A Word from Ms CAmpbell

Reviving the Falcon Quill from its ashes has been a joy and a challenge. A work of passion beyond the regular classroom with input and help from many outside sources.

During the years I attended Fulton, the Falcon Quill was a regular student newspaper. We worked hard to ensure that all the events and interesting things were covered. We had fun even though the work was difficult.

When I began teaching graphic design (Digital Art & Design) in 2008, I wanted to revive the Quill. I felt it was important for students to have a voice. It is important to have an archive of what was happening, recorded during by the students.

It has taken me twelve years to get it off the ground again. Our first efforts were for after-school programs. In 2010 myself and an English teacher attempted to get students involved. Times had changed and students, while wanting to be part of something, didn’t have time or the necessary skills to work on a magazine.

Fast forward and after many more false starts, here we are. A Falcon Quill magazine written, art directed, and created by the students in my Digital Art & Design III class. I am so very proud of these students for taking on this huge task. They turned it around in nine weeks!

We hope you enjoy this effort. It’s not perfect...yet, but it is a wonderful revival.

Watch for our issues to be published once a semester. We are working on a quarterly publication schedule for the near future. We hope you are enjoying our newly revived Falcon Quill.

-Sandra Campbell DA&D Instructor & Sponsor for The Quill & Scroll Society.

Falcon Quill Staff

Editor-in-Chief

Meet Casper E. Balch, a senior at Fulton High School (FHS) and a member of the Academy of CommunicationsFulcom. He has a passion for writing about current world issues, scientific innovations, and student involvement in educational environments and the community.

Elijah Ball is an Assistant Editor with The Falcon Quill. He is completing his last semester in graphic design courses and is attending UTK in the Fall. He will continue his education in design and communications. Ball looks forward to using his skills in layout and design for the Falcon Quill.

Alyssa Bates is currently a Junior in the Academy of Public Services with a pathway focus on Criminal Justice. Alyssa was a member of the Mock Trial Club and Key Club, where she was Vice-President of both. Additionally, Alyssa was also a member of Tremont. Alyssa loves Falcon Quill because it allows her to advance her writing skills, but also develops a deeper appreciation for her Fulton High School.

Casper is the President of the National Honors Society and the Team Captain of the FHS Tennis Team. He is also interested in marching percussion, music, radio, science, philosophy, and tennis. Every Wednesday from 3 to 4 PM, you can catch his radio show “The Ghost Hits” on our high school’s radio station - WKCS 91.1 FM. Casper plans to attend the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, where he will major in Nuclear Engineering and minor in Digital Media.

Camila M. Francisco, is a junior.During her freetime, she reads just about everything and imagines multiple scenarios in the world of fiction. Writing allows her to jot down ideas for silly stories or an essay; thus, she believes it will be beneficial and fun to be a part of the Falcon Quill.

Ad is a talented illustrator and loves to create comics and characters. She has been a member of the Fulton Comic Book Club and enjoys the community of writers and artists.

My name is Anabel, I’m 17 years old and I’m a junior in Fulton High School. I love listening to music and hanging around with my family and friends. I really like working with kids and try to make them have a fun time. Success to me is with hard work and improvements made towards my goals. I hope my senior year there will be new ideas and memorable times with the effort made throughout the journey in my life. I look forward to the process that’s coming and the steps expanding to something new.

I’m Tyree West and one of my favorite things is fashion, I love it. I remember when I found my love for fashion, I was in 5th grade, going on 6th, and it was summer. During the summer program, we are able to participate in clubs I chose the fashion club because I found it interesting, and when Ms. Amanda explained fashion was and its importance, I immediately wanted to learn more about it. When Mrs. Campbell mentioned adding different articles to the magazines, I asked her if I write about fashion and she said yes. I wanted to choose an article that I thought would leave a lasting impression on my senior year and make a creative high school magazine.

Gavin Womble enjoys working on illustration and design. His recent win in logo design has inspired him to do more next year. He plans to continue with the Falcon Quill as both a writer and creative.

