showcases. Advanced Placement art teacher Jenna Saunders first got the idea to feature her students’ artwork through individual showcases after realizing that the artists needed more recognition for all of their hard work. “It’s a lot of work, the amount of work an AP Art student has to do. It’s very time consuming,” Saunders said. “There’s not any special way of displaying the art, other than the main hall or the library, so this is a way to give them more recognition for the amount of work they’ve done.” Beginning in early May, the individual artist’s body of work was exhibited in the glass display case adjacent to the library every week, with the exception of seniors Michelle Hall and Bailey Coleman, who shared a week. The showcases featured the artists’ concentrations, which are collections of work based off one central idea or theme, as well as other projects they’ve worked on throughout the year. The showcase kicked off the first week of May with senior Samantha Fonseca’s exhibition, which was inspired by her love of science. “My concentrations were a collection of 12 pieces that were based around character design of celestial bodies,” Fonseca said. “I would take a planet from our solar system and create a character based off of what it looks like, physical properties that happen on its surface, or how people perceive the planet.” After setting up her work, the AP artist was overwhelmed by the amount of praise she received from her peers as well as staff members. “A lot of people walked up to me and told me they loved my showcase and that it was really cool,” Fonseca said. “It made me feel really accomplished. I mean, I like the art that I did and I like what I put in the showcase, but it was really cool getting to see how other people view my work.” Fonseca’s showcase was followed by senior Sarah Mandis’ work, which was inspired by food. “My concentrations are different types of prepared foods and they focus on the colors, aesthetics NIGHTHAWK News Magazine / / features

Photos by Amy Wrenn/Nighthawk News AP Art students got to show off their work during the last weeks of school. Samantha Fonseca (above) started the fun, which included each artist climbing into the display case outside the media center to set up their favorite pieces. Works by other artists followed, including Bailey Coleman (left) and Michelle Hall.

and textures we most of the time take for granted,” Mandis said. “I love food and I eat a lot of different types of food, so that pretty much inspired me.” In addition to creating her art, Mandis also enjoyed designing and setting up her own exhibit. “My favorite part was getting to climb in the case and actually getting to set up everything by myself,” Mandis said. “It was really fun to take control over everything since it’s all my art. It’s just been an awesome opportunity all around.” Other artists were eager for the opportunity to display what

they had worked hard on all year. Seniors Michelle Hall and Bailey Coleman were looking forward to working together for their combined showcase. “It will be fun to see how we can intertwine our work as far as concentrations go,” Hall said. “She’s dreams and I’m memories, and so it kind of works because it’s that nostalgic and subconscious feel.” All five AP artists are grateful for the opportunity to showcase their artwork and they also recognize that art has brought them closer together. Senior Nathan Butcher is not only looking forward to

displaying his own work, which is based off the periodic table, but is excited about being able to witness his classmates’ success as well. “We’ve all grown so much as artists over the past year and we’re all so supportive of each other,” Butcher said. “It’s absolutely fantastic to see my friends’ work in the showcase because I know how hard they all have worked this year and it’s really amazing to see all of their work come together in their own mini art show.” Sophomore Arabella Saunders can be reached at saundersar0214@ daretolearn.org.

Girls in computer science fields break the mold By Buzzy Staten Special to Nighthawk News

irls cook, girls clean the house, girls play with dolls, girls put on makeup, girls shop. What else can girls do? Girls can code. Girls build robots, girls create games, girls solve complex algorithms, and most importantly, girls can rule the world. The number of girls in programing, engineering and technology programs has dropped significantly in the past 30 years. In 1984, 37 percent of all computer science graduates were women, but now the number is just 18 percent. Only 0.4 percent of high school girls express interest in a CS major. “Computer science is the study of the principles and algorithms used to make a computer work,” explained Taylor Brooks, a freshman who took Intro to Computer Science this year with Nancy Stevens. Why choose that elective? “The U.S. Department of Labor projects that by 2020, there will be 1.4 million computer specialist job openings. To reach gender parity by 2020, women must fill half of these positions, or 700,000 computing jobs,” reports the Girls Who Code

Photo by Keri Wiginton/ Blue Sky/Chicago Tribune/TNS Girls Who Code founder and CEO Reshma Saujani delivers the keynote at the Women’s Business Development Center’s 29th annual Entrepreneurial Women’s Conference in Chicago. website. “Data says that an average of 30 percent of those students with exposure to computer science will continue in the field. That means that 4.6 (million) adolescent girls will require some form of exposure to computer science education to realize gender parity in 2020.” Girls Who Code is a non-profit organization working to close the gender gap, educate girls about computer science, and offer real-world experiences. GWC also has a Summer Immersion Program, which is seven weeks long and teaches girls the fundamentals of computer science, robotics, how

to build a webpage, and more. The effort is led by Reshma Saujani, the founder and CEO of Girls Who Code. “A lot of people still see men as being superior to women, and it’s important that we show them they’re wrong,” Brooks said. “Women and minorities are very under-represented in terms of enrollment in computer science in high schools, college and even the industry. The industry itself is mostly white males and they are trying to fix that by recruiting people at a young age.” Stevens said that only “one out of nine schools offers computer science.” And while First Flight offers a few computer programing classes, there are few girls who sign up for these classes. “I didn’t expect many girls because of my history with computer-based classes in this school,” senior Audrey Bunn said. “There’s usually only one or two other girls besides me. I know most girls would rather do photography or art.” Bunn plans to major in computer science with a concentration in digital art when she goes to UNC Wilmington. She is part of a slowly growing number of girls taking computer science classes here. “In the last five or six years, I’ve noticed an increased interest in

computer science,” Stevens said. “Girls see it as another way to be creative, just another form of putting their creativity to work.” Students can learn a lot more than just programming from a computer science class. It can help with math skills and problem solving, and also open doors for college and careers. “North Carolina State University is very much involved in camps and different outreach programs for girls,” Stevens said. “Colleges love seeing girls interested in computer science.” Having a computer science degree can work for many jobs, and it tends to pay very well. “The need for computer science majors in the job world and the pay they receive also sparked my interest in the course of study and later career,” Bunn said. “Women need to be a part of the changes that are taking place in our society through computer science.” So come on, girls: It’s time to break through the girl code. Become a girl who codes. With computer science, we can rule the world! Freshman Buzzy Staten wrote this story for her Intro to Publications year-end project. She can be reached at statenbu1127@daretolearn.org.

