Summer 2019 Nighthawk News Magazine by Steve Hanf

ON THE COVER

hen we first walked into Room B-214 we all felt a sense of curiosity as well as anxiousness. None of us really knew what Intro to Publications meant, and none of us knew what an extremely tall man was doing in that classroom. We would soon learn that his name was Mr. Hanf, and that he was new to First Flight, but not to journalism. If it weren’t for the experience that Mr. Hanf had in both student-run newspapers and in the field of journalism, we wouldn’t have the award-winning publication and the talented writers that we do. As editors, we couldn’t be more thankful to have worked alongside Mr. Hanf for four years, and we give him many thanks. We would also be nowhere without our wonderful staff writers. Each of them brings something great to the table, and every one of them never fails to pick us back up when we have fallen down. And while first period and fourth period lead seemingly different lives, we all seem to come together at the end of the day. Friendships that will last a lifetime have been formed within these four walls. All of us have spent so much time in this room full of miscellaneous papers on cubicle-esque desks, as well as the new layout with computers lining the walls and what Mr. Hanf likes to call collaborative-desk-space. We have all also had some of the best high school memories right here in the publications room. From playing Wormax in the back of the room to decorating for the holiday season (and playing a game of Elf on the Shelf with porcelain Korean dolls), some of the funniest and most heartfelt moments have happened right here in Room B-214. While most of our On the Covers have included the struggle to find a cover, and the funny mishaps of the Juul pod drive, this one seemed like a no-brainer. We chose to shoot the cover on the sand dunes because for most of us beach kids at First Flight, the most joyous childhood moments happened right on Jockey’s Ridge alongside some friends and a boogie board. We figured that we would capture the 2019 senior class’ nostalgia as they

glided down the side of a dune with some of their lifelong best friends. Unfortunately, we didn’t glide as well as we had hoped. When we got to Jockey’s Ridge, the small group of us quickly figured out that we would have to move to our next plan. After trekking up three giant dunes, dragging our useless boards behind us, we tried running down the hill at full speed. But, after trying to time out three groups, things got complicated, and ultimately our favorite picture by yearbook Photo Editor Madison Murry from the night ended up being a simplistic cover – one that we believe showcases the beauty of this little sandbar we call home. Thank you for picking up the Senior Edition of Nighthawk News Magazine this year and thank you if you have followed along for all four editions. For some of us, this is our 12th edition. It has been an honor to write and create such a paper for the wonderful Outer Banks community. To us, journalism is not just an important class, but also a vital part of life. Without this class and without this experience, our views on the world would be altered. This year we have aimed to give you all the true and interesting stories that encompass our community and our school. We strived to bring you breaking news and to cover hard-hitting news that we have experienced at First Flight. Hopefully we did just that, bringing important stories to our readers in the school and our community. As these four years come to a close for the three Editors-in-Chief, we thank the staff for the positive everyday experience, and for every late-night deadline session. Thank you to every section editor on staff who makes the editing process smoother. Thank you to every staff writer who makes the stories of First Flight come to life. Thank you to our photographers for literally going above and beyond to give us great pictures. Thank you to every artist who has helped us throughout the school year. And thank you to our readers, who keep us doing what we love. – Chloe, Hannah and Hunter

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Photo submitted by Buzzy Staten

(Top row, from left) Seniors Hunter Haskett, Sophie Johnson, Caroline Jenkins, Buzzy Staten, Grace Sullivan, Kaitlyn Hales and (bottom) Hannah Ellington, Jacy Copeland and Caroline Murray pose together for one last picture as they leave the photo shoot at Jockey’s Ridge.

Photo submitted by Hunter Haskett

A picture from Kitty Hawk United Methodist Church’s preschool class trip to Jockey’s Ridge in 2006 includes current First Flight seniors Robyn Godley, Chloe Futrell, Hunter Haskett, Grayson Bell, Reese Jones and Parker Melson enjoying their field trip to the big sand dune as 4-year-olds.

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WHAT’S INSIDE NEWS 4 College adviser leaves the Hawks’ nest College Adviser Sophie Shaw will be saying goodbye to First Flight at the end of this school year. Other stories within this section include a look at the search for a new principal, the reason behind senior projects and a new nursing class added to FFHS.

FEATURES 10 Senior spotlights found on pages 10-29 Kimmy Fernandez will blow you away with her incredibly creative makeup looks. Get a deeper look into Fernandez’s makeup and life on Page 22.

Enjoy getting to know some of our most talented and interesting seniors. From Peru to politics, there isn’t a thing these seniors can’t do. These Nighthawks will leave big shoes to ﬁll as they bid farewell to First Flight.

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OPINIONS 30 Nighthawk News seniors offer advice

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Newspaper staff members share some parting words.

Elsewhere in our Op-Ed section, Grace Sullivan talks about her college rejection. Hannah Ellington touches on the high school experience. Plus, don’t miss Sophie Johnson explain the bittersweet experience of leaving her brothers.

SPORTS 37 New disc golf course brings joy to all

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Disc golf is all the rage for the Dare County community, and for math teacher Sam DeWitt and his students. Discover the underlying wonders of the new course just beyond the stadium.

Also in the sports section, you will ﬁnd an abundance of interesting stories. Catch up on all of the sports signings throughout the past year and don’t miss the details of sophomore Johmar Gonzalez and his plans to study at IMG Academy next year.

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Admin update: Pearce closes school year as leader while search continues By Chloe Futrell Editor-in-Chief

hen Caroline Pearce got the news that she would take the place of former Principal Tim Albert, she was both shocked and saddened. Albert announced in February that he would retire at the end of the school year, then had to take family medical leave instead, finishing out his long career in education at home rather than in the halls of FFHS. “He and his wife are caretakers of her adult brother with multiple health issues,” Pearce explained. “The two of them have cared for ‘Bubbe’ selflessly and unconditionally. I never want to profit by the misfortune of a friend.” Pearce was named Interim Principal once Albert left the first week of April. With the new role placed upon her shoulders, Pearce decided to take this opportunity to embrace change, and she did so with the support of staff and students. “I remember that change may be difficult, but it is inevitable, and I began to embrace my new role,” Pearce said. “Each day has been both challenging and exhilarating, and I am so genuinely thankful for the confidence and support I have been shown.” Pearce will act as principal until the

Photo by Ben Tran/Nighthawk News

Interim Principal Caroline Pearce talks with a student in her ofﬁce. After Tim Albert’s early retirement to take care of a family member, Pearce took over the job in the ﬁrst week of April.

end of the school year. According to Superintendent Dr. John Farrelly, interviews for the new principal will begin at the end of May and the announcement of the 2019-2020 First Flight principal will come by July 1. This change has not been hard in the physical sense, but rather in the adjustment to new responsibilities for Pearce. “Walking 25 additional steps to the

‘big’ office was easy. Keeping my own phone extension number in the ‘big’ office was easy,” Pearce said. “Adjusting to being the ‘final word’ was hard.” Pearce has taken on numerous roles and has worn many new hats since taking on the role of interim principal. “I now have to sign all the checks and certificates, conference with seniors and their parents about passing courses necessary for graduation, offi-

cially preside at the plethora of FFHS functions and leave the building for meetings,” Pearce said. Taking care of the new activities and responsibilities has been worth it for Pearce, although sometimes she misses her one-on-one interactions with students. “Being out of the building during the school day is the most difﬁcult because I cherish the time and conversation I have with FFHS students and teachers,” Pearce said. Pearce plans to return to her previous position of assistant principal next year. “Each year in March all DCS staff sign an ‘Intent to Return’ form; I signed mine to return,” Pearce stated. “However, I do occasionally exercise my prerogative to change my mind.” Most students couldn’t imagine FFHS without Pearce somewhere in the main ofﬁce. “She’s nice to everybody and does well with kids,” senior Payton Smith said. While her new position has come with many trials and tribulations, overall, Pearce has had a positive experience. “It is my genuine privilege to serve as the FFHS interim principal,” she said. Senior Chloe Futrell can be reached at futrellch1114@daretolearn.org.

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NIGHTHAWK News Magazine / / summer / / 2019

Senior projects challenge and inspire

By Abby Hite Staff Writer

our years of high school teaches you a lot: communication skills, researching methods and how to plan an assignment (unless procrastination sets in). For many North Carolina students, these skills are vital to creating a successful senior project, according to ncpublicschools. org. The senior project, also known as the graduation project, was once required in the state of North Carolina. Now, each school district makes the decision as to whether or not its students will complete one. Dare County still mandates a senior project, one that follows the guidelines set by North Carolina that includes a portfolio, a product, a research paper and an oral presentation. This may change next year if Bill 377 gets out of the North Carolina Senate and becomes law. Bill 377 would change the current law letting districts decide for themselves if graduation projects are required and make it a universal law to not require the project. Some think the project isn’t worth it in the long run because of the time it takes to research, work with outside sources, create a project and prepare a presentation that community members watch in the classroom. Others appreciate being able to look into something they believe in, everything from environmental topics to societal issues to specialized and unique ideas – like senior Izzy Warner, who researched the beneﬁts of natural deodorant. “I’ve always been into natural products,” Warner said. “The project is helping me see how people use marketing, which is cool because I want to go into business.” Crissie Weeks teaches 12th-grade English, where a student would typically complete their senior project with her guidance. Weeks agrees that the project is beneﬁcial because of the effect it has on the students. She is with them every step of the way, so she knows what they go through and how hard they work to complete it. “It teaches them not only about the topic they chose, but it teaches them a lot about themselves because they have to learn to manage their time and how to communicate with others,” Weeks said. Junior Abby Hite can be reached at hiteab0304@daretolearn.org.

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Senior Stephanie Munguia Flores presents her senior project on school uniforms and proudly displays her product: scaled-down school uniforms, which she sewed herself.

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For the ﬁnal product of her senior project, senior Caroline Murray created a mindfulness magazine. The magazine is meant to help readers practice thoughtfulness on their own time. Like many of the other products in the senior projects, ‘Mindful’ gave Murray a great outlet for all of the time and research she invested in her project.

Photo submitted by Caroline Murray

NIGHTHAWK News Magazine / / news

Shaw leaves lasting impact By Kejsi Zyka Business Manager

hen Sophie Shaw was finishing up her senior year at UNC Chapel Hill, she started applying for jobs in the hope of going somewhere other than her hometown. Little did she know she was embarking on a new journey that would inspire students and staff at First Flight. “I’ve always been interested in a lot of different things and I was looking for something kind of different, just an opportunity to go somewhere new,” Shaw said. “I’ve always lived in the Chapel Hill area, so I really wanted to go to a different part of North Carolina and have the chance to live somewhere else.” Because of her passion for social justice-related issues and educational equality, Shaw applied to many different programs in hopes of finding her perfect job. One of those included the Carolina College Advising Corps, which places new college graduates in high schools for two years to help students navigate the challenges of applying to college. “I know that there are a lot of different factors that affect your access to education. Depending on where you live it can really impact the kind of education you have access to, so that was something I was really interested in,” Shaw said. “I looked at some different programs related to education, like ‘Teach for America’ and stuff like that.” Because of Shaw’s college experience, she realized that she wanted to help other students understand more about college and the options that are

out there when applying. “My college experience was really great. It wasn’t always easy, but I really loved it, and so I really wanted to help students figure out what college meant to them, what it’s like to be there, and what that gets you besides a degree,” Shaw said. Shaw discovered the job at First Flight without knowing much about the Advising Corps, but decided to apply and see what would happen. “I applied for it, got the interview, and by then I kind of understood more of how it worked,” she said. “Ultimately I ended up just deciding to go for it cause it sounded like a really cool opportunity.” With this great opportunity also came the supportive staff and students who made Shaw feel welcomed and adored. Guidance counselor Amy White will miss her influence around the school. “I will miss her positivity and calming personality,” White said. “I think she works really well with the students and connects with all of them.” For senior Madison DelCollo, Shaw has been a great help in all the challenges that come with senior year. “Ms. Shaw has made my senior year so much easier than it could have been,” DelCollo said. “I was so worried about my college stuff, and she just made all those struggles go away.” Feeling nostalgic in her last days at First Flight – CCAC mentors move on after two-year terms – Shaw feels lucky to have been a part of this school and to have been influenced by so many amazing students. “I feel so privileged to have been able to work with the students that I

Photo by Buzzy Staten/Nighthawk News

Sophie Shaw sits in on senior project presentations during her final weeks working with students. The college counselor plans on heading to grad school and perhaps writing a book following her two-year stay on the Outer Banks.

have here, with just how welcoming they’ve been and how kind,” Shaw said. “They make my day so great every single day, and I’ll miss them very much.” White said FFHS students will get to work with Tania Gavino in the CCAC program the next two years. Although Shaw is sad to leave the students, she loves to watch them succeed at this new phase in life. “Graduation last year was really

exciting. Seeing all those students who I had gotten to know that year and seeing them recognize their huge accomplishments was great,” Shaw said. “Then there is also the smaller stuff that was actually really big, like students thinking they could never get into college, then actually being accepted.” Junior Kejsi Zyka can be reached at zykake0914@daretolearn.org.

Graduation Information Sunday, June 2 @ 6:30 p.m. – Baccalaureate Liberty Church

Baccalaureate is an optional farewell service for graduating seniors and families. Friday, June 14 @ 9:30 a.m. – Mandatory Graduation Practice Warren C. Judge III Memorial Field at FFHS If graduation has been moved inside for rain, meet in front of the gymnasium. You will receive your five rain tickets at this time. Other guests are welcome to watch the projected ceremony in the auditorium. Friday, June 14 @ 7 p.m. – Graduation *Students arrive no later than 6:15 to Warren C. Judge III Memorial Field at FFHS Arrive with your gown folded neatly over your arm and carrying your cap. Be careful not to lose your tassel. Meet behind the bleachers and line up as practiced. Rain Plan: meet in the hallway outside of the Counseling Center. Parents should arrive no later than 6:30 p.m. Graduates, please do not wear jeans, shorts, flip flops or sneakers. Before you are eligible for graduation you must fulfill your obligations. All of your fines and fees must be paid; all textbooks, Chromebooks, library books and uniforms must be returned. If you have a question about any of these obligations, please see Mrs. Mitchell in the Counseling Center.