My name is Antonia Ntaconayigize, and I am currently a senior. My favorite activities include drawing and embroidery. I am excited for this Magazine to drop, and I hope everyone enjoys our magazine.

Matt Wolford enjoys quirky graphics, creating wallpaper for his room and The Weeknd. He is planning on majoring in graphic design at UTK and will be entering classes in the Fall of 2023. Working on the Falcon Quill was his first adventures in creating a student magazine. It won’t be his last.

Reese Reiley, a junior and aspiring lawyer and devoted artist, has been in many art shows throughout her high school career. The current president of the Mock Trial club, she’s also a part of the school’s art club and the student government association. Reese has been an academic achiever all of her life, and has made the Dean’s list every semester since freshman year.

She loves to write and read, and enjoys writing articles for the Quill. She loves cats, especially her cat Bob, and her family.

Juan, a senior in high school, finds enjoyment in trying new things. He has recently found an interest in photography and has photographed several games at Fulton. Being a part of the Falcon Quill will be a new and memorable experience as he works hard to provide various pictures.

Once a Falcon - continued from page 33 used to interacting with people who didn’t look like him. Many were either homeschooled or in a similar situation where they were not used to interacting with people who looked like him. This caused cultural differences and clashes.

Despite his struggles it was easier to find a job after Johnson because of the connections he had made with different groups. Even though he wasn’t part of the Fulton community, he had the chance to become a part of Johnson’s community. He saw more opportunities present themselves because he put himself out there, and it was a lot easier because people came from all over and brought a bigger network with them. Once he started building that foundation, it was much easier to find people to connect with and job opportunities. His first job outside of college was at Emerald Registration House–a place where he was able to work for an organization that played a huge role in his upbringing.

Throughout all of his formative years, Madjoel’s future was most influenced by his time at Emerald Youth. He started attending Emerald Youth in 8th grade when a leader invited him to be part of the organization. This invitation came when he was transitioning into high school–a time when he was finding out who he was and who he wanted to become. Madjoel was familiar with

Emerald Youth because his brother was part of the organization, but, for Madjoel, joining Emerald Youth meant he could venture outside of his house instead of just staying around helping his mom. Overall, the program did so much more than that; the program helped him develop leadership skills while getting to know other kids his age. Through his mentor constantly being present throughout his life, he got more involved in various ways with Emerald such as Wednesday nights, the high school program, and attending church on Sundays. Later on, he had the opportunity once he graduated high school to be an intern at Emerald. He was able to interact with elementary kids and help them build their developmental skills. He enjoyed working all through college, volunteering, and coaching basketball and volleyball. Madjoel stayed connected, and once he graduated from Johnson, he had the chance to work full time at Emerald. Ultimately, his transition from college into the real world was smooth thanks to his support at Emerald Youth.

When he started his job at Emerald, Madjoel began as an intern working under the director. He was the middle school coordinator. He would facilitate an afterschool program five days a week which included reading, homework help, and Bible study. By doing that, he was building skills that would help him learn how to run a program and deal with different situations and problems that arise. Once the director left, he had to fill in the role of leading the elementary and middle school program. This was a good opportunity for Madjoel to take ownership of a program and make it his own within the boundaries of Emerald. Those experiences led him to Calling & Career–a program he would come to lead. His advice for upcoming college students is to take school seriously because students can get far behind just in their freshman year. Many people don’t take high school seriously because students will get pushed through no matter what. However, in college, if you do not take your classes seriously, you lose out on not only learning but money as well. So, network with your professors, other students, and staff because that provides opportunities to get to know people who may teach you something new or set you up for success in some way. Also, take advantage of college fairs and job fairs. Ultimately college is what students make of it; if you stay in your room, you may miss out on opportunities that you would have encountered had you become part of the community. The last piece of advice is: Not everyone is your friend in college; protect yourself, and don’t be afraid to be part of the community.