Interest in Japanese pop culture piques curiosity

By Jayne Walker Special to Nighthawk News

eavy makeup, hours of work, hundreds of dollars spent for one weekend, thousands of “nerds” gathered for three days to showcase their elaborate costumes. These people all have a passion for Japanese culture and “cosplay,” which is any form of dressing as a character from a movie, TV series, video game or comic, especially from the Japanese genres of anime or manga. Believe it or not, there are actually a few people at First Flight who are in this community. “I’ve only made one of my cosplays, and that was my first,” junior Amy Lanning said. “It took probably a month all together, but only because me and my friend at the time were not well equipped with knowledge of cosplays. I spend my money on it ($200) because I see the end result and I think it’s worth it, especially when you’re at a con.” Others prepare for convention trips by taking an existing costume and adding personal touches: “I usually buy the costume base online and sew on anything extra that it needs,” sophomore Keirry Hargis said. The Japanese culture and cosplay scene is a lot larger elsewhere, as close as Chesapeake.

The closest place for people who live on the Outer Banks to go to conventions is Virginia. “In 2014, I began to really get into the convention scene,” Lanning said. “I went to Tidewater Comic Con and Nekocon. Then, in 2015, I went to ROFCon, AMA, Nekocon, and one or two more.” The conventions are great places to go with local friends in the cosplay community or to meet new friends: “Those that are already into the culture are great friends, and people who aren’t are great listeners,” Lanning said. There are many other aspects of Japanese pop culture in America, such as the fashion styles seen in the streets of Tokyo. Some people in America wear these styles, but you’re most likely to see them in large cities where there is more diversity. Gyaru is a style that incorporates pink, floral patterns, sparkles and very girly things. Lolita style is doll-like outfits inspired by Victorian dresses. There are a lot of Japanese street styles, all of which are unique and elaborate. Most of the people wearing them in Tokyo are teenagers and young adults. Video games are also a large part of Japanese pop culture. Ever played a Mario game? That’s from Japan. “My favorite games so far have to be the Resident Evil, Kingdom Hearts and Pokemon series,” junior Vivian Wyant said. “I grew up

with them and they’ve always been sort of a big deal to me.” One of the things that is interesting about Japan is the culture and history, and how it differs from American life. “My favorite thing about Japan is the culture,” sophomore Willa Briggs said. One of Wyant’s good friends from New Mexico just got a scholarship to go to school in Japan and will be heading there after this school year. “I would love to travel to Japan at some point,” Wyant said. “It would be a really interesting experience, and you can become a bit more submerged into the culture some of your friends love.” The community of people who like anime enough to go to these conventions and make costumes is relatively tiny at First Flight. There is a club, run by junior Caroline Pharr, called GOS (Gamer-Otaku-Student) that celebrates the culture. “As for a larger community in the school, I don’t like the idea of that,” Wyant said. “Something that’s great about the small community is that we’re almost like a little family. It’s tightknit and nice by our lonely little selves.” Freshman Jayne Walker wrote this story for her Introduction to Publications year-end project. She can be reached at walkerja0213@daretolearn.org. summer / / 2016

What can be done about the elephant in the room?

By Cassidy O’Neil Special to Nighthawk News

itting in the corner of many First Flight classrooms, a huge, outdated object lurks, collecting dust and rarely being used. Many have remained untouched and unnoticed for years. Weighing in around the same size as your average seventh-grader – it’s the prehistoric television. A little more than a decade ago, First Flight opened as a brand new high school with state-of-the-art technology and an eager staff prepared to teach. In 2004, the school was very different: Dare County had not yet used Google Drive, WiFi or Chromebooks. Instead, one of the main features the teachers used were their televisions, which were located in the corner of almost every room along with a DVD and VCR player. “At the time, they were very significant and cutting edge,” Administrative Intern Drew Sawyer said. The TV used to do many of the things teachers do with their computers now. For example, every morning, students would turn to the TVs to watch the morning announcements. “We had to turn the TV to a certain channel every morning to watch the announcements. It would only come on at a specific time,” science teacher Stephanie Motz said. Twelve years later, most teachers forget that the TV is even in their room. As technology advanced, the TVs became obsolete, replaced by the superior projector. “(The projector is) larger and lets more students see the screen,” social studies

teacher Karen Head said. Nowadays, the TVs do little but collect dust: “It serves no purpose, and I’m afraid that it could fall,” English teacher Lauren Deal said. Deal isn’t the only one: “I am concerned with the weight of the televisions... They make me nervous, because of the weight of the TV being suspended six feet up in the air,” Motz said. What are the options? Although the school spent a good amount of money on the machines back in 2004, many thrift shops won’t even take them. A quick eBay search will show you tons of sellers eager to get some space back and get rid of the monster TV sitting in the garage, but not many buyers. Most of them are only listed for around $20. This shows that, in the end, to safely take down, move, recycle, donate, or throw away a TV, it would cost more than they are worth. Most students have rarely seen the televisions used. “Ms. (Amy) Powell used the TV for a movie three months back; other than that, I have not seen one turned on since freshman year,” junior Sean Doyle said. The school has considered getting rid of the TVs before, Sawyer said, but firm decisions are still up in the air. “We are thinking about getting them taken out,” Sawyer said. “They are obsolete and rarely are used.” Until that decision is made, it seems like dust will continue to build on the elephant in the room. Freshman Cassidy O’Neil wrote this story for his Introduction to Publications year-end project. He can be reached at o’neilca1210@ daretolearn.org.

Photo illustration by Amy Wrenn/Nighthawk News Is sophomore Alex Rodman thinking up an answer to a question? Or wondering how sturdy those brackets are holding the mammoth classroom television to the ceiling?

Student volunteers lend a helping hand to four-legged friends By Blair Smith Special to Nighthawk News

ou may spend weekends at the beach, with friends or just doing nothing. But some special students have spent many weekends helping love, feed and care for animals at the Outer Banks SPCA in Manteo. According to aspca.org, 7.6 million domesticated animals enter a shelter each year. “Most of them are timid and scared when they first get there,” said Anita Foster, a long-time volunteer. That’s where students can save the day, helping some of these timid, scared animals turn into the bright and happy companions available for adoption into families ready NIGHTHAWK News Magazine / / features

to make many happy memories. “The kids are a big help,” Foster said. “They do what they’re told. They’re very excited when they are there and they enjoy working with the dogs.” Volunteers can participate in many fun jobs, such as being pet photographers, match makers, cat cuddlers, dog cuddlers, working with fido fitness, on the clean team, in marketing, or transportation. “Some of my most favorite jobs were giving the dogs baths because the dogs seem to really enjoy it and it’s fun watching them play in the water,” freshman Chyla Huber said with a smile. Huber also explained how much she enjoys seeing animals getting a forever home: “They deserve it after they’ve been there for so long.”