Nighthawk News Magazine / / summer / / 2019

Nursing Fundamentals offers stepping stone to rewarding career

By Cassie Honeycutt Staff Writer

traight out of a deep sleep, the student rolls over and checks the time as the alarm ringtone starts its obnoxious sound. Upon seeing that it’s 5:30, she sits up and mentally prepares for the long day that awaits her. This early wakeup call is a daily routine for the students of the Nursing Fundamentals class. Nursing Fundamentals provides official training to students who wish to become Certified Nursing Assistants in this state. Senior Taylor Farmer applied for the program and spent several weeks in the classroom “learning and checking off on 65 skills before we started clinical on April 2,” she explained. Clinical is the hands-on experience students get outside of the classroom in a healthcare setting. The skills range from taking basic vital signs to moving around with a patient to leading them through motion exercises. When getting to clinicals, the students get to pick 15 skills from a list to practice for mastery with real patients and residents. “What better way to get a real taste in being a health care provider than being thrown right into the middle of it,” Farmer said while laughing. In the fall of 2017, the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction approved the course after Kovacs petitioned to have it added to the Health Science Pathway at FFHS. Seven students qualified to take Nursing Fundamentals during the spring 2018 semester as First Flight became a state-approved Nurse Aide 1 Training Program location, and this semester saw nine seniors and one junior get the invaluable classroom and clinical experience the program offers. “We continue our relationship with Outer Banks Hospital and Spring Arbor for the clinical experiences, for which we are very grateful,” Kovacs said. “Without a clinical setting option, the course could not be offered.”

Photos submitted by Jennifer Kovacs

Nursing Fundamentals students celebrate the end of the classroom portion of the program by presenting ﬂowers to instructor Jennifer Kovacs. Pictured (front, from left) are Megan Miller, Taylor Farmer, Sophie Morgan, Kovacs, Sammie Lilliston and Grace Haas; and (back) Madison Crumpler, Jenna Sullivan, Peyton Mull, Ceilidh McLean and Gabrielle Hughes. Below, students offer free blood pressure screenings to faculty members Mary Jo Windley (left) and Lynette Ford (middle) during the school day.

With the class accepting just 10 people, it is competitive to get in. “No other 17- or 18-year-old at First Flight is exposed to these mature and real situations in other humans’ lives,” Kovacs said. “It should be perceived as a privilege and treated as a stepping stone to better their futures.” The class also gives students a base experience to see if they are truly interested in going into the medical ﬁeld. “Students learn more about themselves; they learn how to get up really early and stay up really late because life continues around them no matter what course they are taking,” Kovacs said. The class equips the students with important life-saving skills and gives them a small glimpse inside the medical world, but also gives the students something they can’t get inside a regular classroom. “The rewarding feeling I get when working in the medical ﬁeld is I made a difference to someone,” Peyton Mull said. “When they were in pain or suffering, I was there to help them get

better, and show them kindness at the same time.” With all the hard work and experience the students have completed since the beginning of second semester, passing the state exam and the CNA exams will allow the students to receive their CNA 1 certiﬁcation. “If I get the certiﬁcation, I plan to work as a CNA throughout college at the university hospital (Appalachian State), and when I come back home during the summer I might work for

Q&A: Shane McKenna shines as salutatorian

the Outer Banks Hospital,” Mull said. That means students in the Nursing Fundamentals program can either land jobs right out of the high school or earn money to pay to further their education. “They grow by wanting to continue their long career paths of becoming physicians or nurses or technicians because of how one experience made them feel,” Kovacs said. Sophomore Cassie Honeycutt can be reached at 21honeycuttca35@daretolearn.org. Photo by Buzzy Staten Reporting by Hannah Ellington

Did you know you were going to get salutatorian? No. I thought I was behind all year and then I got called down to the ofﬁce and I was told. I kind of freaked out. I kind of acted like I didn’t really care all year, but it does mean a lot. I’m excited to be able to talk to everybody.

How are you feeling about talking at graduation? I’m not nervous now. I don’t do a ton of public speaking and I want to get better at it. Hopefully, I can make my speech a little different. I’m aiming for it to be a little more philosophical and less literal, a little bit funny, too. I want it to stand out, but not too much.

Did you aim for it? I wasn’t necessarily aiming for salutatorian but I always tried to get the best grades I could get. I’m not saying it was an accident, but my goal wasn’t salutatorian. My goal was just to maintain the highest GPA possible so it looked good for college.

Who inﬂuenced you the most on your journey? Deﬁnitely Parker Sylvia was a big one. We both knew we were close to being top 10, so we motivated each other. Teacher-wise, I could just thank every teacher I had at First Flight. The reason I did well in their classes wasn’t just because I was predisposed at being good at them, but I think they made learning fun. They made me want to get good grades because I was enjoying my time in them.

What does it mean to you? Honestly – sounds kind of bad – but it doesn’t really mean a ton being No. 2 because I know that GPA, especially nowadays, does not make you who you are whatsoever. I’m deﬁnitely proud that I kept my grades up, but there’s other people that got all A’s but just didn’t take as many APs as I did. The reason it is so important to me is to make a speech. That’s what I am excited about, so that’s why it’s important. NIGHTHAWK News Magazine / / news

What one thing would you change about graduation? I want to be able to decorate our caps. Self-expression is everything, and the fact we can’t do that kind of bums me out. It makes me feel like our students aren’t trusted a ton, which sometimes makes a little bit of sense, but I think we should be allowed to decorate our caps.

Alpacas, ruins and crucifixion . . .

Photos submitted by Brianna Curi

(Above) Senior Hannah Hughes poses with an alpaca during her two-week trip to Peru. (Below) A picture at Machu Picchu: Hughes and First Flight alumna Brianna Curi hiked the ancient ruins while they were in Peru, traveling to different cities, taking in cultural sites and teaching English classes.

By Hunter Haskett Editor-in-Chief

four-hour hike, one canceled motivational speech, a trip to Machu Picchu and eating guinea pig were all packed into senior Hannah Hughes’ recent trip abroad. Oh, and she watched a guy get crucified. Don’t worry, it was a Holy Week reenactment. As they say, ‘When in Peru, do as the Peruvians do’ – and that she did. The trip was definitely not the typical resort-style vacation, but Hughes sure did learn a lot. “We performed shaman rituals, we performed all of the processions, I attended every church,” Hughes said. “I did everything Peru had to offer, every food, every whatever, I was like ‘yes, yes, I’ll do it.’ ” Hughes traveled throughout Peru for two weeks with recent First Flight alumna Brianna Curi, who was born in Peru. After graduating early, Curi decided to go back to her hometown, Ayacucho, and live there from January to April. “It was very different because where I’m from, not many tourists go there, not like Machu Picchu where there are a bunch of people from other countries,” Curi said. “So it was nice showing her (Hughes) the food, the culture, the people, the language – she was very excited about the language.” For Hughes, this trip to Peru was a year in the making and her first major travel experience, not to mention the perfect opportunity to put her Spanish skills to the test (she says she will be fluent by the end of this year). “This was my first time leaving the country. I went by myself, and I had never been on an airplane,” Hughes said. “I had no idea what I was doing, trying to figure how to get places, what to do – not a single person in Peru spoke English.” Luckily, Hughes had Spanish teacher Nitzia Gale to help her learn important vocabulary like airport words, how to navigate baggage claim, and bartering words. Once she met up with Curi, the vacation experience could begin. But it wasn’t all fun and games. Hughes and Curi were in Ayacucho for Holy Week, or Semana Santa, where there are processions, parties and activities – like a fake crucifixion – every day. “Ayacucho is known to be the Rome of South America because they do a big celebration for Holy Week,” Curi said. “They know it as you go to church in the mornings and then you party at night, so she was there for that celebration that whole week.” Part of the traditional weekly festivities is taking part in a fake crucifixion. A male volunteer plays the part of Jesus, and one day this year it was a friend of Curi’s.

“They make a guy pretend to be Jesus and they actually whip him, they beat him while carrying a huge cross that weighs the same amount that Jesus’ did,” Curi said. “He hikes up a huge mountain and then at the top, they actually crucify him – well, pretend.” Curi and Hughes joined the townspeople in the hike to the top of the mountain. But with high altitude and rocky, slippery terrain, the girls didn’t make it all the way up to the top, but made it halfway to the Christ statue. “It’s about a four-hour hike,” Curi said. “It’s steep and some parts you actually have to use your hands and climb with no safety.” Next stop on the Holy Week adventure was Pascatorro, a huge festival with traditional Peruvian music and live bulls running the streets. It’s believed that if you’re impaled by a bull, your sins are carried away. Thankfully, neither Curi nor Hughes got hit by a bull. “I really liked Pascatorro. It’s just this humongous party in the street and we went to Sagrado there,” Hughes said. “All sorts of stuff was going on: There was this fake bull running through the crowd with sparks coming off of it and it burned you. You had to actually hide from it.” In between all of the processions and festivals and immersing themselves in the culture of Peru, the girls weren’t the only ones learning on this trip. Hughes and Curi taught English classes at a local high school and university. “I had been doing them (classes) since early March for community service since I’m in National Honor Society,” Curi said. “I just loved doing it and the students, it was great helping them because their curriculum, some of their English that was being taught wasn’t correct. So finding their mistakes and just helping them better understand, it was nice working with them.” Although teaching on a trip where she was doing most of the learning wasn’t what Hughes expected to happen, she really liked the opportunity and wants to continue to help the students of Huanta. “I agreed with the mayor of Huanta that I would correct their textbooks and they would send me the names of certain English grammatical textbooks and I would fix them or tell them if they were good or bad before they would order them,” Hughes said. Going to the university and teaching these basic classes made Hughes aware of the impact that such a large lack of resources has on students. “I would like to instate English programs at other universities and other places where they just don’t have the resources, they don’t have internet. You walk into a classroom and they have a chalkboard,” Hughes said. But in the meantime, while she is studying at N.C. State and the University of Madrid to earn a double major

Nighthawk News Magazine / / summer / / 2019

oh my

in International Business and Spanish, Hughes will keep in contact with all of her students from Peru, helping them to perfect their English the best she can. “I added all the students, I gave them all of my contact information on WhatsApp, and they text me and I text them in English,” Hughes said. “They genuinely want to learn English and they just can’t. They don’t have the resources.” While they still correspond over text, before Hughes left everyone wanted a picture with the tall, blonde American. “The fact that I’m blonde really freaked a lot of people out. They would interview me, take pictures with me – they would line up on the streets to take pictures with me,” Hughes said. Curi can attest: Hughes was “like a celebrity,” she said with a laugh. Although Hughes met a lot of great new people on her trip, not everyone was so welcoming. “Either they treated me really nice and gave me stuff or I got in free to places because I was American, or they would treat me like dirt – like worse than dirt,” Hughes said. But that didn’t stop her from climbing to the top of Machu Picchu and completely immersing herself into the traditional culture of Peru for two weeks. “I wrote down every single slang word I learned, all the food I ate,” Hughes said. “I made a journal of every single day of exactly what I did, where I ate, when I went to bed – I wrote down everything.” The trip was an eye-opening experience for both girls: The first time Curi got to take part in Peru’s Semana Santa festivities as an adult with her family and friends, and a chance for Hughes to perfect her Spanish and soak up all the culture Peru had to offer. “I definitely believe that anyone who wants to learn a foreign language has to go to the country. You cannot learn only by sitting an hour in Mrs. Gale’s class five days a week. You can’t,” Hughes said. Senior Hunter Haskett can be reached at hasketthu0318@daretolearn.org. (Top) A group of men prepare for a procession during Holy Week in Peru. Processions started as early as 4 a.m. and lasted until noon. (Middle) A man portraying Jesus participates in a fake crucifixion. (Far right) Hughes and Curi pose next to a statue of Jesus on their hike up the mountain to see the crucifixion. It was a four-hour hike to the top, and Curi and Hughes only made it halfway. (Right) A woman is lifted into the crowd at the Sagrado festival. Bulls were let out onto the streets and the people at the festival were hosed down by firefighters per tradition. The girls were in Ayacucho, Peru, known as the ‘Rome of Latin America’ for Holy Week, or Semana Santa, and experienced many festivals in celebration of Easter.

Photos submitted by Brianna Curi

Nighthawk News Magazine / / senior celebration

Dowless yearns for new beginnings in Europe By Dair McNinch Community Editor

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hile the rest of her graduating classmates prepare to try and find their place in the world by going out to college or entering the workforce, senior Sophia Dowless intends to head to Europe to get a slice out of life and see where it takes her. “I plan to leave in late September or October, and honestly I don’t know when I’m coming back,” Dowless said. Just like the duration of the trip, she plans on leaving the details of where and what she’ll be doing up for her interpretation along the way. “I want to go to Amsterdam first definitely, then Paris, and I want to check out Switzerland. Those are the top places,” Dowless said. Dowless plans to stay at various AirBNBs and hostels in her different destinations, flying to get between them and taking a train whenever possible. While the idea of backpacking through Europe solo may seem daunting to some, Dowless is no stranger to travel nor looking out for herself. Her junior year, she lived in New York City, where she and her friend Scout Landry were predominantly on their own. Plus, she won’t even be truly solo in Europe. She’ll be accompanied by her poodle and Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Prince. “He’s actually a registered support animal, so he can ride on the plane with me,” Dowless said. “I just have to find places that allow pets when I’m looking for somewhere to stay.” Dowless will not only plan her accommodations with Prince’s needs as the No. 1 concern, but her day-to-day schedule as well. “I’m gonna try to arrange my days and work everything so I’m spending more time at one location and not moving him around too much and making sure he has enough time out and socializing,” she said. “I try to take him everywhere I can, but if he’s not with me I’ll probably just crate train him.” Several different factors come into

play when Dowless describes how Europe was such an easy choice to make when designing an adventure of this magnitude. “I love to cook, and I’ve actually been doing art classes for a long time,” she said. “I do paintings and drawings. It’s just something I’m really interested in.” Dowless plans on attending many different art and cooking workshops during her time in Amsterdam and Paris. In addition to taking classes like this, she’ll be able to experience firsthand some of the best examples of these different passions in the world once she gets to France. “(In Paris) I’m most excited for the food and I just want to go to a lot of museums. It’s kind of boring, but I love it,” Dowless said. “Art tells you so much about the place that you’re in. Looking at art in different areas lets you see how each place is so different and how the people there express themselves.” As for Switzerland, she plans to try her hand at skiing or snowboarding, but mainly hiking and exploring her way through little mountain towns in the Alps. On top of having all the appreciation in the world for the art and food, Dowless chose Europe for another key reason. “Sophomore year I went to Barcelona and France,” she explained. “It was all so amazing and everything was different and it just felt alive, something the Outer Banks just didn’t have.” Most people haven’t a clue as to what their ultimate direction in life will be when first leaving their hometown and high school. Dowless admits to falling into that category, but realizes that what she intends to do this fall could quite possibly be the choice that best helps her figure that out. “I feel like with traveling you get so much experience just with the world and life,” Dowless said. “Personally, I think it’s the best choice for me, and I think it’s going to be a great learning experience, honestly – just living.” Senior Dair McNinch can be reached at mcninchle1121@daretolearn.org.

Senior Sophia Dowless and her poodle/Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Prince, pose for a selﬁe. Dowless plans on traveling to Europe with Prince as her registered support dog. She will be staying at various pet-friendly AirBNBs and is not yet sure when she will return to the States.

