ILLUMINATE THE DEBUT OF THE TALLULAH FALLS MIDDLE SCHOOL YEARBOOK

In the bustling halls of Tallulah Falls Middle School, Illuminate yearbook advisor Stephanie Dorantes and her dedicated 10-person student-led staff embarked on an extraordinary journey to craft the very first stand-alone middle school yearbook. With passion and determination, they captured precious memories and immortalized the essence of their vibrant school community. Armed with cameras and eager minds, they traversed the campus, freezing moments in time with every click. They skillfully gathered quotes from their peers, painting a vivid picture of the diverse experiences within the school’s walls. Fueling their creativity, they poured their hearts into writing captivating stories that would accompany the images. Harnessing the power of cutting-edge design programs, they meticulously crafted breathtaking layouts that seamlessly blended images and words, elevating the publication to new heights. The result? A stunning chronicle of a year filled with growth, laughter, and shared experiences, forever cherished in the pages of the inaugural Tallulah Falls Middle School yearbook.

“A trip to the School Bus Graveyard was the perfect way to celebrate their hard work on the yearbook and to spark creativity even further,” said middle school communications teacher and yearbook advisor Stephanie Dorantes. The yearbook staff had a great time painting a bus and a minivan at this unique local attraction that invites artists to transform old vehicles into works of art.

PRESIDENT AND HEAD OF SCHOOL

Iwould like to share with you what a great place Tallulah Falls School truly is. As we wrap up one school year and prepare for the next, I want to take a minute to reflect with you on all that TFS continues to do to take it to the next level.

We have built a strong foundation and that foundation allows us to broaden and expand our connections to the world around us.

I’m excited to share with you about the midmester experience available to our upper school students. For one week in September, they will step out of the classroom and into experiential learning adventures.

The seniors will have the option to travel to Spain, New York, or the Grand Canyon, as well as other choices such as career exploration or an individual job shadowing experience.

Our juniors will visit a variety of colleges throughout the southeast to help them see what is available to them so that they can make good decisions regarding the right fit for their future.

The sophomores will spend a week in Charleston, South Carolina exploring the rich culture and beautiful ecosystems, and the freshman will travel to Florida’s space coast.

Another way that we see TFS taking it to the next level is through our thriving sports programs.

I am proud to share that all of our varsity teams qualified for state playoffs, the varsity girls volleyball team won the state championship, and six individuals were state champions in swimming and track. Many of our teams were region champions, and we had two region coaches of the year and one state coach of the year.

I would like to personally congratulate five TFS athletes who have all signed to further pursue their academic and athletic careers: Jake Hall, Anfernee Hanna, Sarah Jennings, Denika Lightbourne, and Kitty Rodenas. Their hard work at Tallulah Falls School was evident by the success of their teams. These graduates will take their work ethic and their leadership skills with them. We wish them the best of luck.

One final word of congratulations to our 2023 senior class who received over $7 million in scholarships and were accepted to over 150 colleges and universities. I am very proud of our seniors this year. I truly believe they all have extremely bright futures. They are about to enter the most exciting times of their life as they move on to college.

In addition to reading about the accomplishments of our seniors and our athletes, in this issue of On Campus Magazine we are pleased to share wonderful stories with you from the classroom, from students’ involvement in the community, and from our alumni. Tallulah Falls School really is a great place to be.