Another veteran is freshman Brie Phillips. She has been volunteering for five years and said her favorite part is “making the animals happy and less lonely.” Playing with the animals is not all fun and games at the SPCA. Freshman Juli Paris’ most memorable moment is “probably seeing the animals going to a good home, even though it’s sad. You build a bond with them when you’ve been working with them so long. You become close to them.” Freshman Abby Smith makes blankets out of soft, reusable fabrics that people have donated. She has been making the blankets to keep cats comfortable in their cages for a year and a half now. Smith got involved in making the blankets when a friend invited her

over to her grandmother’s house when they were making them. “Ever since I’ve been hooked!” Smith said with excitement. “It’s nice to know you’re helping the cats.” There are so many ways to help the animals and the people who work at the shelter. You can make some tails wag and cats purr at the SPCA or even Petsmart. Contact the Outer Banks SPCA for more info at 252-474-5620, or follow them for fun photos and other ways to help on Instagram at obx_spca and on Facebook at Outer Banks SPCA. Freshman Blair Smith wrote this story for her Introduction to Publications year-end project. She can be reached at smithas0621@daretolearn.org.

Photos by Amy Wrenn/Nighthawk News Sophomores Trinity Steyn (left) and Julissa DeLaCruz work to design and paint trash cans for the beaches of the Town of Nags Head. This annual project for Alice Baldwin’s art students aims to make the trash cans hard to miss for everyone visiting the beaches this summer.

Art students help keep our beaches clean – and so should you

n open letter to our summer guests … and everyone else who enjoys the beaches of the Outer

Banks: Alex Thomas was the last student to leave the cover photo shoot for this month’s senior edition. As we left the shallow water of the Roanoke Sound and made our way along the narrow beach, Thomas kept stopping every few feet. By the time we reached the parking lot, she had a handful of cigarette butts and the remains of a record album. For most locals – and yes, some tourists – walks on the beach include far too many stops for garbage. So this summer, we implore you: Please clean up after yourself. Students in our art classes actually decorate trash cans that can be found at every beach access point. There are so many trash cans around that it’s frustrating when we ﬁnd plastic bags, the plastic rings around your six-pack of sodas, emp-

ty cans and plastic bottles and glass bottles, broken chairs and umbrellas and boogie boards, popped floats, pieces of pails and shovels, even swim diapers littering our beaches. Please don’t feed the seagulls! Really, they’re not as cute as you think they are. And if you start throwing the remains of your healthy snack of strawberries and watermelon and less-healthy items like chips and cookies to them, you’re going to be swarmed. You know who else is going to be swarmed by this flock of seagulls? All of us sitting within 50 feet of you. Don’t make us run … so far away. This one is a real challenge, but really, shooting off (illegal) fireworks on our beaches isn’t ideal. First, you’re paying way too much money on those things. And there’s always the off chance you could lose an eye or a hand, which seemingly is in the news more and more often each July. Lastly, do you know

how much trash we have to pick up on the beaches July 5? If the little kids just have to have a few sparklers to celebrate our nation’s independence, at least make sure the fully extinguished sticks find their way into a trash can. Many of us clean up a little every day, and many others come out for events like the Big Sweep held in the fall. From fishing line to drug paraphernalia to Gatorade bottles filled with tobacco juice to evidence of people practicing safe sex around the lifeguard stands, we’ve seen it all. If we don’t see anything else, we’ll be incredibly grateful. Oh, and one last thing: Please don’t make your own shark cage. That was really embarrassing last year. Yes, there are sharks in the ocean. But if you don’t swim during sunrise or dusk, or wear a sparkly bathing suit to attract them, you’re probably going to be OK considering how many millions of people in our oceans have not been attacked. For most of us who live here,

Freshman Taina Santana works on the beginning stages of her design. we go to the beach almost every day, whether it’s on a work break, during our morning run, or to enjoy the sunrise. There’s plenty of beach to share, especially when we all do our part.

Hawk Talk: What’s one thing you have learned from a senior?

Izzie Estes Freshman

“Not to procrastinate.”

Sam Robinson Freshman

“School doesn’t get any better.”

Brigid O’Neil

Shane McKenna

“I’ve learned how to get along with people and how to make friends.”

“Kyle Beckner taught me to wear sunblock.”

Sophomore

Freshman

summer / / 2016

Home sweet home or time to go? Two staffers face off

’ve lived on the Outer Banks nearly my entire life. I was a little kid here, I went to school here, and I’ve grown into the person I am here. The Outer Banks is my home, and it will always be a part of me. However, I don’t want it to be all of me. It’s beautiful, quiet and unlike any other place on earth. But I don’t want it to be the only place I see. There’s a wide, wonderful world out there, and I feel like I would be doing it and myself a great disservice not to see more of it in however long I walk it. This is not to say that the experience of the Outer Banks doesn’t provide a lot. The beautiful beach, the relatively crime-free area, and a tight-knit community – there’s a special sort of culture here that you can’t find anywhere else on Earth. But despite everything the Outer Banks has going for it, it’s not the world. You can find sand and sun and beauty here, but you can’t find the sands of Giza giving way to the pyramids, or the sun rising over the streets of Tokyo, or the beauty of the Midwestern corn fields. Maybe it’s the fact that I wasn’t born here, but I don’t think that I could content myself with one place for my youth, my adulthood, my entire life. One detractor from our little slice of heaven is the fact that it’s a very small, similar slice of heaven. There’s too many cultures and types of life out there in the world, and so many people that I admire, that I’d like to give myself the chance to rub elbows with someday. I’m happy with the life I’ve led, and the people that I’ve met here. But while I value this experience and the home I’ve made here, I’m looking forward to college, to my 20s, to going out there and seeing what the world has to offer. Maybe I’ll come back to the Outer Banks someday, maybe I’ll raise my children in this particularly unique place. But if I’m going to be coming back, I want to come back with eyes that have seen a lot more than this place could offer, and experience that can help this island be the best place that it can be. If you love something, let it go. While I love it here, I’m just about ready to let it go — at least for a little while. Junior Sarah Skinner can be reached at skinnersa0619@daretolearn.org.