Photo submitted by Sophia Dowless

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Morgan making her way from the Outer Banks to Spain

By Izzy Requa Sports Editor

ith her bags packed and goodbyes said, it’s time for senior Sophie Morgan to take ﬂight across the Atlan-

tic Ocean. Most students are excited to head away from their homes to go to college. But not many will go as far as Morgan, who is heading to Spain. “I’m going to Florida State and it’s a study abroad program they have where if you are a freshman, you go abroad for a whole year and then come back and have in-state tuition,” Morgan said. Hoping to major in exercise physiology, the study of how your body reacts to exercise, Morgan is excited for this opportunity. “They have a school over there and we each get our own apartment right on the beach,” Morgan said. “I’m excited and kind of nervous because I’m scared I’m not going to like the people I’m with, but I think it will be fun.” One worry that Morgan won’t have to stress over is the language barrier.

“Our professors speak English and everyone afﬁliated with Florida State speaks English, but I’ll have to learn Spanish at some point. I’m hoping I’ll pick it up while I’m there,” Morgan said. Spain isn’t the only place that Morgan is hoping to explore over the next year. She will also be living in Panama over the summer. Florida State freshmen are required to take psychology, and the only place Morgan can take it is in Central America. “I’ll leave for Spain the end of August, then I’ll come back the end of May and be here for like a week or two, and then I’ll move to Panama for June, July and August,” she explained. “Then I’ll move to Florida.” Morgan is also looking forward to other opportunities to travel while she is in Europe. “Once you get over there it’s so cheap to just ﬂy over to a different country,” Morgan said. “I’m excited to get away from here and go do something new and explore all over Europe. It’ll be fun.” Junior Izzy Requa can be reached at requais0227@daretolearn.org

Seniors (from left) Izzy Warner, Sophie Morgan and Caroline Murray get ready to embark on a trip to Spain the summer before their sophomore year. Morgan’s next trip abroad will be for college. Photo submitted by Sophie Morgan

Illustration by Lauren Law/Special to Nighthawk News

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Students seek new beginnings in service careers

By Maddy Wagner Staff Writer

s the school year comes to a close, seniors are embarking on different paths after graduation day. But there is one route that takes a special kind of person, and First Flight High School has its share of those seeking a career in the U.S. military. Five seniors have decided on this difficult but rewarding path. For some, it has been their plan for years, while for others, it is a stepping stone on the path to a future career. “I’ve wanted to go into the military since I was 16,” senior Kimberly Fernandez said. “It was something I was always interested in, especially because it would really help with the advancement of my future career.” Fernandez is entering the Navy and will be taking college courses, focusing on criminal justice as she moves through the ranks. “Originally, I was interested in the Marine Corps,” she noted. “I was just really interested in all the different jobs and training, and I was excited to get in the self-defense part of the military, which the Marines are really big on. But at the last minute, I decided I’d rather join the Navy – shorter boot camp, more job options and I could possibly join special forces.” Deciding which branch of the military to go into can be a difficult decision to make. For senior Maddie Beaver, the Coast Guard appealed to her right away. “I decided that the Coast Guard has the best benefits for me. I enjoy the branch because it is a tight-knit community,” Beaver said. The Army, however, was calling senior Timothy Jones. “I decided to go into the Army because I went around to all the recruiters who came to the school and had detailed discussions with them, and the Army just seemed like a good fit for me,” Jones said. As their departure dates for boot camp draw closer and closer, the seniors are beginning to think about what they expect for their futures in the military. “Honestly I have no idea,” Jones said. “I am excited for it, but also nervous for it as well.” There are plenty of reasons to worry, of course. “I’m expecting a lot of mess ups, a lot of weird adjusting periods of time, and I’m expecting to have to prove myself a good bit,” Fernandez said. “Mainly because I’ll be in boot camp and school, and because I’ll be around mainly men who are twice my size and age. I can’t compete with them, or at least that’s what they think.” Beaver also knows it won’t be easy. “I am expected to get yelled at a lot, be broken down and rebuilt as a person. I am also expecting to do a lot

Photos submitted by Timothy Jones and Madison Beaver

Senior Tim Jones holds the Army seal after passing his physical exam for enlistment. He will head to basic training in September. Senior Maddie Beaver poses at an exhibit in the Military Aviation Museum during a visit with the Navy Sea Cadets. She will join the Coast Guard.

of traveling and shifting around,” she said, adding that she anticipates learning more than she has ever learned before in such a short period of time. Deciding if the military is the right fit can be difficult, and there are many things that go into the decision. There are also many tools students can use to help them along the way. “We have career assessments that they can take as early as ninth grade and see what there personality strengths and attributes are,” Career Development and Special Populations Coordinator Mary Jo Windley said. Those assessments, Windley added, help students see how their strengths may align with a specific career, including the military. Faithful recruiters for the Army, Navy and Marines like to do regular displays in the rotunda during all three lunches, giving students the opportunity to ask questions and figure out which branch is best for them. Whether it’s for the financial help with college, the desire to serve their country or an interest in continuing a family tradition of military service, there are plenty of reasons FFHS students join the ranks of the Armed Forces each year. “My father was in the Marine Corps and the National Guard. My brother is in the Coast Guard,” Beaver said. “I feel as if it is my duty as an American to serve my country.” Sophomore Maddy Wagner can be reached at 21wagnerma13@daretolearn. org.

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Santana reaches a new milestone for First Flight academics

By Simone Midgett Features Editor

or most high schoolers, the idea of going to college comes with the fear of growing up and accepting responsibility for everything in their lives. But for senior Taina Santana, being a college student is something she will adapt to more easily than everyone else. Since the beginning of her junior year, Santana has been enrolled as a full-time student at the College of the Albemarle. “I started taking high school classes in middle school. I needed one more credit to graduate high school at the end of my sophomore year, so I could have taken one more extra online class and graduated,” Santana explained. “That is what I wanted to do. I wanted to be done (and) I wanted to get out of school and go to college with my friends, but my mom and Mr. Eaker were really not having it.” Santana added with a chuckle: “Looking back, I really think that was a good idea.” Counselor Kyle Eaker presented an alternate idea to the eager sophomore. He suggested that she enroll in an array of community college courses through COA because it would give her the sense of self-learning and responsibility she was looking for. “I wanted more freedom and to be on my own,” Santana said. “So (Eaker) said, ‘We can just give you a bunch of COA classes and it will be really good for your GPA.’ So I ended up taking a full course load and I was a full-time college student.” While most college students average 15 hours a semester, Santana’s junior year consisted of 16 credit hours one semester and 18 the other – a hefty schedule for a 16-year-old. After Santana’s rigorous junior year, the idea of graduating with an associate degree was presented to her. SSR'18 Flight Newspaper 1 “He First (Eaker) told me I wasAd_Layout over

halfway, so I figured I should just finish it out,” Santana said. After graduating and earning not only her high school diploma but an associate degree as well, she plans to attend the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. “I ended up applying to close to 30 different colleges just because I had no idea where I wanted to go,” Santana said. “I just ended up really liking (UVA) and the atmosphere. I liked what the school prioritized and any time I visited, professors were always open to talk to me and all of the students were really welcoming.” Although Santana’s career path is unclear, there are a lot of occupations she has expressed interest in. “Some days I want to go into the FBI, some days I feel like I want to do special education and then move on and do education policies specifically for special education students, then other times I think about doing a prelaw track,” Santana said. With an associate degree under her belt, Santana is already ahead of the majority of her peers and will have time to explore her options in college. “I will be able to explore all of those interests and UVA does offer a couple of accelerated special degree programs, so I can do five years at UVA and go straight into law school or teaching,” Santana explained. Santana has paved the way for many DCS students who will follow behind her in the hopes of graduating from high school with a college degree. “I definitely recommend it and I obviously went through a lot of difficulties because no one from here had done it before,” Santana said. “I think it is worth it financially and because when you get to college you will have more room to explore what you want to do.” Junior Simone Midgett can be reached at midgettsa0827@dare12/1/17 11:09 AM Page 1 tolearn.org.

Photo by Buzzy Staten/Nighthawk News

Senior Taina Santana spends some time looking through college textbooks in the library to keep up with her busy schedule. Santana was able to earn her associate degree in high school and plans to complete her undergraduate work at the University of Virginia.

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Nighthawk News Magazine / / senior celebration

Oh the far, far away places they’re going

By Trinity Harrison Online Editor-in-Chief

inding the right college can be difficult. Some people find the perfect fit a few minutes or a few hours away from home. Others will cross mountainous terrain, deserts and bodies of water, straying thousands of miles away from the place they call home. For senior Caroline Murray, it will only be 900 miles away from the Outer Banks at her new home for the next four years: the University of Florida. “It was actually a random school I applied to and I didn’t actually think I was going to get in,” Murray said. “Then when I visited, it was so much different than anywhere else I had been. I really liked that it is a big school, with big sports and a really big student life.” Planning to major in hospitality, Murray is looking forward to meeting new people involved in her future profession and experiencing new things in the Sunshine State. Senior Abby Smith, on the other hand, was looking for something much smaller, which is what drew her to Occidental College in Los Angeles. “I wanted a school that was far away because I wanted something that was different. I have lived in the same place my whole life, so I wanted to get a different diversity,” Smith said. “Also, it is a small liberal arts college, and I wanted the liberal arts education so I had a lot of options and new things to try.” Smith is majoring in chemistry and hopes to attend graduate school and either go into nuclear chemistry, genetics or chemistry involving space. Also going to Los Angeles in the fall, senior Shane McKenna is seeking a change in environment for his college experience. He found the perfect place at UCLA.

Photo submitted by Caroline Murray

Senior Caroline Murray poses in ‘The Swamp’ while touring the University of Florida. Murray hadn’t seriously considered Florida until she went to visit the school in person, and like many of the Class of 2019, Murray is excited to be moving to a different state for college.

He plans to major in astrophysics but is unsure of his exact career path. McKenna hopes to narrow his goals while at UCLA and eventually do something research related. The idea of moving across the country can be worrisome for some people, but for McKenna, the distance doesn’t scare him. He sees it as an opportunity for growth. “I am worried about how much I’m not worried. The world is so small now and you can contact your parents whenever you need something in seconds,” McKenna said. “Being far away from home is definitely going to make me more independent because I’m not going to have quick access to things I have now. But I think it will definitely teach me to adjust to a new situation.” No matter how far they go, these students will always feel at home when

they are back on the Outer Banks. “It’ll mean so much more to be able to come home and see everyone,” Murray said. “We all take this little island

for granted, and it’ll be a treat to come back to it.” Senior Trinity Harrison can be reached at harrisontr0314@daretolearn.org.

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Photo submitted by Abby Smith

Senior Abby Smith and members of her family enjoy a visit to Sacramento while in California to check out Occidental College. Smith will be attending the private school in Los Angeles.

Nighthawk News Magazine / / summer / / 2019

Chloe Schubert chooses politics over bricks By Emmy Trivette News Editor

any college-bound students at First Flight dream of being accepted into one of North Carolina’s top public schools, such as N.C. State or UNC Chapel Hill, and walking around on the same campuses as many N.C. graduates have done in the past. For senior Chloe Schubert, though, the only thought she had when taking her ﬁrst stroll on UNC’s campus was, “Wow, this is a lot of brick.” So instead of falling in love with that campus, she decided to test the waters a little further from the North Carolina borders at one of the country’s top schools: American University in Washington. “I had already gotten accepted to all my other colleges before I found out from American,” Schubert said. “My blood pressure was high. I was nervous.” It wasn’t until March 1 that Schubert received the acceptance letter she’d been waiting for and the ﬁnancial aid to help her attend her top choice. “Luckily, American doesn’t have that much brick,” Schubert said with a laugh. Schubert will attend American as a Political Science major along with en-

Photo by Emmy Trivette/Nighthawk News

Senior Chloe Schubert sits at the same desk where she diligently worked during her second semester as an intern for the Dare County District Attorney’s ofﬁce at the courthouse in Manteo.

rollment – after a six-essay application – in a specialized three-year bachelor’s degree program and a one-year master’s degree program for those who are politics, policy and law scholars (the PPLS program). “I’m in Model UN and that’s international politics. I like learning about different governments and how they inﬂuence different places,” Schubert

said. “I did Teen Court for a little bit, which was cool – I got to see how all the different laws applied to the underage students.” Not only has Schubert used clubs as an outlet for her love of politics, but she currently has an internship with the District Attorney’s ofﬁce at the Dare County courthouse. Her passion has also shown through the few ad-

vanced government and history classes that First Flight offers. “She has impressed me tremendously, because she knows exactly what she wants to do,” history teacher Erin Basilone said. “(Schubert) always brought a unique point of view to the classroom, and now she’s stepped out of the classroom to get that real-world experience.” Thanks to the PPLS program, Schubert not only will earn her bachelor’s degree in three years, but will also intern with any of the numerous law firms in D.C., or the State Department – or maybe even the White House. Along with the great opportunity to make connections, the program requires her to take a year abroad, Schubert will most likely choose to travel to Italy, and all expenses are included in her financial aid package. “While I was waiting to hear back I kept telling myself if I don’t get accepted into the PPLS program, I’m not going to go,” Schubert said. But now that Shubert has been accepted into a school with a very minimum amount of brick and a program that fulfills all her needs to flourish in her pre-law track, the days until graduation tick away as she gets ready for her new life on Capitol Hill. Junior Emmy Trivette can be reached at trivetteem0626@daretolearn.org.

CONGRATULATIONS, CLASS OF 2019!

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Senior Parker Sylvia receives his nomination from Sen. Thom Tillis as part of his application for the Naval Academy at the Congressional Nomination Ceremony in Charlotte. At right, Sylvia receives a check for $180,000 for his Navy ROTC scholarship to UNC Chapel Hill at First Flight’s scholarship night on May 14.

Photo submitted by Parker Sylvia Photo by Madison Murry/Shorelines

Sylvia sets sail for Navy career

By Katie MacBride Staff Writer

our years from now, you see a young man proudly walking toward you dressed in a freshly pressed, clean cut, white uniform with a matching white service cap to match. You recognize the naval officer’s service dress uniform and are quickly filled with a sense of respect. As the familiar figure approaches, you can’t quite put a name to the face. And then it hits you: That young officer is Parker Sylvia. Sylvia plans to graduate college and begin a career as a naval officer in four years. Sylvia’s current plan is to attend the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a full ride on the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) Scholarship – unless he is accepted to the United States Naval Academy. Word of acceptance to the Naval Academy won’t be heard till the end of May since Sylvia was waitlisted, but whichever school Sylvia ends up committing to, he’ll be put on a path to graduate as an officer. Retired Captain Bob Farmer exposed Sylvia to naval life at a young age. Since that encounter, Sylvia has framed his life around the idea of serving his country. “(Farmer) first introduced it to me and once I started getting that mindset – that that’s what I want to do – my parents and friends have really been pushing and helping me with this decision a lot,” Sylvia said. Not only does Sylvia feel that he has what it takes to become a naval officer, Farmer is confident that Sylvia has the qualities to become a successful leader in what Farmer described as one of the Navy core values: honor and respect for his family, friends and peers. “Parker has a presence about him which many leaders have, but not all, in that when he walks into a setting, venue or room, he immediately draws attention from others. Although not physically big in stature, he ‘stands tall’ and you get a sense that he cares about others and the impression that he makes,” Farmer said.

