August 21, 2023

NORTH

STAR

HAPPY FIRST DAY

The first issue of the North Star gives helpful tips and tricks for FHN students, from incoming freshmen to graduating seniors HOW TO GET YOUR DRIVER’S LICENSE REQUIRED CREDITS TO GRADUATE

FHNtoday.com Francis Howell North St. Charles, MO 63303 Vol. 38 Issue 01 08.21.2023

WELCOME Calendar 1 People 2 Clubs 3 Places 4 Things 5 Freshman 6 Sophomores 8 Juniors 10 Seniors 12 LETTER FROM THE EDITORS

Do you remember as a child staring at that big yellow bus, afraid of what’s to come next.

Well now you’re in high school, waiting for what’s to come next. North is a big step up from preschool, elementary school or even middle school. As we embark on the last year in this building, it’s important to look back at what was. It makes no difference if you were from Becky-David, Harvest Ridge, Castlio, Henderson or Fairmount. If you were from Barnwell or Hollenback or even Seagar. We are all Knights, a part of North. And together, we will make lasting memories in our short time left in this building.

In this issue, we look back at our past while also looking towards our future. We hope to help guide you during your time at North

and provide insight into what life is like as a Knight.

During this year, we will have many ‘lasts.’

The last Homecoming at North, the last ever home Basketball game, the last ever play put on in the auditorium. It’s important to savor these memories while we can, because we won’t ever get to be in this building again.

Let’s make our time left in this building special. We have nine months left to make our mark. Let’s have fun and make lasting memories. Let’s make it a great last year in this building. As the great late Heath Ledger once said “Let’s put a smile on that face” and end our time in this building with a bang.

-Editors-in-Chief McKenna Hudson and Chase Pray

(Cover by Michaela Manfull, top illustration by Violet Newton, bottom illustration by Izzy Lash)

NORTH STAR Editors-in-Chief of News: McKenna Hudson Chase Pray News Editors Ray Hathcock Violet Newton Michaela Manfull Drew Johnson Miranda Fabian Izzy Lash Kaylee Priest News General Staff: John Butler Nylah Smith Ben Henry Gavin Swart Riley Jensen Peyton Thies Grant Kilen Noah Tucker Sadie Ortmeyer Naomi Vandyne Cheyenne Steed Alex Wheadon Editor-in-Chief of Photography Payton Johnston Photo Editors: Mady Brewer Hannah Button Brianna Dunham Ankita Pandurangi Faith Smith Kylie Taliaferro Photo General Staff: Jazmin Acevado Heidi Huff Mallory Barker Demi Johnson Madalyn Bridgewater Kyra Landers Alayna Clement Tori Montomery Isabella Collins Thomas Jones Andrew Goffinet Angelee Orozco Austin Griffin Jordan Ousley Heidi Huff Eshaan Patel Austin Griffin Grace Pinson Madison Huckabay Adam Prinkley Caroline Woodland Jalyn Stephens Video Editors-in-Chief: Madelyn Clark Rhea Patel Video Editors: Max Ramirez Laney Quandt General Staff: Riley Aldenderfer Travis Jones Nigel Bailey Wilson Lam Ben Bartels Reagan Moellering Jacob Bass Eric Morrow Olivia Belonog Vanessa Ng Camden Blair Kylie Ramirez Sean Brand Jayda Reece Emily Clausner Taylor Saale Sassy Garcia Harper Schneider Melissa Guerrero Nate Smith Sports Editor-in-Chief: Parker Smith Sports Editors: Jackson Fifer Owen Gonzalez Braeden Kettinger Kevin McGuire Om Nair Sports General Staff: Jackson Calhoun James Kowalczyk Luis Escobar Mason Mitchell Maahin Fatima Avee Patel Liv Graeser Sam Reimer Elise Grimshaw Ryan Simerda Katie Head Jaden Slusser Nina Hewlett Morgan Smith Mo Huff Carter Stover Addy Jones Austin Vollmer Advisers: Aaron Manfull Jordyn Kiel

CALENDAR THIS MONTH AUGUST

Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

NEXT MONTH SEPTEMBER

Su Mo Tu We Th

Fr 1 3 4 5 6 7 8 10 11 12 13 14 15 17 18 19 20 21 22 24 25 26 27 28 29

Sa 2 9 16 23 30

(Content by Jackson Fifer)

First Day of School - Aug. 21 This is the first day of school for the 2023-24 year.