Illustration by Sarah Shotton/Nighthawk News Junior Sarah Skinner (left) and senior Kelly Weisbecker portray their differing opinions about the OBX. For many students, the truth may be somewhere in the middle.

very year, social media is flooded with posts about how people can’t wait to escape this small beach community or – as they like to call it – this “stupid little island.” But for some, time goes by all too fast. From the perspective of someone who has grown up with salt in my hair and the sand between my toes, the beach is my home and I wouldn’t want to have grown up anywhere else. Instead of being surrounded by pavement and taxis, I prefer to be surrounded by seagulls and the sounds of the waves crashing on the shore. The Outer Banks has provided an excellent place to grow up and flourish because it offers such a unique experience that you can’t get anywhere else. From the smalltown feel to the influx of visitors each summer, residents get the best of both worlds and a thriving economy to boot. Our community may not be a business mecca like Charlotte, but that just means that everyone who moves here lives here because they want to, because they’re passionate about our community, because they love where they live. We live where people dream of vacationing. It’s a rare thing to be able to sit on the beach after school and go looking for beach glass. It’s something some people will never have the opportunity to do, but we seem to take it for granted. Take a second to get out of your head and truly look at the beauty of your community. You’re never more than a bike ride away from either the sound or the ocean. This beach does a lot to help those in need. Take for example Bri Blumenthal or Ramon Sanchez: The community comes together to help those in need. If you look at Mr. Sanchez’s GoFundMe page, you’ll see students of his from 10 years prior donating toward his cause. You may leave the Outer Banks, but the Outer Banks never leaves you. Senior Kelly Weisbecker can be reached at weiskbeckerke0220@daretolearn.org.

Graphic by Kristina Carter; photos by Dea Celaj

Grace Pruneau Sophomore

“Maddie Musika taught me how to make decisions.”

NIGHTHAWK News Magazine / / opinions

Evan Fish Junior

“Don’t try to slack off at the end of your junior year.”

Mykenzie Halﬁn

Jacob Poli

“Senior year isn’t as easy as it seems.”

“If you want to do something put 100 percent of yourself into it.”

Junior

Prom in the rotunda beats constraints of outside venue

alking into prom, you piece of cake. One must be able to wouldn’t be able to channel his or her inner Pinterest picture that less than and encompass all DIY skills. If you 12 hours earlier, the add in a new location, that would building had been bustling with also mean moving all of the decor the normal flow of a school day. to the new site, with even less time This year, the rotunda was to work on projects. transformed into a gilded Although the decorations this 1920s-esque speakeasy in just year may not have looked that chala few hours’ lenging to make time. The pillars to the average supporting the prom-goer, an building had been army of students wrapped in long and staff started gold streamer working immedicurtains, a sparately after school kling chandelier the day before hung from the prom and continceiling, and other ued until about Nighthawk Notions ’20s-themed decor 9 o’clock that Beverly Murry dotted the space. night. If prom looked While a difso good, then why should it matter ferent location would absolutely where it is held? have its perks, it would also mean a Members of the prom commitsevere limit on guests and the postee work hard every year to plan sibility of no underclassmen being and decorate for prom, and every invited at all. As a sophomore, I year people object to having it in definitely wanted an in-school the school; however, the rotunda is prom that I could attend. A new actually a great place for prom. site location would also put limits Sure it isn’t as glamorous as on other aspects, like the amount an off-site location like Jennette’s of decor and the cost of tickets. Pier or the aquarium, but when you People already oppose the ticket look back at prom, is the location prices, which are reasonable – eswhat you remember most? pecially if you buy for the pre-sale. If you have ever helped set up An off-campus prom would lead to for prom, you would know it’s no high spikes in the cost of tickets.

Photo by Aaron Jennings/Shooters at the Beach Streamers, lights and other decorations transform the school rotunda into a festive yet inexpensive location for the annual prom. With dresses, tux rentals, hair, makeup, nails, flowers and dinner, prom is already expensive enough, and a pricey ticket would just be another added cost to factor in. “There are some advantages to having it off campus,” explained English teacher and prom committee sponsor Lauren Deal. “But for what we have here, I think it works really well to have it on campus. It keeps the ticket prices low and we can focus on things like decorations and not just paying for an expensive place.” All things considered, the

location is probably the least-important component. I know when I look back on this prom, I won’t be upset because it was inside the school. I’ll remember getting amazing pictures, a strange (to say the least) dinner, and being out of breath from dancing by the end of the night. Next year, remember that it’s not the location that matters, but what you do to make prom memorable for yourself. Sophomore Beverly Murry can be reached at murrybe0316@daretolearn.org.

Frankenfoods: Negative impacts of GMOs in food chain

ing a GMO (Genetically Modified oday we will be watchOrganism). ing a video about food Intrigued, I emerged from my in America,” my science sleepy haze and was engulfed by teacher said. I heaved a this information. Scientists have sigh of relief: Another day to do been altering the genes in our nothing in class. It was the spring crops and pushing of my eighththem into every grade year and the shelf of our groschool year was cery stores. More finally winding than 80 percent down. As I began to prepare for a of the corn in the U.S. is genetically mid-class nap, I modified. This was unaware that has been permitthis seemingly Nighthawk Notions ted by the U.S. insignificant video government, even I was planning Byrde Wells though the effects to sleep through of GMOs on the environment and would change my outlook on food humans are not known. While my forever. ethics-detector was going off, the As I started to drift off, somestudents around me didn’t seem thing peculiar caught my eye. The food expert in the video to be fazed. How did nobody else stood behind a table full of junk recognize this blatant issue? foods, from Lay’s potato chips to I walked out of that classDiGiorno pizza. As he pointed to room with a completely changed each bag, brand or box, they all mindset. The food we eat every began to have one constant – beday is being stripped and modi-

fied in laboratories. Four years later, GMOs have been put in the national spotlight. What was once an unknown aspect of our food has now become a national debate. Organizations such as the NonGMO Project and various organic farming movements have arisen to help stifle the influx of these franken-crops into our food. Sadly, this war against GMOs is far from won, as biotech companies such as Monsanto continue to fervently support them. A USDA study concerning the adoption of genetically engineered crops in the U.S. from 1996 to 2015 shows that in June of 2015, 94 percent of all soybean acreage and 89 percent of all corn acreage in the U.S. was GMO. So, what is wrong with GMOs? From an ethical standpoint, the altering of food that humans and animals have been consuming for millions of years has an abundance of issues. We truly do not know

what GMO crops will do to the human body: It’s almost as if humans are being guinea pigs. Although numerous studies have been conducted on GMOs’ effects on the body, the majority of these studies have been proven to be flawed, regardless of if their evidence supports or is against GMOs. As for environmental concerns, GMOs are commonly modified to be herbicide- or pesticide-tolerant in order to withstand the constant spraying of these chemicals intended to kill insects, weeds, prevent rotting, etc. This is exemplified by Monsanto’s Roundup-ready crops, which are modified to be immune to Monsanto’s Roundup herbicide. Roundup, which contains the toxic herbicide glyphosate, is sprayed in excess to kill weeds or other unwanted plants surrounding a crop. However, plants and weeds are starting to become Roundup-resistant due to the over-reliance of using the herbisummer / / 2016