Sylvia has been able to grow his leadership skills throughout high school on and off the football and lacrosse field and even with his job as a lifeguard. Lifeguarding made Sylvia realize he could be an excellent leader and that he wanted to make a career in helping people. “I’ve always wanted to protect people, even though that might sound kind of stupid,” Sylvia said. “I’m a lifeguard – even though it’s at a pool – I still feel like anytime anyone needed help I was the first person to jump in and be there to help.” Determined to make a career out of his desire to help others, Sylvia started the lengthy application process to the Naval Academy his freshman year. It started off with a basic application – everything about you, your family and your financial status – followed by five to six long essays and an interview with a Blue and Gold Officer. “Luckily there’s a Blue and Gold Officer that lives on this beach and he’s pretty much your mentor throughout the whole process,” Sylvia said. “This guy will pretty much tell you ‘you aren’t a qualified person, don’t continue’ or ‘you got this, I’m going to try to push for you.’ He said that he thinks I got this and he wanted to push for me.” After the interview, candidates have to go through a fitness test and pass an intense physical, then get a nomination from at least one U.S. Senator or Congressman. Recommendations are very important. “I was nominated by Sen. Thom Tillis and Congressman Walter B. Jones before he passed away,” Sylvia said. “It has been a long process throughout my whole high school career.” All of Sylvia’s hard work to fill out that application has helped him earn the scholarship to UNC Chapel Hill, where he’ll be spending most of his time in the Navy ROTC program. While at college, Sylvia will complete his regular classes, but also have classes and training sessions with the ROTC program. “It’s a lot of training, running, lifting, you’d do intramural sports, and shooting. So it’s like a huge club and it

takes up half your time at college, but you also get full tuition at that college and you get a great education while you’re doing it, too,” Sylvia said. During training, the program will put Sylvia in different divisions to see where he would fit best in the jobs or roles that personnel perform in the military. “I want to try Special Forces. It sounds kind of stupid saying ‘I want to try it,’ but either way if I go to the Naval Academy or UNC Chapel Hill, they are kind of going to throw me in places to see where I best fit and I have a strong feeling I’m going to fit in well

in the Special Forces unit,” Sylvia said. Regardless of whichever college Sylvia ends up committing to, he’s looking forward to expanding his knowledge and discipline to become a naval officer. “I want to serve my country, I want to have an influence, I want to know that what I’m doing is helping people, and then after I retire I want to be well set enough to have a family and enjoy my life with my kids and wife after the Navy,” Sylvia said. Sophomore Katie MacBride can be reached at 21macbrideka62@daretolearn.org.

Nighthawk News Magazine / / summer / / 2019

Madison makes MUN-ey moves

By Grace Sullivan Online Editor-in-Chief

luent in three languages, taking 15 AP classes and serving as vice president of Model United Nations, senior Natalia Madison has challenged herself throughout high school. The academic challenges won’t stop after graduation day, though. “I’m majoring in Russian and Peace, War and Defense, which is a global security program at UNC,” Madison said. Madison has had a dream of pursuing a major like this for the past four years: “I went back and forth on the different logistics,” Madison said. “At some points I wanted to do Arabic as my major and Russian as my minor, but I always wanted to do something with global security.” Double-majoring is intense for any student, but especially when you decide to major in a language you don’t know quite well. This difficult language was an easy pick for Madison, though. “I’ve always loved Russia – the culture and everyone I’ve met from there has told me really fascinating things about the country,” Madison said. “I also love Eastern Europe and I want to specialize there. I would work possibly for the U.S. State Department in Russia or with an intelligence agency in Ukraine.” As for the other half of the major,

Peace, War and Defense, Madison chose this based on her experience in Model United Nations. “MUN was mostly something I was just interested in. It was the closest thing to what I really wanted to go into and it’s fun,” Madison said. For Madison, MUN has helped her narrow down her career plans, and also allowed her to form connections. Librarian and head of Model UN Susan Sawin has become one of these people. “I met Natalia when she first moved here two years ago and showed interest in MUN,” Sawin said. Despite Madison’s involvement with MUN, her major isn’t quite the same thing she’s been doing in the club. “MUN is focused a lot on the politics of it and the countries, and I’m a lot more interested in what goes on behind the scenes because it’s a lot more effective,” Madison said. “The moving of intelligence and information can really turn the tide in conflicts and can really affect diplomatic relations. It’s just more of a hands-on approach.” High school helped Madison figure out her dream job, even if it involves languages not offered at First Flight. “I have taken Spanish and French throughout middle and high school, and when I get to Carolina I’m taking

Photo submitted by Susan Sawin

Senior Natalia Madison poses with her Outstanding Delegate award from the William & Mary Model UN Conference, which took place in November.

Russian and Arabic, and possibly Serbo-Croatian,” Madison said. Madison may have only been at First Flight for two years, but she has made a lasting impact on the school and its staff.

“She is completely no-nonsense,” Sawin said. “She has a really good grasp of the big picture of things and knows her place in it.” Senior Grace Sullivan can be reached at sullivangr1129@daretolearn.org.

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Nighthawk News Magazine / / senior celebration

The dynamic duo ... plus one

By Will McFarlane Staff Writer

eople always dream about growing up with their best friends, though friends often end up drifting apart. However, for seniors Parker Melson and Jacob Holland, this dream became reality. Melson and Holland met for the first time in fourth grade. At the time, they had mutual friends but never really interacted. It wasn’t until they both found a common interest in video games that they became close friends. “I remember the first time I messaged Jacob to play with him, he declined me because he didn’t know who I was,” Melson said. “I imagine he was sitting there kicking butt and thinking, ‘Who the heck is this guy?’ ” As they started playing more games together, they found that they got along very well. Holland’s dry humor matched with Melson’s innocence in a way that nobody would expect. “We’re very opposite, I mean, we obviously have similarities in our interests, but from the first time I met him, we were very different,” Melson said. “It was like opposites attract, in a sense.” They became good friends throughout fourth and fifth grade, but middle school is when they basically became

family. Melson and Holland would hang out after school every single day, no matter what, and did pretty much everything together. “Middle school deﬁnitely brought us closer because I was pretty much at Parker’s house 24/7,” Holland said. Being inseparable friends made Melson’s family see Holland as one of their own. “My family loves Jacob, I mean, they treat him like one of us,” Melson said. “He’s like a brother.” When high school came around, the duo was made into a trio: Enter Chandler Stagemeyer. Though the three didn’t get along at ﬁrst, they ended up becoming friends, again, through video games. “I started getting to know Chandler freshman year when I saw he was on Xbox playing a game by himself,” Holland said. “I invited him to play with me online and we ended up playing that game together for almost two weeks.” Now, the three prepare to take on the next step after high school and they fully intend on keeping in touch. For Holland and Melson, it will be easy. Holland will be attending Guilford College and Melson will be attending UNC Greensboro. These two colleges are only a 15-minute drive apart. Stagemeyer, however, will be

Photo by Buzzy Staten/Nighthawk News

Parker Melson (right) and Jacob Holland enjoy playing a game together on a Chromebook. Melson, Holland and fellow senior Chandler Stagemeyer all have formed a bond over playing video games throughout high school.

attending a community college in Virginia while also working for his grandfather’s business. Despite the different schools, the three plan to keep in touch through the same thing that brought them together. “I’ll be in Virginia, but I know Parker will still be playing video games, so we will be able to keep in touch that way,” Stagemeyer said.

The three friends are all grateful for each other, and Melson and Holland have developed a family bond that will last forever. “I love him just like my own brother,” Melson said. “He’s really been there through tough times.” Senior Will McFarlane can be reached at mcfarlanewi0712@daretolearn.org.

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NIGHTHAWK News Magazine / / summer / / 2019

Nicholas paves way to a creative career

By Simone Midgett Features Editor

or most high schoolers, ﬁnding out what career feels right can seem nearly impossible. But for senior Alex Nicholas, the idea of being an architect was always something that intrigued him. “I would say probably seventh grade was when I ﬁrst had an interest in architecture because I learned I was good at art and interested in math, so it all kind of clicked,” Nicholas said. “Just being able to design and be creative with it, and there is also the aspect of problem solving with architecture.” Nicholas plans on attending UNC Charlotte after receiving his acceptance into its selective architecture program. Although Nicholas always saw himself attending N.C. State, he realized Charlotte was the right choice for him after being accepted into both schools and discussing his plans with alumni from both universities. “Charlotte is more close-knit and you get to know everyone better because there are only 64 students in the architecture program,” Nicholas said. UNCC is ranked among the best colleges for architecture, according to

Niche.com. The small size and competitiveness of the program isn’t the only thing that persuaded Nicholas to become a 49er. “The way you do it is you start out with architecture day one and with other programs you have to start with general education, but when you start day one you get your own desk and everything, and that is pretty different,” Nicholas explained. Leaving the small place he calls home to move to a big city is a change of pace for Nicholas, but is something that he is ready for. “I am really excited to meet new people and get to know everyone in the school of architecture,” Nicholas said. “I’m ready to be on my own and get to do what I want and see how much I can improve from where I am now.” Nicholas’ passion for design is something that draws him to Charlotte – both the city and the school. “I like the idea of getting inspired and having the opportunity to build people creative spaces that they wouldn’t have otherwise,” Nicholas said. Junior Simone Midgett can be reached at midgettsa0827@daretolearn. org.

Photo illustration by Buzzy Staten/Nighthawk News

Senior Alex Nicholas works on a sketch in the library. Nicholas is headed to UNC Charlotte to be part of a selective architecture program. He started to become interested in architecture in seventh grade when he realized that he likes both drawing and math.

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NIGHTHAWK News Magazine / / senior celebration

Nighthawks take flight beyond the Banks Georgia

Arizona

Berry College

University of Arizona

Sam Fitzgerald

Reese Salamon

The Savannah College of Art and Design

California

South Carolina College of Charleston Heidi Sabatini

University of South Carolina Stanton Dodson

Jackie Kuhn

Occidental College, LA Abby Smith

Hawaii BYU Hawaii

Adam Livingston

UCLA

Utah Salt Lake Community College Oscar Hernandez

Shane McKenna

Iowa

District of Columbia

University of Iowa Jason Castaneda

Virginia University of Virginia Taina Santana

American University Chloe Schubert

Idaho George Washington University Brianna Curi Giron

Virginia Commonwealth University Caroline Jenkins

BYU Idaho

Jacqueline Packard

Virginia Tech

Florida

Massachusetts

Flagler College Jaylan Ulmer

Wheaton College Jia Fitzgerald

Olivia Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Steen Buzzy Staten

Thomas Nelson Community College Chandler Stagemeyer

Florida International University Cane Lige

Florida State University Sophie Morgan

Maryland Johns Hopkins University Cecilia Cortez

West Virginia Alderson Broaddus Ansley Feltz

University of West Florida Ashley Forbes

University of Florida

Michigan

Caroline Murray

Southeastern University

Grace Christian University Courtney White

Travel

Isis Cater Sophia Dowless Thomas Gibson Elizabeth Sinks Payton Smith

Paola Callentano Andraca

Nighthawk News Magazine / / summer / / 2019

North Carolina Appalachian State University Kristen Applebaum Parker Duck Lawson Eldridge Taylor Farmer Caroline Foster Charlie Kitchin Dair McNinch Peyton Mull Zoe Tholen Izzy Warner

Greensboro College Caitlin Nicholson

Guilford College Jacob Holland

High Point University Carrietta Classen

Campbell University Robyn Godley

Methodist University Trent Powell

Cape Fear Community College Megan Miller Cole Neff Koral Tucker Gavin Willis

Chowan University Evan McCrory

College of the Albemarle Holly Brothers Carlos Aguilar Castillo Ty Castellow Kailey Carlsen Zackory DeLaGarza Jake Douds Italo Escobar Cortez Taylor Gordon Kamrin Grissom Mason Johnson Ethan Jones Madison Just Vanessa Larson Julie Laurick Zuzu Lee Ben Midgette Isabella Mineo Olha Naumova Daniel Olszewski Kenny Paul Jonathan Pharr Fernando Angel-Ramierez Greysen Sillies Natalie Smith Ashley Trochez-Lanza Brayden Wassler Jayne Walker Elias Willoughby

East Carolina University Madison Crumpler Anna Davies Ellie Gardill Macy Googe Grace Hook Kayla Hymiller Cassidy Joyce Kaleb Keeton Sammie Lilliston Noah Nurney Reagan Pearson Emma Seay Dylan White

NIGHTHAWK News Magazine / / senior celebration

UNC Charlotte Zeke Botson Lorna Cameron Ethan Driver Chloe Futrell Kaitlyn Hales Sophie Johnson Alex Nicholas Grace Sullivan UNC Greensboro Julia Bachman Madison DelCollo Trinity Harrison Parker Melson

UNC Wilmington North Carolina State University Grayson Bell Taylor Brooks Caroline Clissold Anna Kate Coley Jacy Copeland Jevin Copeland Forrest Creech McCoy Davenport Hannah Ellington Grace Haas Will Hala Suki Holian Hannah Hughes Austin Johnson Cole Kelly Codie Patterson

Wake Tech Community College Devonte Coe Grayson Rippons

Western Carolina University Katrina Iwashchenko Megan Stokes

Penn Foster College

Pitt Community College Gabrielle Hughes Alyssa Jones OJ Sawtell

Ceilidh McLean

Southwestern Community College

UNC Asheville Skylar Gravitt Cassidy Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Neil Juli Paris

UNC Chapel Hill Christian DeMarco Sofia Dick Cassidy Dietz Izzie Estes Zane Fish Hunter Haskett Natalia Madison Tommy Mahler Kenan Reeder Parker Sylvia Ben Tran Charlotte Tyson Jill Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Dell

Chyla Huber Elizabeth Estanol

Work

Queens University of Charlotte

Chloe Fowler

Summer Banning Melanie Gonzalez Max Hawkins Reese Jones Lauren Law Hayley Miller Shelby Miller Garland Seward