First Football Game - Aug. 26 Support the Knights at noon.

FHC vs North Point. Black and Gold Theme.

Labor Day- Sept. 4 Enjoy the three-day weekend.

No School - Sept. 22 First Teacher Professional Development Day of the year.

(Illustration by Izzy Lash) MORE INFO

MORE AHEAD Homecoming Week- Oct. 2-6

HOCO Football - Oct. 6

Homecoming - Oct. 7

The school spirit week that leads up to homecoming that’s filled with spirit days and a pep assembly on Friday.

Home game against Troy Buchanan @ Lindenwood. The theme is black out. This is the Homecoming game before the dance.

First dance of the year in the big gym. Remember to buy a ticket in advance, they will not be sold at the door.

Fall Break - Oct. 16-20

Winter Break - Dec. 22-Jan. 2

Spring Break - March 25-29

Enjoy the whole week off of school before second quarter starts.

Celebrate holidays with two weeks off and time to recharge from finals.

Last break before summer break and a quick refresher to get ready for the last stretch of school.

Prom - April 19 Junior and senior Prom, the dance is a black tie event, typically held at Old Hickory Golf Club.

Last Predicted Day Of School May 24 The last day of the school for the 2023-24 school year if there are no snow days we need to make up.

Last Possible Day Of School June 6

Scan the QR codes below for more events happening throughout the year.

FHSD District Calendar

FHN School Calendar

The last possible day for the 2023-24 school year.

NORTH STAR • 08.21.2023 • Pages Designed by Alex Wheadon (0) Jackson Fifer (1)

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PEOPLE MEET THE PRESIDENTS

MORE INFO

Organizations at FHN and the student leaders for the 2023-24 school year (Content by Ben Henry) Band

FHNGoonies

FHN Publications

Selected by band director Ryan Curtis, seniors Macey Hood and Anora Addison are the new drum majors for the upcoming year. The drum majors organize and conduct the band as well as represent the band during competitions.

Seniors Walter Hammond, Kendra Swope, Sam Reimer, Cassie Hodgkins, Austin Vollmer, Parker Smith and Ryleigh Albers have been named the FHN Goonies for the upcoming school year.

Seniors Parker Smith leads sport staff, McKenna Hudson and Chase Pray lead news staff, Lauren Harmon leads yearbook staff, Payton Johnston leads photo staff and Rhea Patel and Madelyn Clark lead video staff.

StuCo

Class Presidents

Sun Club

Senior Sophia McClure was voted president of Stuco.

Senior Aesha Patel is Chiefof-staff, senior Grant Kilen is Secretary, senior Kyndall Bovinett is VP, junior Reace Stewart is Treasurer and junior Carter Houdeshell is Parlimentarian.

The junior and senior classes voted at the end of last year to elect their class presidents.

The senior class president is Grant Kilen and the junior class president is Colin Smith.

Senior Hailey Zhang is the president of Sun Club and she founded the club her sophomore year. “I’m excited to create greater environmental change in our community for this new year.”

FHN Thespians

NHS

Speech and Debate

Senior Mack Akerman was voted president at the end of last year for FHN Thespians.

Vice President is senior Kylie Taliaferro, Secretary is junior Lily Gard, Historian is senior Nigel Bailey and other crew positions were filled.

The junior and senior chapters of NHS voted on their presidents at the end of last year. The senior president is Jana Rawashdeh and the junior president is Rachel Bruemmer.

Senior Hailey Zhang was voted in as Speech and Debate president by the members of the club over the summer. “I’m excited to recruit new members and create a newer system to increase person commitment.”

Scan the QR codes below to find links to various social medias of the other groups at FHN.

Black Student Union Instagram

FHN Choir Instagram

FHN FBLA Instagram

NEW FACES AT NORTH

Meet the new staff members for the 2023-2024 school year

by Gavin Swart

gswart370@g.fhsdschools.org

This school year, there were some teachers who didn’t return to North. At the end of last year, both Yvonne Kehoe and Sue Herweck retired. Elisa Thomlinson, Christine Edwards, Chad Patzner and Traci Martinez have all moved to different schools within the district and Stephen Moorman is taking up a teaching administrative role in the district. Hannah Snyder, Daniel Miner and Kristen Jobgen are all moving outside of the district. Many new faculty were hired during the summer to make up for the open positions left after the end of last school year.