Spare any change? Tubman trumps Jackson on $20 bill

f a $20 bill falls to the floor and no one is there to notice it, is Andrew Jackson on its back or on its front? By now, you’ve probably heard that Harriet Tubman is set to replace Andrew Jackson on the $20 bill. But did you know that Jackson is still set to grace the back of the bill? That’s right: Every millennial’s favorite slave-owning, Native American-hunting, national bank-closing, spoils system-y president will get to stay on the bill, only on the back. To me, this undermines the whole purpose of replacing “the people’s president” with the famous conductor of the Underground Railroad. Who’s to say which is the front side? To some people, Tubman is on the front, but flip it around and now it’s Jackson. According to the government, Jackson is on the back. But I’m willing to bet that people protesting the change today won’t really care about that. Especially if it fits into that ding-dang Obama administration master plan of political correctness. Yeah, I’m not sure either. However, it goes beyond just political divides, and in a way undermines the American psyche. Jackson was a brave military leader during the Seminole War. In

Nighthawk Notions Mack Doebler 1818, he invaded Florida, allowing the United States to take the territory. He did this on his own initiative. When the election of 1828 came around, Jackson was a prime candidate for the Democratic party. He appeared to be a man of the people as opposed to a bureaucrat, and this image took him all the way to the oval office. Once there he introduced the spoils system to American politics. With this system, Jackson awarded people seats in his presidential cabinet and the federal government as a reward for doing something for him. That is the kind of system that fuels a single man’s agenda – not that of a union. It’s a little un-American, if you ask me. Jackson is also famous for his closure of the national bank, which, despite his seemingly noble motives, resulted in a recession. Who ended up getting pinned for

this economic upset? Martin Van Buren, who was elected after Jackson and dubbed “Martin Van Ruin” by his contemporaries. Nothing says America like debt, I guess. On top of this, Jackson also owned slaves – which some may say was a product of his time – but this was well past the Northwest Ordinance of 1785, and people were well aware that slavery was a bit of a, how should I put this, corrupt bargain. (Badum-Tssss) But what about Harriet Tubman? Tubman was born into slavery, and early on, her family was severed when three of her sisters were sold to other plantations. She suffered lashings often – once with five beatings occurring before breakfast. The scars from that day stayed with her throughout her life. Another incident of physical injury took place when Tubman refused to help a man recapture his slave. The man threw a twopound weight that hit her in the head. From that point on, Tubman was afflicted with seizures, severe headaches and narcoleptic fits until her impoverished death in 1913. In 1849, Tubman escaped slavery, and in 1850 she led her first group of slaves to freedom in the North. She assisted more than 300 people in the years before the Civil

War and was regarded as “Moses” by famous civil rights writer Frederick Douglass. Abolitionist John Brown called her “General Tubman.” The name General Tubman took on a more literal meaning when she led soldiers in battle during the Combahee River Raid. After the war, she dedicated time and money to helping those in need, even when it meant giving away all she had. Tubman saw the American dream as it should be – freedom – and she made it her life’s work to try to extend that dream to as many people as possible. Jackson, on the other hand, recognized the dream but focused on his personal agenda and furthering his name rather than helping the citizens of his nation. Is a man like that really the type of person we as Americans want on our currency? The alternative is so much better. Perhaps this double-sided $20 bill is the compromise that the American people needed. Or maybe it is a quick step backward in order to appease a nation that still isn’t mature enough to recognize the importance of taking care of one another. I guess time will tell. Junior Mack Doebler can be reached at doublerma0930@daretolearn.org.

will far outweigh benefits cide, since the majority of GMO crops are Roundup resistant. To combat this, farmers are inclined to spray even more Roundup on weeds and plants surrounding crops to overcome the built-up resistance, as the majority of GMOs are “Roundup-ready.” This high volume of excess chemicals then makes its way throughout the environment and ultimately into our stomachs. Does this sound like a “sustainable” farming practice? The process of manipulating the genes of crops to produce a GMO, called horizontal gene transfer, has large drawbacks as well. Horizontal gene transfer requires injecting a gene from one species into a completely different species, which is completely against the natural process of genetic reproduction, which is known as vertical gene transfer. The problem concerning this mode of gene transfer is that when a GMO crop is consumed by another organism,

NIGHTHAWK News Magazine / / opinions

it can insert itself into a genome, and due to the DNA of a GMO crop being altered to be for example, “antibiotic resistant,” this can cause the human body to be more susceptible to bacterial infections and diseases in general. But GMOs are perfectly safe, right? Being deemed as the “savior” of world hunger is an utter fallacy: GMOs are far from living up to that standard. These laboratory-product crops have a multitude of flaws. Despite this, GMO production is turning into a large profitable business, and companies such as Monsanto will push all limits to ensure that GMOs continue to be abundant in all our foods. It’s up to consumers to buy food that comes from organic farms in order to attack the GMO movement economically and as a society. Junior Byrde Wells can be reached at wellsje1210@daretolearn.org.

Stacey Wescott/Chicago Tribune/TNS Farmer Matthew Starr sifts through non-GMO corn as it loads into a semi to be taken to grain elevators. Starr grows both GMO and non-GMO grains in Illinois. He is fine with labeling GMO and non-GMO products as long as it is done on a federal basis.

Photos provided by Jack Konstanzer Look how far they’ve come: Jack Konstanzer and Graham Smalley have been friends most of their lives and were all smiles after wrestling in the mud at 10 years old. Eight years later, they looked a little different as they stood together before their senior prom. Through all the changes, they have maintained their friendship.

Friends clean up on D-1 offers By Cole Kelly Special to Nighthawk News

obody would have guessed that the two 10-year-olds rolling around in mud would end up being two Division I athletes. Jack Konstanzer and Graham Smalley have been best friends for more than 15 years, and now both will be D-I athletes. Konstanzer has signed to play basketball at UNC Greensboro, and Smalley has committed to play soccer at Appalachian State. The First Flight standouts took paths that were very similar in some ways, yet quite different in others, to achieve their goals. Konstanzer believed he was going to be a basketball star since he was very little: The senior said he has thought about playing at the college level since he was ﬁve years old. Smalley’s path was set basically before he could walk: His dad played soccer at the University of Virginia and was coaching Graham by the time he was 5 years old. While Nighthawks fans got to cheer on Konstanzer this season,

they got their last look at Smalley last year. For recruiting reasons, Smalley left all of his friends and everything he has ever known to go and follow his dream, which is soccer. For his senior year, he moved to Raleigh, where he played on a travel team called the Carolina Railhawks. Railhawks Academy is a professional developmental program that selects top players in the state and country. Every senior is committed to play college soccer at top schools in the U.S., and the Railhawks also have three national team players and one who has signed a pro contract. “This team has pushed me to the next level and I’m grateful for meeting a great group of guys,” Smalley said. His decision to leave home to focus on soccer set Smalley apart from other recruits. “He’s very ambitious,” App State coach Jason O’Keefe said. “The fact that he is willing to sacriﬁce, leaving his senior year and move away from his friends and family, just shows how determined he is to be great.” Konstanzer will leave First Flight as the greatest scorer in the