Summer Bowman Macy Bateman Wilmer Andino Benitez Alden Blythe Devin Gardner Bobby Griffin Dakota Horn Krissian Nunez Jimenez Zachary Jones Danny Lucas Stephanie Munguia Sara Parsons Connor Readman David Roberts Sam Robinson Chris Stubblefield Spencer Sumners Hannah Wilaby Dustin Woickelman

Military

Madison Beaver Wade Denzin Kimmy Fernandez Tim Jones Cameron Petersen

Graphic by Trinity Harrison/Nighthawk News From information reported to FFHS Counseling Center

Nighthawks to Seahawks: Miller twins to cheer at Wilmington

By Sophie Johnson Social Media Editor

omersaults, balance beams and cartwheels: the basics of gymnastics. Then come more advanced tricks like roundoffs, standing tucks and roundoff back handspring tucks. Seniors Hayley and Shelby Miller have been through it all – and will continue to learn more tricks through college. The twins began taking gymnastics in preschool, just like many toddlers. “First we started out with gymnastics in Currituck and then it changed into a cheer gym when we were in kindergarten,” Shelby said. The two decided to keep going to the gym and give cheering a try. They fell in love with the sport and have kept with it. They’ve been on several competition teams, such as Fame Vixens, and cheered in both middle and high school. The twins have been cheering for so long they would feel like something was missing out of their life if they didn’t cheer in college. “I’ve done it for so long and I saw the chance that I would be able to make it, so I just wanted to see,” Shelby said. “I think it’ll be a good transition to my first year of college so I get to

Photo by Aaron Jennings/Shooters at the Beach

Senior Shelby Miller cheers during a football game last fall. Shelby and her twin sister Hayley cheered on the FFHS team together and will be teammates once again at UNCW.

know some older girls and they get to kinda show me around. I think it’ll be easier to go into it.” Meeting new people and getting school work done might seem hard when competing in a sport in college, but Wilmington has a great cheer program that isn’t too time-consuming. “Wilmington cheerleading is not

as big of a commitment as some other schools because they practice every day, whereas Wilmington, we practice twice a week and it’s super lenient and not so much of a job, more just for fun,” Hayley said. Like most siblings, Hayley and Shelby have a lot in common, yet also differ very much. Hayley looks forward

to the performing aspect of being on the cheer team while Shelby enjoys a different part. “I don’t like the performance part because I’m kind of shy in that way. I don’t like dancing in front of people. I like stunting and tumbling better,” Shelby said. The two will have to put any differences aside next year, though, because they will not only be teammates and sisters, but roommates, too. “We’re going to room together because it’ll be easier to adjust going into school not really knowing anybody, and also she already knows what I don’t like and I know what she doesn’t like,” Shelby said. Even though the twins have been rooming together their entire lives, they’re still excited to be together next year. “It’s gonna be great. We know we’re gonna fight and bicker, but so is everybody else,” Hayley said. “Shelby and I do a lot better together, it makes us both more outgoing.” Their bond will only grow stronger while they will be cheering and rooming together. “We thought about leaving each other and it’d be really hard,” Shelby said. Senior Sophie Johnson can be reached at johnsonso0628@daretolearn.org. Senior Hayley Miller flies into the air for a cheer stunt during the Marlin Bowl at Manteo this season. Hayley likes the performing aspect of cheerleading, while Shelby enjoys the stunts more. Both sisters are excited to become part of the UNC Wilmington cheer team. The sisters will not only be teammates, but roommates as well, and are excited to be going through a time of change together.

Photo by Aaron Jennings/Shooters at the Beach

FFHS loves Dunkin’ Lattes! 22

Nighthawk News Magazine / / summer / / 2019

Changing up the canvas: Brooks takes her art from paper to skin By Kristen Applebaum Staff Writer

hrough the eyes of 6-yearold Taylor Brooks, a tattoo shop meant another exciting addition to her mom’s already large collection of body art. She gazes at the few tattoos which decorate her mother’s arms and legs, longing to have a little tattoo of her own. After her mother’s newest design is finished, the tattoo artist notices Brooks’ fascination, and offers her a temporary tattoo to call her own. Senior Taylor Brooks is combining both her art skills and passion for tattoos and taking them to a higher, more professional level. Brooks is shadowing at Vertigo Tattoo & Body Piercing in Manns Harbor as part of her senior project, but also earning an opportunity to get some early experience in a field she’s been interested in for years. “My senior project is on the discrimination of tattoos in the workplace and I chose this because I’ve always loved tattoos, but I also know some people look down on those that have them,” Brooks said. Contrary to the popular opinion that visible tattoos and multiple piercings are unprofessional and do not belong in the workplace, Brooks believes that it’s important for people to be accepting of the art form. Her internship mentor at Vertigo, Dave Lekens, also believes that tattoos shouldn’t be seen as so taboo. “I know some places discriminate really hard and you could have the best worker there, but since they’re tattooed, they don’t get the job,” Lekens said. Brooks already knew Lekens from when he did her first tattoo that she designed herself – a skeleton hand holding a rose – which is now displayed on the side of her ribcage. “Taylor’s got a great eye for it,” Lekens said. “Even the tattoo designs that she just kinda made up not knowing what she’s doing are far better than the majority of people that would come up to a tattoo shop showing us their work.” Being around tattoo shops and the abundance of art within them has been a part of Brooks’ life for years. She got her first piercings at 10 years old and watched as her mom got several tattoos over the years. After designing what she got tattooed on herself, Brooks even got one of her designs tattooed on her mom. “My mom has always wanted me to draw her something to get tattooed,” Brooks said. “Freshman year, I drew this chandelier sun, so I took that and updated it so it was actually good.” The art of tattooing turned out to be a lot more complicated than Brooks expected. She had to learn many new techniques as well as the safety and

Photo by Kristen Applebaum/Nighthawk News

Senior Taylor Brooks helps her internship mentor, Dave Lekens, at Vertigo Tattoo & Body Piercing. Brooks has been fascinated by body art since she was 6 years old. Now, Brooks has taken part in an internship with a local tattoo shop.

sanitary rules that come with working on people. “There’s definitely a lot more to it than I think people realize, but the hardest thing is that it’s a whole new medium with techniques different than anything I’ve ever had to do,” Brooks said. While tattooing is another form of art for Brooks to enjoy, it’s also a way for her to help others express themselves as individuals. “With tattoos you know it’s out there on someone forever, so that’s kinda cool in a sense that the tattoo is a part of someone now,” Brooks said. “You’re able to make something memorable for someone that’s going to make them happy.” Senior Kristen Applebaum can be reached at applebaumkr0910@daretolearn.org.

(Top) Brooks talks with her mentor, Dave Lekens, while at her internship. Below, Brooks concentrates while sitting at her desk and sketching a tattoo design at her internship with Vertigo Tattoos and Piercings. An experienced AP Art student, Brooks designed her own tattoo – a skeleton hand holding a rose – along with one for her mom, a chandelier sun. Brooks is passionate about body art and even did her senior project on the discrimination people with tattoos face in the workplace.

Nighthawk News Magazine / / senior celebration

Photos by Kristen Applebaum/ Nighthawk News

Megan Stokes Where are you going? I am going to Western Carolina University. What do you plan to study? I’m studying Emergency Medical Care. How does it feel to be a ﬁrst-generation college student? Exciting yet nervous because no one in my family has gotten a college degree, so it’s kind of nerve-wracking because they can’t tell me what it’s like. What advice would you give another ﬁrst-generation college student or anyone who wants to go to college? Work hard and pursue your goals. What are you looking forward to the most? I’m looking forward to meeting new people and doing what I love. Why did college become the ultimate goal for you rather than directly joining the workforce or any other options? Emergency Medical Care goes into the Athletic Training master’s degree and I want to be an athletic trainer, so it helps me get to where I want to be.

F 1 R S T

Where are you going? I am going to UNC Chapel Hill. What do you plan to study? I’m not sure what I want to major in yet but as of now I want to double major in Business as well as Computer Science. How does it feel to be a first-generation college student? It’s been a rollercoaster. With my parents not going to college and my dad not even graduating high school before they immigrated here, I’ve had to figure everything out myself in terms of college. The application process was a journey in itself because even if you did have parents who went to college it was still complicated, but having parents who don’t speak English as their fluent language, it was really hard to decipher my tax returns or my financial aid or just applying itself. What advice would you give another first-generation college student or anyone who wants to go to college? Plan ahead and make sure you take advantage of your resources like your guidance counselor or Ms. Shaw. Your guidance counselor will be your best friend during the college process. What are you looking forward to the most? Meeting new people and being in a new environment.

Oscar Hernandez

Kaitlyn Hales Where are you going? I am going to UNC Charlotte What do you plan to study? I’m undecided right now but I’m probably going to do Communications. How does it feel to be a ﬁrst-generation college student? It’s kind of stressful because your parents can’t really help you that much, but it’s also kind of cool because you’re doing something different and it’s exciting. What advice would you give another ﬁrst-generation college student or anyone who wants to go to college? Try really hard when you’re applying for scholarships. Go off on those more than your actual college applications because they’re really important. What are you looking forward to the most? Well, I’m going to be living in a city, so I’m really excited because it’s going to be really different. Why did college become the ultimate goal for you rather than directly joining the workforce or any other options? I really like learning and I just wanted to learn as much as I can and I felt like it would give me the best advantage in the future.

Ben Tran

G E N

Where are you going? Salt Lake City Community College and get Utah residency and then go to the University of Utah. What do you plan to study? Double major in Computer Science and Political Science. How does it feel to be a first-generation college student? It’s interesting. It’s a harder process, actually, because none of my parents have been through the process of FAFSA or trying to apply to schools and then it’s also kind of difficult because my sister’s husband is trying to tell me what to do. It’s kind of difficult following in your own footsteps without following in anyone else’s. What advice would you give another first-generation college student or anyone who wants to go to college? You don’t need to know exactly where you’re going, but lean towards your interests because that’s what you’re definitely going to be going into, and listen to any college adviser you have and make the best of it. What are you looking forward to the most? Being outside of North Carolina and being able to live away from the beach a little bit.

Photos by Buzzy Staten Reporting by Hunter Haskett NIGHTHAWK News Magazine / / summer / / 2019

Fine: Magical musical careers come to a close

By Hannah Ellington Editor-in-Chief

eniors Izzie Estes and Parker Duck both joined band as shy, nervous sixth graders. That’s hard to imagine now that they’ve spent so much time in the spotlight at every high school concert. “I like playing an instrument because it’s another means by which to express yourself,” Estes said. “It’s just like singing or dancing and things like that. It’s just another voice to use.” Estes plays alto saxophone in concert band and tenor saxophone in jazz band. She started jazz band in seventh grade, took Intro to Jazz freshman year and auditioned and got into Honors Jazz her sophomore year. She has also done marching and concert band all four years. “I remember in ninth grade being kind of scared because there were all these people who knew what they were doing and obviously we didn’t yet, and it was just such a welcoming, family environment, which was super cool,” Estes said. Estes kept that family feeling going the past year as a drum major alongside seniors Zane Fish and Kayla Hymiller, helping conduct songs in class, setting up formations on the field and keeping everyone in line. “Coming into senior year, I definitely wanted to at least give (being a drum major) a shot and see what would happen. It was fun,” Estes said. “In our band, especially this year, we have field commander, two drum majors and band captain. Because we were all seniors and because we all kind of scored the same, we all got to conduct one song each.” Looking back on her band career, Estes has made plenty of memories that will stay with her forever. “For marching band my sophomore year, me and Evan Fish and Carmen (Chinchilla) and Willa (Briggs) when they were still here had what was a solo originally, but we decided we wanted all four of us to do it,” Estes said. “We all ran into the stands and got to play the solo with the audience.” Through it all, Estes was able to make a core group of friends through their similar passion for music. “The first year or two it was kind of like the same little group I had been hanging out with, and then once I became a section leader and once I started being more involved, I found myself being friends with literally everyone there and it was the best thing ever,” Estes said. “Especially this year because I was drum major and I was responsible for keeping track of everyone, I just got to be pals with everyone, which was super exciting.” Estes plans on attending the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with an intended major in a STEM field. While she is not planning on ma-

joring in anything music related, she hopes to keep playing. Duck, on the other hand, plans on attending Appalachian State University to major in the trumpet, his favorite instrument. He also wants to go into the Hayes School of Music while in Boone. “I’m not currently enrolled in the School of Music – I’ll have to audition into it – which is unfortunate, but I just wasn’t ready for the audition last November,” Duck said. “That might mean an extra year of college or something like that, but I don’t care because I’m going to do that no matter what. That’s what I want to do and I couldn’t imagine doing anything else.” Duck had an experience similar to Estes. He started band in sixth grade, added jazz and orchestra in eighth grade, made the high school Honors Jazz Band his sophomore year, and has done concert and marching band all four years of high school. It’s a schedule full of music, but Duck wouldn’t change a thing. “Being a part of something bigger than yourself is a great feeling, which I haven’t really experienced anywhere else except in the band program,” Duck said. “I also really like practicing really hard and then doing it really good at a performance or a recital. Spending a lot of time and having it pay off like that is really rewarding and cool.” Duck plays four instruments “confidently” – the French horn in concert band, the trumpet in jazz and marching band, the viola in orchestra and the piano, though he had to stop taking piano lessons because “I can’t do everything. High school is busy.” And high school is definitely busy for Duck. On top of practice and rehearsals every day, Duck is one of the first ones to enter the school in the mornings. “Orchestra is an eighth period, which happens before school, so already my day is an hour longer,” Duck said. Though he plays in all of the band programs First Flight has to offer, Duck has a resounding passion for jazz band. “It’s much more modern than all the other types of music and it’s kind of like all the rules we had to spend so much time learning about classical music are thrown out the window,” Duck said. “And now you’re doing all the other things and it’s freeing, almost. It’s so radically different and perfect.” Kind of like the music careers of Duck and Estes – a symphony of fun and friends. “I’m willing to say 98% of my friends are in the band program, and then everybody else is in chorus,” Duck said. “That’s just what happens because we are around each other so much.” Senior Hannah Ellington can be reached at ellingtonha1214@daretolearn.org.

NIGHTHAWK News Magazine / / senior celebration

Photo by Buzzy Staten/Nighthawk News

Senior Parker Duck performs an original song with an ensemble that includes classmate Izzie Estes during a recent Empower Time. Duck wrote the song as part of his senior project.