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Will Crawford Behavior Support Specialist

Brittany Kreifels Administrative Assistant in the Attendance Office

Monica Perry Assistant Principal

Madison Finegan Math

Anne Ledbetter Math

Jennifer Stutzer Math

Emilee Fischer Math

Maria Mocchi-Radichi Spanish

Molly Wade Deaf and Hard of Hearing Teacher

Joanna Hall English

Mayghen Mugele Science

Kasey Yancey Math

CLUBS OF FHN National Honor Society

(Content by Lindsay Haislip)

Robotics

Sign Language

NHS promotes students who have good character, scholarship and the drive for community service. In this club, you need to keep a cumulative GPA of 3.7 to enter and remain in the club.

Sponsored by Angie Mason (junior) and Kim Coil (senior and sophomore).

Robotics competes in a program called FIRST that provides all necessary items to build a robot that has the ability to play the game provided by FIRST. Competing as a member builds a culture of working together and learning from each other.

Sponsored by Ricky Reeves and Dane Williamson.

Sign Language club meets bi-weekly to learn how to use sign language and learn about the deaf community as a whole.

This club promotes different ways of communication and how to communicate with deaf and hard of hearing. Sponsored by Tom Skinner and Dan Smith.

Publications

Speech and Debate

Sun Club

FHN publications is a program at North where students can learn how to write, take photos and videos and design for the newspaper and yearbook. This award-winning program is offered to students who take intro classes like journalism, broadcast and photography. Sponsored by Aaron Manfull and Jordyn Kiel.

Speech and Debate competes in public speaking, acting and debate competitions. Speech and Debate generally practice after school on Tuesdays and Thursdays and the competitions are on Fridays and Saturdays.

Sponsored by Randy Pierce and Noah Slaughter.

Sun Club helps the school have a positive impact on the environment and the people at North. They focus on recycling, gardening and selling goods to lobby for sustainability. Sun Club meets every Tuesdays and Thursdays to pick up the recycle bins. Sponsored by Jenny Liberson.

Ecology Club

Student Council

Drama

Ecology Club is where environmentally inclined students participate in outdoor activities.

They focus on appreciating the planet and enjoying the outdoors The Ecology Club typically meets once a month in Knight Time to plan activities. Sponsored by Joseph Brocksmith.

Student Council is a club that promotes student leadership and good role models needed in school. They help set up different events such as school dances, spirit weeks and fundraisers.

Sponsored by Rachel Pirrone and Rowan Pugh.

Drama club is made up of cast and crew to create the fall and spring plays, as well as competing against other schools in many Thespian competitions.

The crew has many different divisions like set/paint, makeup, props, costumes and publication.

Sponsored by Kim Sulzner.

Mock Trial

HOSA

Iron Knights

Mock Trial is a team where competitors master skills of speaking and persuasion in a simulation of the legal process in a real courtroom. Competitors take the role of either a lawyer or a witness and testify before real judges. Sponsored by Randy Pierce.

HOSA is for people who plan on going into the medical field and it gives them early experience of what is going to be happening in dayto-day life in the medical field. They help and promote blood drives that students can participate in. Sponsored by Christopher Dalton.

Iron Knights is a weightlifting club that promotes building strength, speed and agility.

They meet every Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from November to May. Sponsored by Matthew Couch and Brett Bevill.

Asian American Association

KOE

Black Student Union

The Asian American Association hosts celebrations of Asian culture, including Sushi workshops and events for Asian holidays. AAA aims to raise awareness of Asian culture.

Sponsored by Brian Santos.

KOE helps promote kindness throughout the school year. They organize kindness weeks and are also in charge of organizing events to celebrate the good at school, like the KOE picnics.

Sponsored by Lindsey Scheller and Kristen Johnson.

The Black Student Union organizes and empowers black voices at North and spearheads the Black History Month events as well as other informational activities. Sponsored by Diane Fingers.

MORE INFO

Scan the QR codes below to read more about past club activities.

Sun Club’s Farmers Market

Ecology Club picnic

Mock Trial goes to Nationals

KOE hosts picnic at school

HOSA runs blood drive

NORTH STAR • 08.21.2023 • Pages Designed by Gavin Swart (2) Ben Henry (3)

03

PLACES FHN SPOTS KNIGHTS WILL MISS Areas throughout FHN that will no longer exist in the new building next year (Content by Alayna Lohaus, Illustrations by Kaylee Priest and Izzy Lash) The Big Gym

The big gym carries a lot of fond memories for students and staff at FHN. Sports games, pep assemblies and the homecoming dances have all taken place here.