school’s basketball history. His four-year career was sparked by the support of his family and coach Chad Williams, who said he could tell Konstanzer would be a star player in the eighth grade. “You could tell by his work ethic, his natural athletic ability, his tenacity and his willingness to win that he was one day going to be a great player,” Williams said. Konstanzer said the coaching staff at UNCG is amazing and he felt great chemistry with head coach Wes Miller. “I’m just excited to play at the college level because I will be challenged both physically and mentally,” Konstanzer said. “It is really just going to be a great overall experience for me as a person and a player.” While both Smalley and Konstanzer are moving on with plans to do great things, they are not going to let that distract them from one thing that truly matters to them: their friendship. “Jack and I have been apart for this past year and we speak daily,” Smalley said. “Our bond as friends won’t be broken and we will continue to push each other whether we can see each other or not. Our

schedules will be very busy, but our friendship won’t end.” One moment that truly deﬁned their friendship was when the boys were 10 years old on a trip with other families to a river in Virginia. When it rained for an entire day, everyone else stayed in their tents. Not Konstanzer and Smalley. They put on their bathing suits and ran out along the side of the river where it was covered in mud and started wrestling and rolling around. About 10 minutes later, everyone in the area had their bathing suits on and they started a huge mud ﬁght. Then they pulled inner tubes behind a four-wheeler, and everyone had a blast – all because two little kids started to wrestle in the mud. “To this day it’s still one of the most fun times I’ve ever had and I’m so glad he was a part of it with me,” Smalley said. That just goes to show you that any two kids playing in the mud can go on to do great things. Freshman Cole Kelly wrote this story for his Introduction to Publications year-end project. He can be reached at kellyco1213@daretolearn.org. summer / / 2016

Special Olympics is a win for everybody involved By Cecilia Cortez Special to Nighthawk News In most sports, only the players win. But in Special Olympics, the volunteers win, too. Special Olympics is a program that allows people with intellectual disabilities to play sports such as track and ﬁeld, basketball, cheerleading, swimming and equestrian. Special Olympics can leave major impacts on the lives of the athletes – and volunteers. “It gives the athletes self-esteem, courage, and it builds their physical development, enables them to get jobs, and to communicate with their parents, siblings and the whole community,” explained Dare County Special Olympics program coordinator Kathleen Morgan. Special Olympics also serves as a social platform for the athletes. For some athletes, that is their favorite part. However, for athletes like Josh Holland, there is more to Special Olympics than just socializing. “I enjoy improving. I see how I was before I started and I see how I am now,” said Josh Holland, a junior at First Flight and Special Olympics swimming state champion. “We are starting to dive, and there is a thrill of excitement and accomplishment.” The athletes create a bond through Special Olympics and start to look up to and look out for each other. For instance, Holland said the athlete he looked up to the most was his teammate and swimming team captain, Zach Nelson. “They have a network among themselves,” Morgan said. This includes encouraging each other to get involved in the community. If one teammate gets a job somewhere, he or she will tell friends on the team that they should apply, too. The win for Special Olympics volunteer and FFHS senior Rebecca Ayers was that it helped her conﬁrm that she wanted to be a Special Education major in college. After going to classes with a girl that has an intellectual disability, Ayers knew she wanted to do something in Special Ed. Special Olympics has helped solidify that. “Special Olympics has pushed me to work harder for my major,” Ayers said. “It has opened my eyes to people with intellectual disabilities.” In this way, Special Olympics is not only a

NIGHTHAWK News Magazine / / sports

Photo provided by Special Olympics Athletes compete in the ﬁfth annual Special Olympics Spring Games at First Flight High School last month. Special Olympics inspires athletes and volunteers alike. win for the coaches and volunteers but a learning experience as well. “I learn something every day from the athletes, and you would think that you are in it to teach them but it’s not. I learn how to be patient, kind, accepting and to be happy,” Morgan said. Sophomore Kira Foster learned similar lessons after she volunteered. “A lot of people underestimate people with special needs, and ignore them in society,” Foster said. “They shouldn’t be ignored. There should be more for them to do. I think some people are scared of them, but they are normal

human beings.” Lessons such as these are what makes the Special Olympics experience a victory for everybody. “You are a good inﬂuence on [the athletes], but, in return, they are a good inﬂuence on you,” Morgan said. “So it is a win-win.” Anyone interested in getting involved with Special Olympics can contact Morgan at 757472-1331 or ke.kathleen.morgan@gmail.com. Freshman Cecilia Cortez wrote this story for her Introduction to Publications year-end project. She can be reached at cortezce1029@daretolearn. org.

Brace yourself: A storm is coming to the OBX

By Kristen Applebaum Special to Nighthawk News

ot everyone spends their day at the beach just to relax or get a tan. Some will go to the beach to participate in events like Storm the Beach, where they get to run across the beach while faced with unique and challenging obstacles. Storm the Beach is an obstacle course race offered by Outer Banks Sporting Events (OBSE and is open to runners of all ages and athletic ability. Because Storm the Beach isn’t quite as competitive as some other races, it’s often thought of as more of a fun and family-friendly event. “It’s something that would bring everyone closer together because of the teamwork required to get through the obstacles, and it’s a fun thing to do with your friends,” freshman Chyla Huber said. This year’s Storm The Beach is on June 12 at Jennette’s Pier, and registration prices range from $25 to $80 depending on the race. There are three-mile, five-mile, and one-mile fun run options that competitors can choose from depending on how much of a challenge they want. For more on how to participate, visit StormTheBeach.org. OBSE is always welcoming support to help set up its races, and information for volunteers also can be found at the website. The obstacles require runners to scale walls, run into the water, crawl through the sand and even flip over tractor tires. While the current obstacles are popular, the people at OBSE always try to “add something fresh each year” to make things more interesting for returning participants, race director Jenny Ash said. While people such as Huber and junior Parker Banks agreed that running in the sand

Photo provided by Outer Banks Sporting Events Competitors scale one of the many obstacles found throughout the Storm the Beach course. The fifth annual event, held at Jennette’s Pier, will take place June 12. for three miles isn’t easy, it was obvious for competitors and spectators to see that everyone enjoys the variety of obstacles incorporated into the race. The names of the obstacles, such as the Sandfiddler Crawl, the Lagoon Leap, and the Sea Monster Chase, all add to the fun of the experience. Encouragement definitely goes a long way when trying to get over the obstacles. “When I’m running, I’ll motivate other people and then they will give motivation in return,” Banks said. As fun as the event can be, Ash did warn that participants need a little training, especially when it comes to running on the beach.