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Preparing for all kinds of upcoming change, seniors look back at their favorite baby pictures to see just how different they have become. Starting from left, Ben Tran smiles for the camera with his sunglasses on. (Second row, from left) Isabella Mineo laughs in front of the camera. Dair McNinch sits on a sailboat. (Below from left) Mason, Austin and Sophie Johnson and Hayley and Shelby Miller pose together. (Bottom from left) Izzy Warner and her preschool comrades smile in their caps and gowns. (Top of next page from left) Cassidy Dietz, Lauren Law and Hannah Ellington pose as bunnies during a classroom party. Sam Fitzgerald shows off his broken arm. Caroline Jenkins tinkers with a puzzle. (Below from left) Chloe Futrell and Hunter Haskett smile together at their preschool Valentineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day party. Jacy Copeland shows off the sideways baseball hat. Evan McCrory rides in his ďŹ&#x201A;aming car. Holly Brothers strikes a pose as she rides a horse.

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NIGHTHAWK News Magazine / / summer / / 2019

Senior class throws it back

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Nighthawk News Magazine / / senior celebration

A r t i s t s

i n

Fernandez expresses herself from brushes to boot camp By Peyton Dickerson Staff Writer

light bulb goes off in senior Kimmy Fernandez’s brain as she scrolls down her Instagram feed. She sees an eccentric makeup look on a beauty influencer page and pictures the look on her own face. She grabs a few blending brushes and gets to work. Fernandez found inspiration to dabble in makeup from her older sisters and began to branch out and try to create new looks during her freshman and sophomore years. As time passed, she began to perfect her skills and come up with more out-of-the-box ideas. “I started going off of my own imagination and random drawings,” Fernandez said. Today, her makeup is more creative than ever. Depending on her mood, some days she will choose a more simple look, such as a nude eyeshadow and lip gloss, while other days she chooses to use her inspiration to take

her look to another level. “Some days I can go really girly, and look very typical, and then other days I want to look absolutely crazy and have my whole face painted blue,” Fernandez said. “I could want blue eyebrows, pink eyebrows or big winged liner.” The application process Fernandez uses can take up to five minutes, 15 minutes, or even an hour, all depending on how she would like to look that day. To Fernandez, makeup is a way to express herself. When applying a fullface, she sees it as more of an art form than a repetitive task. “(Makeup) is something that anybody can do, it doesn’t matter who. It’s just some way to tap into your creativity and take it to another level,” Fernandez said. Despite the amount of thought and effort she puts into her makeup, other people’s reactions aren’t always positive or uplifting. Fernandez would receive comments such as, “You don’t need makeup” or “It’s too crazy looking.”

“I take it pretty well because I know they mean well,” Fernandez said. “I’ve never been one to care what other people thought of me. It’s a form of expression for me.” While some may not understand the reasoning behind Fernandez’s makeup, others are quick to ask her to do theirs for various occasions. “I don’t think there’s an event that goes by that I don’t get asked to do somebody’s makeup,” Fernandez said. “As much as I love to do it, doing somebody’s makeup is really difficult because I don’t know their face like I know my face.” Though makeup is a staple in Fernandez’s daily routine, she is about to face a new and exciting challenge that may disconnect her from her favorite creative outlet: the Navy. After wanting to join for two years, Fernandez has made it through the application process and is focusing on preparing herself for her future. “All I’m doing right now is working out and making myself healthier,” Fernandez said.

Despite being excited for this new journey, when Fernandez arrives at boot camp she will have to leave her artful makeup endeavors behind. “(At boot camp), you can’t have anything that wouldn’t fit in your pocket,” Fernandez said. Makeup has always been a crucial part of her day-to-day life, but Fernandez now has to start switching gears. Despite being busy preparing for boot camp, in her free time, or whenever she is bored, Fernandez will sit down and try her hand with a new makeup look. “Sometimes it’s midnight and I’m still awake because I can’t fall asleep, and I think, ‘OK, I’m gonna do my makeup,’ ” Fernandez said. Sophomore Peyton Dickerson can be reached at 21dickersonpe28@daretolearn.org.

Graphic by Lauren Law/Special to Nighthawk News

Photos submitted by Kimmy Fernandez

Senior Kimmy Fernandez shows off her finished makeup look after (right) working on perfecting her eyeshadow. Fernandez enjoys intricate makeup looks but will have to give them up when she joins the Navy.

Nighthawk News Magazine / / summer / / 2019

the Spotlight

Fish gets hooked on love for music

By Chloe Futrell Editor-in-Chief

collection of loud sounds filled the small hallway in First Flight Middle School. Symbols crashed and horns were blown and made slightly off-key noises. Sixth-grader Zane Fish walked in and met his first instrument – the trombone. Fish is now a senior, and from those humble beginnings he is still living out his dream of playing music. Fish is involved in a plethora of arts including Honors Jazz Band, marching band, concert band and the theater program. The musician has had a great appreciation for the arts ever since his first band class in sixth grade. “I didn’t do a lot of music at a really young age – I’m not one of those stories where someone grew up and their parents put a guitar in their hand or something,” Fish said, laughing. “I started in sixth grade with band and I just wanted to be good and so I practiced until I was good.” For Fish, music is not only a hobby but also an experience he treasures and looks forward to each day. “If you’re doing a thing (playing music) and it is just in that perfect little spot in your skill level, and it’s not something that is really easy, and it’s not too hard that you’re struggling to know what you’re doing, but if you’re just sitting down, just doing this task, then time just disappears,” Fish said. “It’s this state of mind that you go into where you just forget about everything except for this one task. So being in a situation where I am playing in the band, I’ve got music coming in at all sides. It’s just a really nice experience.” Fish is an award-winning musician and has recently made First Flight history as the first student from here to make the all-state jazz band. Not only is Fish a master of instruments, he is also passionate about the performing arts. In his sophomore year, Fish auditioned for “I Never Saw Another Butterfly” and has been involved in theater ever since. The senior believes it is important for individuals in the arts to be involved and to expose themselves to different art forms. “There are people in theater working just as hard as you, just with a different set of skills and terms that they have to deal with.” Fish said. “I think it is really easy to get involved with one thing and think that thing you do is the thing.” Fish plans to attend UNC Chapel Hill and major in communications or music. Fish fears for the day-to-day work routine and hopes that Chapel Hill will open a wide variety of options after college. “My experience in local work forces and stuff have taught me that I definitely don’t want to be spending my life going to work and doing the same thing every day. I just feel like I have sort of an obligation to continue the arts because I have been doing it for so long,” Fish said. No matter where college life takes Fish, music and the arts will always have a place in his heart at First Flight. “We do have a community here of people who genuinely want to make music and be in theatre,” he said. “I am grateful that that exists.” Senior Chloe Futrell can be reached at futrellch1114@daretolearn.org. Nighthawk News Magazine / / senior celebration

Senior Zane Fish poses with a handful of instruments that he has played throughout his high school career. (Bottom left) Fish smiles for the camera as he is recognized on Senior Night in the marching band during halftime of a football game. (Bottom right) Fish conducts the halftime show of a home football game this past fall. Fish is a drum major in the FFHS marching band. His love of music will follow him to college as he plans to major in either communications or music.

Photos by Buzzy Staten/ Nighthawk News

Our View: Newspaper seniors impart some wisdom before they depart

Editors-in-Chief – Hannah Ellington, Chloe Futrell, Hunter Haskett Business Manager – Kejsi Zyka News Editor – Emmy Trivette Features Editor – Simone Midgett Online Editors-in-Chief – Trinity Harrison, Grace Sullivan Opinions Editor – Caroline Jenkins Photo Editor – Buzzy Staten Assistant Photo Editor – Ben Tran

et involved in things you are passionate about. Don’t let the inﬂuence of your peers get the best of you when deciding which clubs to join or what classes to sign up for. If you want to be in a musical, audition – go for it. If you want to be on the morning announcements, sign up for it. If you want to be on a sports team, go to tryouts. Through doing things you love, you will ﬁnd new friends and interests that will improve your life. You will also open yourself up to different experiences and open doors that you wouldn’t have otherwise. Aside from instances out of your control, you are responsible for how you look back on your high school experience. – Chloe Futrell

times, but enjoy it while it lasts. Enjoy the freedom before you have so many responsibilities. Last but not least, the Golden Rule is: Don’t peak in high school. You have the rest of your life ahead of you! You are somebody. – Sophie Johnson

Do not place abounding pressure on achieving the “high school experience.” Do not let your sense of reality be warped by things you’ve heard or seen regarding events taking place in high school. It is so easy to look at what your friends are doing and feel immense pressure to be going to the same things and acting the same way, but ultimately the things you do on your own will lead to discovering who you are more so than following everyone else. I know this is going to Having a sense of indepensound cliche and way easier dence and self-identity – not STAFF said than done (trust me, shaped by anyone or their EDITORIAL I’m still trying to figure it perspective of you – is crucial out) but don’t care what in these four years. Have the other people think about you. Have high school experience you want to have. confidence in yourself and the choices Let go of any expectations you feel as you make. Because ultimately, your whole though must be met and find out who you high school experience is based on what are and what you want. – Caroline Jenkins YOU make of it, not a certain group of Accept all that happens the next people. Just be wholeheartedly yourself four years, and grow from it. From – don’t waste your time being anything failing a test to growing apart from a best else. And secondly, don’t fear the future. friend, all are experiences you may not Don’t be afraid of the bumps in the road want to have, but you will learn from. or things not going as you thought they Don’t keep yourself boxed in. Branch out. would. Embrace it. Embrace the changes Take the AP classes you want even if they and enjoy the ride, because no matter how may be daunting. Scream and cheer as you get there, you’ll end up right where loud as you can at the Marlin Bowl. High you’re supposed to be. – Hunter Haskett school is a time of change. We begin to Be thankful for what you have and narrow down what we want to do with the person who you have become. You our lives, where we want to end up. To never know what the people around you put it frankly, it’s terrifying to think about are going through. Make somebody’s day, sometimes, but it must be done. See the every day. Be that person who brightens fear, take it and turn it into motivation for up a room when they walk in. Be the yourself and your future. – Grace Sullivan person you want to be instead of someone your friends and peers think you Throughout high school, people should be. You only have to go through will come in and out of your life for high school once and it can be tough at better and for worse. But everyone

IN OUR OPINION

Sports Editor – Izzy Requa Social Media Editor– Sophie Johnson Community Editor – Dair McNinch Staff Writers – Kristen Applebaum, Peyton Dickerson, Abby Hite, Cassie Honeycutt, Katie MacBride, Will McFarlane, Cassidy O’Neil, Jack Voight, Maddy Wagner Adviser – Steve Hanf

ighthawk News Magazine is published four times a year by the journalism classes at First Flight High School. The publication is distributed free to the FFHS student body, faculty and staff and to First Flight Middle School. Approximately 4,000 copies are inserted in the Outer Banks Sentinel, while another 1,200 are 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; bylined columns are the opinion of the authors. Readers are encouraged to write letters to the editor on matters of concern. Letters may be mailed to FFHS or delivered to Room B-214. They must be signed. We reserve the right to edit letters for length, grammatical errors or libelous content. Reach us by mail at 100 Veterans Drive, Kill Devil Hills, N.C. 27948, by phone at (252) 449-7000 or by e-mail at hanfst@daretolearn.org. Advertising inquiries can be made by phone or email. Nighthawk News is a member of the North Carolina Scholastic Media Association and the National Scholastic and Southern Interscholastic press associations. Our stories also are published online at NighthawkNews.com. Follow us on Twitter @FFNighthawkNews, Facebook.com/NighthawkNews, Instagram @FFHSNighthawkNews and Snapchat at Nighthawk.News. Target Printing and Distribution of Fayetteville prints our paper.

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Hawk Talk: Throughout your days at FFHS, what

“Chloe Futrell, she was the ﬁrst senior who really befriended me in the theater program. ” – freshman Colin Sullivan

“ Parker Sylvia, he’s great and just a beast at everything.” – junior Stryker Owens

“Holly Brothers, I had Spanish with her last year; she’s also really into God and on the right path.” – sophomore Zoe Morris

“Buzzy Staten, we relate on so much and we’ve grown such a tight bond over this year. ” – freshman Tatum Love

NIGHTHAWK News Magazine / / summer / / 2019

Sayonara, seniors Newspaper sophomores and juniors reflect on time spent with their huge group of senior classmates:

Chole Futrell: “Walking in from getting lost in Chicago when it was pouring is one of my favorite memories of you! You were over it but still had that sense of humor!” – Cassie “The most calm and sweetest person.” – Kejsi

Photo by Jacy Copeland/Special to Nighthawk News

Nighthawk News seniors: (front, from left) Trinity Harrison, Kristen Applebaum, Chloe Futrell and Grace Sullivan; (back) Cassidy O’ Neil, Sophie Johnson, Caroline Jenkins, Buzzy Staten, Hunter Haskett, Hannah Ellington and Dair McNinch; Not pictured: Will McFarlane

comes into your life for a reason, whether it be to teach you lessons, empower you or humble you. It is important to stay true to your own morals and stand for things you feel are right. People you think you’ve known for years can change, and you are not obligated to change for them. If you remain the person you see yourself as and continue to work toward your own goals and aspirations, the right people will come into your life to support you and your progression. – Trinity Harrison

charge of your life the second you can, and make the choice you know is right because Karma is a real thing. Life is so very short, and we haven’t much time to gladden the hearts of those who walk the path with us, so be swift to love and make haste to be kind. – Dair McNinch

The biggest advice I wish I had received as an underclassman is to get involved early. Find something you’re passionate about and really pursue it. Life is all about having fun and at the end of the day, you decide your own fate. You have control of your own life and your own happiness, so get out there and don’t worry about people’s opinions of you. Live life how you want to live. – Will McFarlane

Do things that are out of your comfort zone and don’t be afraid to make a fool of yourself in public – like dancing in Harris Teeter while your friends beg you to stop, or making ridiculous videos at Front Porch just for the fun of it – because ultimately, what others think of you does not matter. What matters is how you view yourself and how you treat and present yourself to others. I think we all need to realize that showing kindness and compassion will go so much further than constantly clouding our vision with judgment. – Hannah Ellington

No matter who you are or who your parents are, the beauty of the country we live in is that the ability to achieve your dreams is left up to how much determination you decide to have. Don’t trust anybody, take

Challenge yourself. Whether it’s in sports, academics, extracurriculars or talking to new people, the worst that can come from challenging yourself is learning what you’re not good at; and from that, you can grow. Take on life with an

open mind and you’ll find that there is so much more happiness and positivity than wasting time judging others. Focus on the people you feel most comfortable around and who you can truly be yourself with. On that note, don’t feel like you need to limit yourself to a certain group of people. It’s OK to branch out and become friends with people you never expected. – Kristen Applebaum Don’t be afraid to fail because, eventually, everyone does. Have fun with your friends but take the time to push yourself in school. Be the best version of yourself and do your homework on time. – Buzzy Staten The high school experience can be as stressful as it is rewarding. In the end you have to understand that it is all temporary and will come and go before you know it. It is up to you to make the most out of the time you spend in these halls every day. Create opportunities by keeping an open mind and making personal connections. High school is an amazing chance to discover what you are passionate about, so dive into it head first to experience it all! – Cassidy O’Neil

Caroline Jenkins: “She’s super funny. Because of Caroline, I’m always going to use the words ‘snatched’ and ‘botched’ when expressing something.” – Kejsi “Always organized and very confident.” – Emmy Sophie Johnson: “Super chill and a great personality.” – Kejsi “LOVE SOPHIE, she is the most genuinely kind person I know and has the best personality. There isn’t one thing that someone could say bad about her.” – Simone Grace Sullivan: “Grace has shown me to look at the small things and laugh about them! She has the best stories and always can provide a good laugh.” – Cassie “Has the best outfits!” – Kejsi “Great sense of humor. Always has something to say.” – Emmy “She never fails to make everyone laugh and has the most positive outlook on life!” – Simone Cassidy O’Neil: “We had a great conversation once in the guidance counselor office. Nice guy!” – Kejsi See SENIORS, Page 33

senior have you looked up to the most, and why?