“I’ll miss the gymnasium where we won in the elite 8 [for volleyball],” graduate Jack Stover said.

Math Department Hallway

The Classrooms

Basement Benches

Moving to the new FHN will be a huge change, as many students and staff have grown comfortable here.

“I will miss my classroom. I’ve just been able to cultivate many different relationships in this room,” teacher Rowan Pugh said.

SLANG LANG’ Words FHN students use for places located around the school (Illustration by Izzy Lash) vnewton158@g.fhsdschools.org

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Practically all FHN students are familiar with the cafeteria.

Students enjoy sitting in the loft during lunch.

“I’m going to miss hanging out in the cafeteria and seeing everyone. It’s a part of the day that I look forward to,” senior Ethan McCoy said.

The Front Lobby

Many students gather on the benches near the front entrance of North before the first hour bell rings.

“Our freshman year, we would always sit in the front lobby when we got to school and talk and listen to music,” senior Liza Burgos said.

by Violet Newton

The Cafeteria

The math department is on the upper level of FHN and it is decorated frequently for different occasions.

“I will miss the math department section because all the teachers scream my name in the hallway,” junior Bryce Renz said.

MORE INFO

While many places will be missed after the transfer to the new FHN building, there is also a lot to look forward to.

Scan the QR codes below to view a flyover of the new school and the FHNtoday sub-site, The Kingdom, for new school updates.

New FHN exterior flyover

The Kingdom

A lot of students relax on the benches in the basement of North. These benches offer students their own space to visit in the school.

“I’m going to miss the downstairs benches because I hung out there a lot,” junior Hadley Michelle said.

Butterfly hallway This is by far the busiest hallway in the school during passing periods. It is definitely a place you should avoid if possible. The hallway is marked by the butterfly mural painted on one of the walls that relates to a poem about the survivors of the Holocaust.

Testosterone hallway This hallway is perpendicular to the butterfly hallway and is cleverly named after the fact that it is a hallway completely populated by male teachers. If you have a history or science class with a male teacher, this is a great place to look if you are lost.

Art hallway This hallway contains all of the art classes in the school in an easy to navigate area. It’s a great place to be aware of especially if you are an aspiring artist. The hallway is located close to the cafeteria.

Bus stairwell This stairwell you will most likely only use if you are picked up/dropped off at school or driven to school as it is closer to the parking lot than the busses.

This is oddly named the bus stairwell even though it’s not very close to the busses. This is because before last school year, the busses were actually where the parking lot was but when the old band field was removed to make room for more parking. The buses were moved to where they are now.

Secret stairwell This stairwell is a great way to avoid the butterfly hallway traffic and get to the basement floor of the building.

It’s called the secret stairwell as it’s secluded from the rest of the school.

Although beware of couples as it’s known as a makeout spot.

THINGS FHN SPORTS TO JOIN

Find out quick info about winter sports and their respective coaches (Content by Lindsay Haislip, Illustration by Izzy Lash) Girls Basketball - @FHN_GirlsBBall Varsity -Danielle Rampley Asst. - Thomas Moran Jr. Varsity - Jeffrey Ott Freshman - Scott Coates

Girls Swim - @FHNswimdive Coach - Keri Clynes Asst. - Rowan Pugh Diving - David Nielson

MORE INFO Scan the QR codes below for other information about sport seasons.

Activities Website

Wrestling - @FHNWrestling

Boys Basketball - @fhn_mbb

Boys Varsity - Christopher Brown Boys Asst. - Dalton Riggins Boys Asst. - Tyler Collins Girls Varsity - Jesse Conaway Girls Asst. - Myron Crawford

Varsity - Larry Green Asst. - Kurt Laughman Jr. Varsity - Corey Patterson Freshman - Vacant

Cheerleaders - @FhnCheerleading Varsity - Tracy Wuertenberg Asst. - Jen Scarbrough Asst. Breanne Callaway Asst. Susan Hemmer

Dance - @FHNKnightline Varsity - Stacy Knop Asst. - Tony Giancola

Information About Winter Sports Registration

Winter Guard - @FHNGuard Head Coach - Luke Christisen Asst. - Amanda Schulz

Bowling - N/A

Coach - Aaron Mcardle

SCHOOL SUPPLIES FOR SUCCESS (Content by Izzy Lash, Illustration by Kaylee Priest)

Happy syllabus week. This is the week when all of your teachers are going to be telling you everything you need for their classes.