“You do need some endurance,” Ash said. “The most difficult part can be running in the soft sand in between obstacles.” The main goal OBSE had in mind when it started Storm the Beach five years ago was to help people build teamwork while on vacation. Now, the event has grown in popularity among locals and tourists alike as an activity that will be fun for the whole family. “We wanted something for team building in the community and amongst groups,” Ash said. Freshman Kristen Applebaum wrote this story for her Introduction to Publications year-end project. She can be reached at applebaumkr0910@ daretolearn.org.

Athletes take on the heat of summer recruiting

By Byrde Wells Sports Editor

or some athletes, training for a sport ends when the season ends. For others, training is a year-round process, even during the grueling summer hours. This is a testament to one goal these athletes share: The chance to play a college sport. Tyler High, a junior on the varsity basketball team, averaged 14.3 points per game this past season and was second out of all 2-A schools in 3-pointers made. He already has his summer mapped out, planning on “getting better every day” by attending multiple recruitment camps alongside team scrimmages and camps. “With Coach (Chad) Williams this summer, we’re going to Northeastern High School to play a couple games, we’re going to Perquimans and Camden to play a couple

games, we have a camp at CNU (Christopher Newport University), and then we have a team camp in July at Jacksonville,” High said. “I’m going to a camp in Massachusetts right before Jacksonville, and there are going to be 150 colleges coaches there. My other one is called Hoop Mountain Camp.” The men’s varsity soccer team will continue its summer workout plan of going to a college camp. The team has previously been to the camps of UNC Greensboro and Wake Forest, but this year will attend the UNC Chapel Hill soccer camp. Junior Tommy Scott has been a major asset for the men’s soccer program since his freshman year. Scott, who has been in contact with Wingate University for soccer, hopes to create some more recruiting buzz around his name leading into his last season, starting with this camp.

“I’m excited about it and I’m sure that will be better than both UNCG and Wake Forest,” Scott said. “I’m definitely looking forward to getting myself out there a little bit and contacting some coaches.” For baseball, junior Quentin Bell has a summer full of traveling planned out, ranging from attending college camps from South Carolina to Virginia. These include camps at Methodist University in Fayetteville, the University of South Carolina at Aiken, CNU in Newport News, and Bridgewater (Va.) College. Bell has been in official talks with Christopher Newport, Randolph Macon and Methodist about playing in college. Participating in all of these camps is a chance for Bell to get his name out to as many potential colleges as possible. “Basically, going there as a showcase camp to try and see if coaches from those colleges or dif-

ferent colleges want to recruit me,” Bell said. “Getting coaches to look at you and having the opportunity to play in front of Division-I, -II and -III coaches in front of the best competition there is.” Traveling the country, practicing soccer non-stop and getting her name out to colleges: That is junior Nina Perry’s summer summed up, as she plans to travel for individual camps. “I’m trying to go to Houston and Dallas for a soccer showcase,” Perry said. “For ID camps, I’m going to one in Florida [and] two in North Carolina, just to get looked at by colleges and play at my top performance.” Perry will be balancing this alongside her travel soccer team: “Rush season starts in July and I’ll be going up there (Virginia) three days a week,” she said. Junior Byrde Wells can be reached at wellsje1210@daretolearn.org. summer / / 2016

Spring sports season reminds us why we play By Dair McNinch Special to Nighthawk News

retty much the most typical thing someone can say about a season was that it was one to remember, but what is it that the athletes actually remember? The heartbreaking losses, the crazy hyped wins: memories of those will come and go, some quicker than others. The stuff that sticks with high school athletes and the fans, however, is the people and the bus rides. That was especially true for this spring season. To start with, First Flight had an all new team this year with women’s lacrosse. “We didn’t win any games, but being with everyone on the team each day made it the best,” freshman Caroline Murray said. “We made the losses funny and just had a good time with it.” Men’s lacrosse ended up 5-9 with some big wins, such as beating J.H. Rose on Senior Night and dismantling West Carteret. One of freshman Shane McKenna’s most memorable moments from the year included a teammate getting his tooth knocked out on a bus ride. Men’s tennis had some moments to remember as well, like winning the conference title and Jack Brady winning regionals. Junior Christian Eberhard winning a set over the top player in the conference at Currituck was also huge, but when asked what he would take away from this year, “The bus ride home from our first match” was his immediate answer. Track had a big year despite small numbers. The guys finished 11-23, competing with only a 10-person team: “In the conference meet, Blaiz Rodman and Skylar Stultz together accounted for 53 of the team’s 62

NIGHTHAWK News Magazine / / sports

Photos by Amy Wrenn/Nighthawk News From the women’s soccer team reaching the regional title game to seniors like Kyle Cortez (below) enjoying a final season representing First Flight’s sports teams, there were plenty of amazing memories made this spring.

points,” coach Dan Craig said. The girls finished 27-6, with several school records broken to go with it. The 3200-meter relay team of Jill O’Dell, Nina Perry, Alex Rodman and Hailey Schreyer set a new

school record, as did Alana Bissell in the 100 and 200 meter and Heidi Sabatini in the discus. The relay team won the regional and made it to the state meet. Baseball walked off with a 14-12

varsity record and a 7-4-1 JV record, both leaving fans with some things that will be hard to forget: things like sophomore Braxton Hughes and senior Jay Golliday both hitting home runs in a game. Above everything, freshman Will Hala said he would remember “the bus rides, all the teammates and stuff. Also, when someone swung and missed the tee twice and chucked the ball in the outfield.” Softball ended with nine wins and eight losses, making it to the playoffs and pulling off the feat of beating Northeastern for the first time – and doing it twice. Golf finished strong in the conference with two third-places, two second-places, and one first-place finish in league matches. Sophomore Noah Doughtie looked back on “getting to play with all the seniors this year” and “watching a guy from Northeastern getting so mad when he hit his ball in the water that he rolled up his pants and went in to get it.” Women’s soccer enjoyed a thrilling season, qualifying for the NCHSAA regional championship game and enjoying other highlights like beating Currituck on Senior Night. Senior Samantha Xiques said she would remember “the people. Everyone on the team.” Like with any season, this one has been one to remember. There were records broken, teams beaten for the first time, new teams established, and plenty of other highlights. The things that make this season unforgettable, however, were the laughs, the people and the challenges. Just like last year, and the year before that... Freshman Dair McNinch wrote this story for his Introduction to Publications year-end project. He can be reached at mcninchle1121@ daretolearn.org.

First Flight Sports Spotlight:

Why do you like to play lacrosse? My mom thought I needed to do something before I became fat, but I really ended up loving the sport, team and coach.

Why did you start playing lacrosse? My mom played in college and it’s always kind of been a part of my life. My whole family has grown up playing.

What’s your favorite movie? “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” or “The Jungle Book.”