“Grayson Bell, he’s responsible. I play baseball with him and he’s a good teammate.” – junior Jack Piddington Nighthawk News Magazine / / opinions

“Jackie Kuhn, she’s the only senior I know and she’s an amazing artist.” – junior Shelby Hudgins

“Parker Duck, he’s a really good mentor toward my music, a really awesome friend and is super nice.” – sophomore Jaden Clary

“Madison Crumpler, we were on the volleyball team together and she’s really encouraging and supportive.” – freshman Anna Parsons

Triple the memories means triple the goodbyes

t was third grade. Another monotonous Monday morning. My brother Austin and I were waiting for our other brother Mason to come downstairs so we could make our way to school. He finally made his way to the kitchen and I noticed something off about his outfit, but I couldn’t quite figure it out. When he turned around, I immediately knew what was off. The sequin butterfly on the back pocket gave it away. I politely said, “Mason, I think you’re wearing my jeans.” Of course our mom and Austin burst into laughter, but Mason rushed upstairs to change his – or my – jeans. Needless to say, Mason was quite embarrassed for a while and still might be to this day, but this is a story I will never forget. This memory, alongside others, will make leaving my brothers incredibly hard as we separate for college this fall. June 28, 2001, at 12:19 p.m., I was born. What’s unusual about this event is that my two brothers were born a couple minutes earlier. I’ve never been alone since then. I’ve always had a great support system by my side. I often found myself stepping in as a caretaker, especially as we’ve gotten older. Next year I will have to take a step back and let them take care of themselves. It’s going to be difficult trying not to worry about them all the time. It’s scary to think about, but what’s even more terrifying to

think about is that I will be alone as well. It will never be the same without them. From my first day of school, to Driver’s Education, to our upcoming graduation, they’ve taught me so many things, like how to stand out from the crowd and how to be competitive. We’ve always been known as “the triplets,” but next year this title won’t be as relevant as we won’t be together for our first days of the rest of our lives. Luckily, we have learned over the years to be our own person and I’d say we’re pretty independent. This change will be difficult, but I know that they’re always just a phone call away if I ever need anything. Austin will be attending North Carolina State University, Mason is attending College of the Albemarle and I will be off to the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Not too far, but just close enough. The move will be something to get used to, but I know my brothers will do great and I hope they know that they are just a phone call away as well. I knew we would have to go our separate ways eventually, but I didn’t think it would be so soon. You know what they say, time flies when you’re having fun. I try not to think about the future because it’s nerve-racking, but it’s also exciting to think about how far my brothers are going to go in their lives. Senior Sophie Johnson can be reached at johnsonso0628@daretolearn.org.

Photo by Jim Trotman (top)/Special to Nighthawk News

Photo submitted by Sophie Johnson (bottom) Seniors Mason, Sophie and Austin Johnson take a senior photo on the beach and dance in their playroom (bottom). The triplets’ bond is one that will never be broken, even as they go to different colleges next year. Austin will attend N.C. State, Mason the College of the Albemarle, and Sophie heads to UNC Charlotte.

Imperfect school still offers incredible moments

irst Flight High School. What exactly this school means to me is hard to quite put my finger on. I know the four years I’ve spent here have been filled with laughter, tears and everything in between. I’ve grown up in this school, discovered who I am, decided who I wanted to be, determined who I wouldn’t be. And maybe I learned more than just how to get good grades or navigate my way through the halls. Was First Flight perfect? No. But honestly, what is? I know First Flight has disappointed me on lots of occasions. Some people were incessantly immature or mean. Some teachers watched and said nothing. Obscene things were written on lockers. Outbursts from FFHS alumni littered my Twitter feed about their shame in having come from such a school. My pride in being a Nighthawk has

sometimes faltered. My support of this school has sometimes wavered. Yet even as the bad flooded in, I could never shake the feeling of inherent pride in my school. A wave of nostalgic warmth will always be connected with these four years and this time in my life. What do I hope for our school? I hope each and every person soaks up every last minute of being part of FFHS. I hope they appreciate the incredible teachers and endless opportu-

nities. I hope we can learn to look beyond the bad moments and appreciate the good ones. I hope that when people hear I graduated from First Flight, they don’t discount the fact that this school has given us so much. I hope in the future First Flight continues to grant students with just as extraordinary and hard-working teachers such as Mrs. Basilone, or entirely caring and helpful teachers such as Mrs. Weeks. I hope future students learn as much as I did about themselves and about each other whilst moving through these four years. We had a meeting with Mr. Tillett that first week of freshman year. He told us we were destined to succeed if we made the right choices. If we slipped up our entire future was ruined, or something like that. I’m certain that isn’t entirely true. Just like I know that more than

27% of us will “make it.” Although mistakes have and will be made, they don’t define who we are. I know that we all will “make it,” paving our own way down a path beginning at this high school. Recently, the art students filled up a display case near the media center with 975 colorful paper cranes, all individually suspended in their own space, distinctly different yet unified in their similarities. I can’t say that I know each and every person I went to school with, nor will I know everyone I am leaving behind at First Flight, but looking at those cranes perfectly and harmoniously existing, I knew my school would be OK. And FFHS still has room to grow. But so do we. Senior Caroline Jenkins may be reached at jenkinsca0616@daretolearn. org.

Nighthawk News Magazine / / summer / / 2019

Bright future still possible after sting of college rejection

y college rejection was the best thing that happened to me. The statement I feared since the beginning of junior year had finally entered my life: I had been deferred from my dream school. The red letter stared at me on a Saturday morning, and I stared right back at it, trying to process what was happening. Though I had tried to prepare myself for these crushing words, they still stung. The school I had been aiming for during the past year and a half said it didn’t want me yet. I held onto the tiny hope I would be a lucky soul to get past deferral. For the past two years I had watched people get crushed by their schools’ decisions, whether it be a waitlist, deferral or straight rejection. After these decisions, their anger would come. They would say how they would never be content with another school and that this was the end of the road. I always looked at people like that with confusion. How can you let one decision dictate your entire life? My deferral wasn’t as negative as I thought it would be. The school I had thought I loved soon began to fade to the background as I found a new place. I switched from looking up N.C. State apparel and dorm tours to UNC Charlotte. My dad and I would text each other things we had heard about the school, and even my brother became interested. I ended up applying three days before the regular deadline was up, using the remaining paycheck I had in my bank account to try just one more school. Although I’m thankful for N.C. State’s deferral, the two months in between my deferral letter and my acceptance letter were draining. Most of my friends

had gotten into their dream schools, and I watched them go through the process of finding roommates, meeting new people and proudly showing off their new school. I watched them with anxiety and pride. I was so happy they had found themselves where they wanted to be, but then I thought back to me. What if it happens again and I don’t get into Charlotte? My deferral taught me many things, but I took two big ideas with me. The first was to be patient and just wait it out. You’ve done all you can to get into colleges, so don’t dwell on what you could’ve done. Don’t think about that one paragraph in your Common App essay or if getting a B in Pre-Calc would have saved you from rejection. The other was to be grateful. This is something a good amount of people could learn from the college process. Be grateful for not just getting into your dream school but any school, the SAT score you have and even your estimated FAFSA. In my two month period of turmoil, I began to pick up on the complaints and not-so-subtle boasts of others. I could handle most of the comments I heard, but there was always one phrase brought up that hurt me, even though I was finally getting comfortable with my deferral: people complaining about N.C. State and saying it was a school for dumb kids, in front of students who had viewed that school as the Holy Grail and had been rejected. I couldn’t see myself surrounded by peers that

It’s OK to have an ‘atypical’ high school experience

rowing up, I took too many things for granted. I became easily envious of my friends: the toys they had, the house they lived in, the places they went. One insecurity even included my teeth. Ever since I can remember, I have had crooked teeth. I watched as my classmates, one after the other, got braces to fix what I so desperately wanted to be fixed. I couldn’t afford such a luxury, as the insurance we had didn’t cover it no matter how many times we tried to figure out a way. When I realized we couldn’t afford it, I started looking at other things that, in my mind, we were lacking, like the size of our house. I thought it was so small in comparison to my friends’ houses that I would never let them sleep over, and if they were to come over and hang out, we could only play outside. I can probably count on one hand the number of people I have invited over to my house, let alone had spend the night. This insecurity carried over to high school as I watched people in my grade hold extravagant birthday parties at huge households with gifts overflowing on their kitchen table. It also didn’t help that I just never had much of an interest in doing school activities outside of school, including sports. While this has easily become one of my biggest regrets going through high school, I recognize that I have terrible hand-eye coordination and sports are not for everyone – and that is OK. I found my own team through newspaper and clubs like Model United Nations. Nighthawk News Magazine / / opinions

Now as I am preparing for college, having matured along the way (at least I hope), I realize that these small differences in life are not the end of the world. I used to cry over my teeth, but now, I have embraced them. Even though society labels them as imperfect, they have shaped me into who I am today: confident and less worried of what others think of me. So for anyone reading this and relating, know that it is OK to not be “traditional” and not have a typical high school experience. If you aren’t a big sports person, do band or choir or art. Get involved in the ways that make you feel comfortable and welcome. What ultimately matters is that you are confident in yourself and you don’t have to constantly be comparing your situation to others. You are unique, and your experience is unique. If you feel that you had a great high school career, awesome. Everyone’s journey is different. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise or belittle your experience. As I’m bidding my farewell to FFHS, I want to point out that I have had just as many great memories as anyone else. Sure, it might not have been spent traveling four hours away to a game on a bus with speakers blaring loud, or singing and dancing my heart out on stage, or throwing poolside parties on the weekends, but the people I have met and known along the way are who really made these four years the best they could be. Senior Hannah Ellington can be reached at ellingtonha1214@daretolearn.org.

didn’t understand the words they were saying and how it affected those around them. The more I heard this phrase, said in classrooms or just passing in the hallway, the more I realized this school wasn’t for me. I got my acceptance from Charlotte and I don’t think I’ve ever been so proud of myself. The puzzle of where I was going was finally complete. Tears of joy came up in every phone call to relatives to tell them the good news, and I finally felt accomplished. I was no longer someone who was stuck in the waiting period, contemplating what happens if I don’t make it. I was going to a school I loved. As for State, I got my rejection the following day. My dad and brother huddled around me as I opened the email, and there it was. I sat in silence for a good five seconds, than asked my dad when we could make the deposit for Charlotte. Though the process I went through wasn’t ideal by any means, I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way. I learned things you can’t put on a college application. I wouldn’t have found a great school and probably wouldn’t have changed my major. The college process is daunting, but you must go in with an open mind. A rejection or deferral is not the end of the world. An acceptance to any school should be taken with high gratitude, and wherever you end up, it will work out in the end. Senior Grace Sullivan can be reached at sullivangr1129@daretolearn.org.

SENIORS, From Page 31 Dair McNinch: “Great sense of humor!” – Kejsi “He is passionate about student press rights and journalism. He uses his voice and makes it known.” – Simone Buzzy Staten: “Oh Buzzy, where do I begin? From jamming out on the way to school to hitting the ‘whoa’ in class every day, you are the best!” – Cassie “Thanks for taking great photos and always helping all of our stories come together that much more!” – Jack “Never fails to be a true photography queen and is always taking pictures! Also, a true fashion guru.” – Simone Hunter Haskett & Hannah Ellington (the dynamic duo): “Thank you two for always giving me good advice and just genuine support on newspaper stories. Whenever I had a question you were always the ones I would think to ask.” – Jack “Hannah and Hunter both sat with me on the plane ride to Chicago before I really knew anyone in newspaper. Hannah and I had a lot of fun, especially making those tiny Pop’n Kitchen things.” – Peyton Kristen Applebaum: “Krip taught me that you can wait until the last minute and get something done! I love your library visits and the interesting and funny conversations we have!” – Cassie Trinity Harrison: “I’m so thankful I have the privilege to know someone as amazing as Trinity. She gives the best advice, and is always there to listen to you when you’re feeling down.” – Peyton “Thank you for giving me a ride home from the newspaper party. It was very cold and I am thankful for that and everything else you’ve done to help my stories get better!” – Jack Will McFarlane: “Always knows how to make the class laugh and never fails to contribute some of the best quotes for the ‘quote of the day.’ ” – Katie “IS ALWAYS ON TIME.” – fourth period

Nighthawks at the next level: students take on college athletics

Trent Powell Methodist University Soccer Trent Powell has committed to play soccer at Methodist University in Fayetteville. While seniors have been making decisions about their futures all year, Powell had his mind made up for a long time, according to his mother, Amy Powell. “It’s sort of surreal. He said in seventh grade that he wanted to play soccer, and so we’ve had that goal ever since then,” she said. “I think we’ve counted up 17 different colleges.” But when they got to Methodist, they knew that it was the right place for him. “They were the only place that wanted me straight away; they didn’t play any games,” Trent said. For someone that has been working toward this goal since seventh grade, the reward was sweet.

Ashley Forbes University of West Florida Soccer Ashley Forbes will be attending the University of West Florida in Pensacola to continue her soccer career at the collegiate level. “It was always the goal,” Forbes said. “I wanted to see what the highest level I could play at was.” Although her decision wasn’t easy, a couple of factors made it an easier choice than expected. “They have a really amazing soccer program and the campus is only 10 minutes away from the Gulf Coast,” Forbes said. So while it may be 14 hours away, Forbes will have a similar coastal environment to continue competing in the sport that she loves. Reporting by Hunter Haskett and Jack Voight Photos by Logan Hanf, Hayley Miller, Madison Murry, Buzzy Staten and Ben Tran

Cecilia Cortez Johns Hopkins University Swimming “I thought it would be interesting to see if I improve or how much I improve in college,” Cecilia Cortez said when asked why she wanted to take her swimming career to the next level. Cortez has committed to swim at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. “It was just always one of my goals that I had,” Cortez said. “I’m really excited. It’s a big weight lifted off my shoulders, just to know where I’m going, and it’s really great to know that all of the hard work has paid off.” Although there were several schools that were interested in Cortez, Hopkins was the best fit academically as well, as she wants to major in cellular and molecular biology.