Here’s a simplified list of everything you will absolutely need to survive the school year.

Utensils

Folders

Every class you take will need writing utensils, but what kinds? As a general rule, you should try to have at least one pencil, mechanical or not, a red pen, a black pen, and at least one highlighter.

To keep your papers organized and un-crumpled, having some folders can really help. Color coordinate them with the classes they’re for or get a file folder for maximum space efficiency.

Binders

Planner

For more complicated classes, some teachers will tell you that you need a binder. This is not required, but can be very useful for keeping things in order by dates or units. Binders are most helpful in science and history classes. Don’t have too many binders because they can overload you with lack of space and too much weight in your bag.

Notebook

It’s a good idea to keep at least one notebook in your backpack, even to just use for loose-leaf paper. It’s also a good idea to have one for classes that require you to take a lot of notes.

Calculator

If you think you will be able to survive the year without at least trying to keep track of assignments, you are wrong.

Only some classes have assignments listed on canvas, so you can’t rely on its to-do list to make your way through school.

Especially in honors and AP classes, every assignment counts.

Having a planner lets you keep track of both short-term and long-term assignments, even if it’s just on your phone.

Extra Supplies

A calculator isn’t just helpful for math classes. You’re also going to need one in any STEM classes you decide to take, and it’s a worthwhile investment to go ahead and buy a nice graphing calculator, though it’s not a necessity. Most math classes will provide calculators if they are needed, but if you’re doing stuff like homework outside of class, having a calculator will make your life less difficult.

Keep extras! If you are using a mechanical pencil, keep extra lead and a big eraser on you.

If you use your pen a lot, stick an extra in your bag in case you lose it. If you only have the bare minimum, what are you going to do when the bare minimum runs out? Even if you keep them at home, it’s a good idea to have extras.

NORTH STAR • 08.21.2023 • Pages Designed by Alayna Lohaus (4) Drew Johnson (5)

05

FRESHMEN

HOW HOMEROOM WORKS

What is homeroom and why it’s known as Knight Time (Illustration by Izzy Lash and Kaylee Priest)

by Jackson Calhoun

jcalhoun751@g.fhsdschools.org

sadams477@g.fhsdschools.org

by Sydney Adams

ADVICE

Homeroom, commonly referred to as Knight Time, is the time of the day after second hour on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Erin Steep, an assistant principal at FHN, says the purpose of Knight Time is for academic intervention and community building which is why it’s twice a week. You are often assigned to homeroom teachers that you might be acquainted with such as a club or sport sponsor.

Teachers can also request a student to be in their Knight Time, or you could just be placed into a room

Talk to people in your classes that you may not usually talk to.

Try to make friends with as many people as you can naturally.

Don’t try to make everyone like you, but be kind to people. Treat people like they could be your friend, because you could miss out on a really great friendship if you don’t even consider that as a possibility.

Learn how to manage your time.

It’s okay to procrastinate a little, but know that between when you get an assignment and when it’s due, there will be more work you will have to do. Especially, don’t let homework be the reason you miss out on a fun experience.

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randomly. During Knight Time you aren’t just tied down to staying in your Knight Time teacher’s class room. On certain days, students are allowed to travel to other classrooms, this is commonly referred to as “Travel Time” around the school. To travel to another teacher’s classroom, you need to get a pass from the teacher’s classroom you want to go to before Knight Time starts and then bring it to your regular Knight Time teachers room and show it to them.

Once you do that you can go to another teacher’s classroom during Knight Time.

Scan the QR code to download the FHNtoday app to see the updated bell schedules Scan here for Google Play

Scan here for IOS

Don’t put your homework off until the last minute and know your schedule so you can plan when you are going to do things.

Keep an open mind.

Not everything is going to be the same as middle school, so don’t try to make it that way.

Things are going to work a little differently here than there, so don’t be annoying about it and try to learn how everything works.

Also, don’t judge a teacher off of the first day of school. You may think you don’t like them, but it may take a few days to get used to their teaching style or the routines they have in their classroom.

Lorraine Smith Smith is the counselor for freshmen at North. Counselors can help with scheduling issues, mental health concerns or any other in-school conflicts “My best advice is always to get involved in something you enjoy because it makes the high school experience so much better,” Smith said.