What’s your favorite memory of lacrosse? When I was in third or fourth grade, we had a championship game and the score was really close the whole game, and I ended up scoring the winning goal.

What’s your favorite food? Mexican. What would you do if you had a million dollars? I’d buy myself a house in Scotland or Australia, or maybe both, because I think they are both so gorgeous and different than what all of us grew up around. What’s your favorite TV show? “The Office.” What’s your favorite animal? I love all animals except cats. I’m terrified of cats. What’s your favorite color? Pink and sparkles, if you consider that a color. What’s your favorite memory from this season? My favorite memories are the bus rides and my first goal. Who did you look up to while playing this season? I looked up to Laura Maniet because she was so good and kept a great attitude the whole time toward everyone.

Graphics by Reid Kelly

What are your future plans for lacrosse? I want to play at West Point. But for now I just wanna ball out and have fun. Who’s your favorite player? Kyle Harrison, because he breaks people’s ankles. If you could eat lunch with any three people, who would they be? Kevin Hart, Kobe Bryant and Waka Flocka. What is your favorite thing for breakfast the morning of a game? Pancakes for sure. My mom makes some dank pancakes. Or a little breakfast burrito from Henry’s. Maybe an omelet? No coffee, though: coffee makes you short. Celebrity dream date: Daisy Ridley who plays Rey in Star Wars. Go to catch-phrases: “That’s beat”; “It happens”; “Somethin’ slight.”

What position(s) do you play? I mostly like to play right outside midﬁeld and forward. How long have you played soccer? I have played since I was around 8 or 9, so about six years. Why did you start playing soccer? Well, my younger brother was playing for an OBYSA (Outer Banks Youth Soccer Association) team and it made me want to try it. So I joined a Parks and Recreation team the next season. What is your favorite fruit? Strawberries. Adidas or Nike? Nike: I don’t really like Adidas. In a zombie apocalypse, where would you hide? I would go live out on a boat in the middle of the ocean with my dog, Messi, and my best friend, Kamea Blake. What is your favorite beach access? I kinda like a lot of different places, like Luke Street, Jennette’s Pier and Eckner Street. Where do you see yourself 10 years from now? My dream would be to live in Paris and shopping with all of my free time, or live in Hawaii, relax and surf a lot. My favorite high school experience so far has been: I really liked seeing everybody dressed up at prom.

How long have you been playing tennis? One year. Why did you start playing tennis? Because the tennis team needed more players and Jack Brady convinced me to try out. If you could be on vacation anywhere right now, where would you go? Somewhere in Hawaii. What is your favorite prematch snack? I like the Nature Valley granola bars, the oats and honey ﬂavor. What would you buy ﬁrst if you won the lottery? I would buy a new car. Probably a white 2016 Nissan GT-R. If you were a breakfast food, which breakfast food item would you be? I would be bacon because it tastes really good, and it is my favorite thing to eat for breakfast. What is your dream college? The University of South Carolina, because it has really nice tennis courts, track and campus. If you could have a dinner party with anyone, who would you choose? Barack Obama. What would you want your last meal to be? A hamburger and french fries from Five Guys.

Photos by Dea Celaj, Sarah Shotton and Amy Wrenn summer / / 2016

Q&A with FFHS’ Rising Stars

Why do you like to run track? I run track because it’s fun having a close team, because there aren’t many people, and I love to run and compete. What’s your favorite movie? I don’t have a favorite movie because there are too many to choose from. What’s your favorite food? My favorite foods are tacos and cheeseburgers, because I love the ﬂavor and taste. What would you do if you won a million dollars? I would travel the world, because I have always wanted to travel the world when I get older and experience new cultures. What’s your favorite TV show? “Modern Family,” because it is so funny and it makes me laugh. What’s your favorite animal? My favorite animal is a wolf or horse, because they are so beautiful and powerful. What’s your favorite color? My favorite color is black. What’s your favorite class or subject? My favorite subject is English, because I love Mrs. May. She is a great teacher.

How’d you ﬁrst start playing baseball? I started playing in the Babe Ruth League when my parents signed me up. I started playing tee-ball and loved it because I got to hang out with all my friends. What’s your favorite memory of the sport? When we were losing by nine in a tournament for allstars and came back and won in the last inning. What position do you play? Third base and pitcher. I like pitching the best because I can control the game. What are your future plans for playing baseball? To continue having fun playing and enjoying my time in high school, and play in college if I can.

How long have you been playing softball? Seven years. Favorite memory with the sport? When I hit my ﬁrst home run in fourth grade. I was so excited and proud, even though it was only Parks and Rec softball. What’s your favorite part about softball? Softball is the only sport I play where I feel like how I play affects everyone, and that can be a good thing or a bad thing. Craziest memory with the sport? When I got hit in the forehead with a ball being thrown from the catcher and had a giant bump on my forehead for two days. Dream vacation? Paris and Italy.

What inspired you to play golf? Ever since I was a little, my dad and grandfather played golf all the time. One time they brought me along and I was fascinated with the strategy and skill level of the game. At the age of 12, I told my grandfather I was interested in playing and he signed me up for lessons. Favorite golfer? Jordan Spieth. We share similar characteristics when it comes to playing golf. We both putt very well and take a different approach to the game. Who is your celebrity dream date? Kate Upton, of course. What is your favorite song? “Opportunity Cost” by G-Eazy. If you could have one superpower, what would it be? The ability to freeze time.

Who’s your favorite player? CC Sabathia, a pitcher for the Yankees.

What would you do if you had a million dollars? I would use the money to travel to Italy.

Favorite local restaurant to go to after a game? Mama Kwans.

Your one guilty pleasure? Reese’s Cups.

What is your favorite fast food chain? McDonald’s. Their french fries are the best.

Go-to smoothie at Tropical Smoothie? Jetty Punch.

If you could switch bodies with a person for a day, who would it be? Beyonce, because her life seems so interesting.

Favorite part about freshman year? All the freedom that was never given to us in middle school.

Best song to warm up to? “No Hands” by Waka Flocka. Favorite Mexican restaurant on the OBX? Viva is deﬁnitely the best. I always get ﬁve beef and cheese tacos and some chips and queso.

Favorite movie? “Mean Girls,” because it’s so funny. Favorite fast food place? Dunkin Donuts, iced coffee with cream and sugar.

If you won a million dollars, what would you do? I would spoil my mom with a huge shopping spree to prove how much I love her and show her that I am thankful for all she has done. And then probably buy a really nice car.

Reporting by Kristina Carter, Ashlee Geraghty, Suzanne Harrison, Alex Rodman and Meghan Savona NIGHTHAWK News Magazine / / sports

NIGHTHAWK News Magazine / /summer / / 2016