Sam Fitzgerald Berry College Lacrosse “It’s a perfect balance of every sport,” Sam Fitzgerald said on lacrosse, the sport he will soon be playing at the collegiate level. Fitzgerald will be attending Berry College in Floyd County, Georgia, in his next step in athletics. “Ever since I was little I’ve wanted to continue playing sports; I never wanted to stop,” Fitzgerald said. “I set myself a goal when I was younger to play college sports.” Fitzgerald said his main motivation to get to this point was his parents and his love of the “violence of the game,” so hopefully he can continue this playing style into college and have a successful, injury-free college career. Nighthawk News Magazine / / summer / / 2019

Ansley Feltz Alderson Broaddus University Soccer

Ansley Feltz is attending Alderson Broaddus University in Philippi, West Virginia, to play soccer. Although she knew she wanted to play soccer, she didn’t think of Broaddus right away. “I never really thought of it as an option and then when I decided I wanted to play soccer in college, I reached out to them, and they got back to me right away,” Feltz said. Feltz also received high praise from her coach after her commitment in the spring. “(What stands out about her is) her leadership, her responsibility on the field, her sportsmanship,” coach Juan Ramirez said. “It’s just so many things, how great of a person she is. To be able to play at the next level is phenomenal and it’s something that nobody can take away from you.”

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Disc golf course is a hidden hole-in-one for community By Peyton Dickerson Staff Writer

ou may have driven past the signs without noticing, or never even heard of it. Behind the school, past the football ﬁeld and at the end of Veterans Drive lies something you may never have known was there: a disc golf course. The Casey R. Logan Disc Golf Course, to be exact. Disc golf is similar to your average game of golf, but with discs, of course. The objective is to throw the disc into metal baskets throughout the course, using as few throws as you can. It’s a game enjoyed by children and adults alike, and has made its way to the Outer Banks after community member Daryl Davies petitioned for the course to be built on the wooded property and dunes at the end of the gravel road off Veterans Drive. “Some people wanted a shooting range (to be built), some people wanted a full-size Olympic pool and some wanted a soccer ﬁeld,” Davies said. “Disc golf also happened to get on the list.” The town chose to build the disc golf course because it wouldn’t cost much to get it started. Once Davies promoted the idea of the course, it caught many people’s attention. Davies managed to raise around $45,000 for the course to be built, with a big contribution made by Lin and Bob

Logan in memory of their son, Casey. Since its opening in the spring of 2018, the course has attracted both locals and tourists. Some have found that disc golf is a perfect hobby for them, while others choose to try the course just for a fun day out. “It’s nice just to get out there and walk around,” Davies said. “It’s a challenge, and it’s kind of addictive.” Some students enjoy the unique sport, so much so that math teacher Sam DeWitt, an avid disc golf player himself, created a club dedicated to playing. “We usually go out on Wednesdays and we just play either half a round or a full round,” DeWitt said. “It gives me a different side of (my students). It’s not the teacher role, so it’s kind of fun.” A frequent player, junior Ethan White, has grown very fond of the club and game. “It’s fun to be out there, especially since I’ve had Mr. DeWitt for three years,” White said. “Doing something you both have an enjoyment for is really great.” Whether you enjoy sports or are simply looking for an enjoyable outing, giving disc golf a try might just land it in a new spot on your activity list – maybe even a hole-in-one. Sophomore Peyton Dickerson can be reached at 21dickersonpe28@daretolearn.org .

Photos by Buzzy Staten/Nighthawk News

(Above) Junior Ethan White sends his disc flying toward the basket to finish off the hole. (Center) Math teacher Sam DeWitt watches the flight of his disc through the wooded Casey R. Logan Disc Golf Course. (Below) Freshman Beckett Crossman prepares to send his disc flying from the tee box.

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NIGHTHAWK News Magazine / / summer / / 2019

Gonzalez leaps into new opportunities 882 miles from home

By Simone Midgett Features Editor

magine leaving home at the age of 16 to go to a boarding school, leaving all of your family and friends behind to make your dream of one day becoming a Division I athlete a reality. For sophomore Johmar Gonzalez, he doesn’t have to imagine – because he will be attending IMG Academy next year in Bradenton, Florida. The idea of attending the selective boarding school that consists of student-athletes first seemed like a dream to Gonzalez, and as he did more and more research he realized the school was not only a dream, but a straight shot to achieve his goals. Gonzalez first heard about IMG Academy while browsing through football videos on YouTube. “At first I knew it was a pretty big school, so I didn’t really think about even applying, and then I got more curious so I decided to look at the track roster and I saw I was jumping better than both of their jumpers, so I decided to apply,” Gonzalez explained. After realizing his dream could become a reality, Gonzalez began the lengthy application process. “It was a long process. I had to talk to coaches and administrators and write a really long essay about my desire to go there and it was a lot of information about school and why I

wanted to go there,” Gonzalez said. The prestigious and highly regarded school of 1,200 students is known for its production of superb athletes, and by going there Gonzalez is hoping to up his game. “I’m most looking forward to – other than just going to the school – going around and competing against the best high school competition I can,” Gonzalez said. “Competitively, I don’t like to lose, so going against better competition will push me and make me want to be better and work harder.” Gonzalez’s life-changing decision to attend IMG Academy wasn’t something that came easy to him or something he was persuaded to do on his own. He credits math teacher Jennifer Kinnisten for her guidance. “Mrs. Kinnisten is definitely a big part of my decision,” Gonzalez said. “In a way, she was kind of my school mom, she always supported me and told me ‘oh just do it, you got it’, and she really helped me through the application process with writing me recommendation letters and other stuff.” The thought of starting over is something that most high schoolers would dread, but Gonzalez sees the Academy as a stepping stone toward his future. “It will open up a lot of opportunities and give me the best training I can possibly get and help me be academi-

Photo by Lifetouch Studios

Sophomore Johmar Gonzalez takes a leap of faith over the high jump bar at the indoor track and field championships. After his excellent track career at First Flight, Gonzalez plans to jump to the next level at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida.

cally successful,” Gonzalez said. “It will help take me to the next level.”

Junior Simone Midgett can be reached at midgettsa0827@daretolearn.org.

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First Flight Sports Spotlight: A Q&A

Cane Lige Senior

How long have you been playing golf? This is my ﬁrst year. What’s your favorite part about golf? Messing around on the back nine with the boys. What’s your favorite memory playing your sport? Hitting the shed on the driving range. What do you do to prepare yourself for a match? Listen to country and spit some seeds.

Buzzy Staten Senior

What is your favorite part about lacrosse? The fact that I have been playing so long, so it is fun to go out, because no matter what, I know I am going to have a good time. Where is your favorite place to eat before/after a game? We went to Azteca once or twice and we went to Taco Bell after our last game, and we also have been to Viva. So deﬁnitely tacos – all-time favorite.”

What’s your dream job? To have any job that makes seven ﬁgures.

What’s your favorite memory playing your sport? My favorite memory is the last game in the huddle. We were all talking about how we were going to big body all these girls. Then I started tearing up because it was my last time I was going to be with everyone. I was so proud because this was the ﬁrst year we had actually won a game. It was really exciting and a bunch of emotions all at once.

If you won the lottery, what would the ﬁrst thing you buy be? A bunch of houses all over the world.

What song do you listen to before a game? Our whole team song is “Womp Womp” by Valee.

If you could be any animal in the world, what would you be? A penguin.

What is your dream job? To be an astronaut. It has always been my dream to go to space.

What’s your favorite holiday? Christmas.

If you became a millionaire by age 20, what would you do with it? Buy a house in Rome and then a Ferrari.

What’s your favorite song to listen to before a match? “Caught up in the Country” by Rodney Atkins. What’s your biggest pet peeve? When someone doesn’t hit the shed.

What’s your lifelong dream? To raise a great family and just enjoy life. What’s your favorite beach access? The beach house, it’s a secret spot. Absolutely ﬁring. What’s your favorite genre of music? EDM Country. What do your weekends consist of? Hangin’ out with the bros.

What is your biggest pet peeve? When people don’t respect other people’s opinions. If you could have dinner with anyone (living or dead), who would it be? My great-grandfather, because I want to learn more about his life because I never got to meet him and he was adopted. He moved from Italy when he was 16, so I just want to know more about his life because he wouldn’t tell anyone because he immigrated here.

Reese Jones

Anna Kate Coley

Senior

How long have you been playing tennis? This is my ﬁrst year.

How long have you been playing softball? Since ﬁfth grade.

What are you going to miss the most? The team and just getting to know everyone.

What are you going to miss the most? Probably just practicing with all the seniors since we’ve gotten really close. It was always fun. We were always laughing.

What is your favorite thing to do before a game? To drink some water from Max Stabley’s water bottle. What is your favorite part about your sport? All the accessories I get to wear. What player (teammate, college or pro) do you look up to the most? A mixture between Parker and Aden. Every day they come out there knowing they won’t play and it’s just inspiring. What’s your favorite memory playing your sport? Getting second in regionals and making states and getting to watch Luc make it to states as well. What is your dream job and why? Some kind of motivational speaker where I can travel. What is your biggest pet peeve? When people aren’t competitive. What is a lifelong dream of yours? Set a world record for how many mini powdered donuts I could eat. What’s a fun fact about yourself? I’m a really good singer. What’s the best movie you’ve ever seen? “Bridge to Terabithia” or any Marvel movie ever made. If you could be any animal, what would it be? Baby owl, so I could just turn my head in any direction I want whenever.

What is your favorite thing to do before a game? Go to The Spot or just anywhere for food. What’s your favorite memory playing your sport? One time we were going to softball practice and Olivia (O’Steen) tried to jump the fence and ripped her shorts in half. What is your dream job? I really want to be a pediatrician because I like little kids. If you could have dinner with any three people (living or dead), who would it be? Ellen, because she’s hilarious and I’d just really like to meet her; Justin Bieber, because I’ve just really been loving him lately; Beyonce, because she’s a queen. What is your favorite holiday? Thanksgiving, I love Thanksgiving. What is your biggest pet peeve? I hate when people chew with their mouth open. What is a lifelong dream of yours? Just to be successful and accomplish all of my goals. What’s a fun fact about yourself? My cousin went to high school with Chris Brown. What’s your favorite TV show? “Grey’s Anatomy.” Go-to karaoke song? “Don’t Stop Believing” by Journey.

NIGHTHAWK News Magazine / / summer / / 2019

with Nighthawk student-athletes

Codie Patterson Senior

What are you going to miss the most? Just the people I play with and my teammates and all the away games and bus rides and stuff like that. What’s your favorite part about playing soccer? Winning with my team and watching us get better throughout the season. What is your favorite thing to do before a game? Go to the beach for a little bit, then go get some food.

McCoy Davenport Senior

How long have you been playing baseball? Around 12 years. What are you going to miss the most about baseball? Pitching, because it feels good, and winning games. What’s your favorite part about baseball? Being out there with all my best friends and playing people I know. What is your favorite thing to do before a game? Play Xbox.

Where is your favorite place to eat before/after a game? Mom’s Sweet Shop.

Where is your favorite place to eat before a game? We went to Jersey Mike’s before every game.

What player do you look up to the most? Megan Limbacher.

What player do you look up to the most? Derek Jeter, because he’s a shortstop. I looked up to him for a while. He’s a good person, too.

What’s your favorite memory playing your sport? Winning the state championship last year. If you had a million dollars, what would you do with it? Probably travel around the world for a couple years, go surf and then come back home and ﬁnish college. What is your favorite holiday? Thanksgiving, because you get a lot of food. What’s your favorite TV show? “Game of Thrones.” What’s the best movie you’ve ever seen? “The Greatest Showman.” Best teacher ever? Ms. Gard, because she cares a lot about her students.

What’s your favorite memory playing your sport? Probably hitting a home run at a home game when everybody was there. What is your dream job? Traveling, and I like cooking food, so like a really good chef or something. If you had a million dollars, what would you buy? I would buy a V3X house. We have an Xbox clan and I would immediately buy a house for all of my boys and then I would buy a plane and we would go travel. Fun fact about yourself? I like Southern Shores Pizza a lot with extra ranch. It’s the buffalo chicken pizza, so it’s spicy and then the ranch cools it down.

Ethan Driver Senior

What events do you do? I do the 100, 200, long jump, triple jump, 4x1 and 4x2. Really, just anything Coach will put me in.

Sam Fitzgerald Senior

How long have you been playing lacrosse? Since the ﬁfth grade.

How long have you been doing track? Five years.

Who do you look up to the most on the team? Parker Sylvia, because he is one of my best friends and we push each other to do better.

What is your favorite part? The visible increase in stamina, being able to run faster times.

What are you going to miss the most about playing high school lacrosse? The bus rides, for sure.

Favorite place to eat before/after a meet? My house. I don’t eat out that much during season, just go home and eat some salads and drink milk.

What is your favorite thing to do before a game? I just like to listen to music and like air punch in a mirror to get pumped up.

What is your dream job? To be a criminal prosecutor. I plan on going to law school after Charlotte.

What is your favorite game song to get ready for games? “Top Off” by Gunna.

If you could have dinner with any three people (living or dead) who would they be? Barack Obama, Ghandi and Jackie Robinson.

Where is your favorite place to eat on the beach, and what do you get? Deﬁnitely Bad Bean, and I always get the 12-inch-giant Cali Burrito.

Favorite TV Show? “My Hero Academia.”

What is your favorite beach access to go to, and why? Any beach access with my friends.

Best movie you’ve ever seen? “The Blind Side.” If you could be any animal what would it be? A sea turtle with a really hard shell so I couldn’t die. I would just ﬂoat around in the ocean like that dude from “Finding Nemo.” Best teacher ever? My eighthgrade English teacher, Mrs. Schaffer. When I was moving here she made it so much easier on me and helped me assimilate to the beach. Without her I have no idea where I’d be.

If you had a million dollars, what would you buy? Pimp myself out and buy the drip. What is your go-to karaoke song? “Irreplaceable” by Beyonce. If you could be any animal, what would it be and why? I would be a tiger because of my animal magnetism. What is your biggest pet peeve? I hate when people aren’t straightforward.

Photos by Aaron Jennings, Caitlyn Jernigan, Madison Murry and Buzzy Staten. Reporting by Hannah Ellington, Trinity Harrison, Hunter Haskett, Cassie Honeycutt, Sophie Johnson, Will McFarlane, Izzy Requa, Grace Sullivan and Kejsi Zyka. NIGHTHAWK News Magazine / / sports

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NIGHTHAWK News Magazine / / summer / / 2019