CLASSES YOU DIDN’T KNOW FHN OFFERED

ESSENTIALS FOR YOUR BAG

by Drew Johnson

djohnson440@g.fhsdschools.org

Here are some courses offered at FHN (Content by Izzy Lash) Journalism .5 unit Prerequisite: None, grades 9-12

A foundation course for those looking to join Publications. This course will teach you the basics of writing and designing for media, as well as media ethics and law.

(English credit)

You and the Law .5 unit Prerequisite: None, grades: 11-12

This course will guide students through their basic legal principles, and applicable personal, business, and consumer laws beyond American Government coursework.

There is also an opportunity to attend a one-day field trip to the court house to connect learning with real life. (Practical Art credit)

Fashion .5 unit Prerequisite: none, grades 10-12

Throughout the semester, students will learn all about the fashion industry, studying designers, historical clothing, textiles and careers, as well as doing individual projects. You will supply your own materials and the approximate cost is $30. (Practical Art credit)

Human Relations .5 unit Prerequisite: None, grades 10-12

Human relations will teach effective communication and decision-making skills, how to develop and maintain interpersonal relationships, conflict resolution techniques, self management strategies and family skills. It is a project-based class. (Practical Art credit)

International Cuisine .5 unit Prerequisite: Foods and Nutrition I, grades 10-12

International Cuisine expands the knowledge and skills learned in Foods and Nutrition I. You will learn about foods, traditions and customs of other cultures as well as your own while making dishes from around the world. (Practical Art credit)

Printmaking I .5 unit Prerequisite: Passing grade in Intro to Art, grades 10-12

A course that develops technical skills in the use of different printmaking media and procedures. You will explore mono-

printing, relief, intaglio, and screen-printing methods to make a variety of textures and styles, as well as discuss the uses of screen printing historically and learn to critique and analyze yours and other artworks. (Fine Art credit)

Hunting and Trapping .5 unit Prerequisite: None, grades 9-12

Hunting and Trapping will teach basic hunter ethics and tradition, as well as seasons and regulations, safety, proper gun handling and safety and survival skills. This cannot be used as your required physical education credit. (Elective credit only)

Fishing and Recreation .5 unit Prerequisite: None, grades 9-12

This course will teach basic fishing skills and responsibilities, as well as regulations, identification, types of fishing and casting and boating safety. You will also learn how to use maps and compasses, as well as information about camping, hiking, and archery. This course cannot be used as your physical education requirement. (Elective credit only)

Modern American Culture .5 unit Prerequisite: None, grades 11-12

This course explores modern American culture and its impact on history. It will provide an introduction to critical issues and an exploration of the various roles of mass-mediated culture in our lives. Primarily you will focus on television, advertising, music, and new technologies and their impact on our daily lives. (Social Studies credit)

PLTW Courses 1 unit

Project Lead The Way courses are a series of courses that lead into each other. Each of the series is based around a different subject: biomedical science, computer science and engineering. All count for college credit. These courses can give you a more in-depth and hands-on look into different careers in STEM (Biomed earns Science credit, Engineering and Computer earns Practical Art credit)

While some might think their school supply shopping list is complete, adding a few of these five items could end up saving you at some point during the school year.

Food

You never know when a mid-class craving will hit. If a teacher allows you to eat in their classroom, then it’s always worth it to pack a snack before you leave for school, especially if you have the first or last lunch.

Water Bottle

Some teachers won’t let you get up to go to the water fountain in the middle of class.

It is useful to keep your own water bottle in your backpack to take a drink whenever you need it.

Portable Charger

Your phone is almost guaranteed to die at least once at school. Finding a plug that could be far away from your seat, or even worse, getting stuck without a charger at all, is terrible. People hide outlets as much as possible, so it’s always better to have your own, specifically a portable one.

Gum

Bad breath often happens after lunch. Especially after a particularly potent meal, it will most likely be useful to chew some mint-flavored gum to refresh your mouth.

Chapstick

Lips dry out, especially during the winter months, and you’ll be thanking yourself that you remembered to put some chapstick in your backpack.

A day can easily be ruined by chapped lips.

NORTH STAR • 08.21.2023 • Pages Designed by Miranda Fabian

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SOPHOMORES TOP 10 AP CLASSES

by Gavin Swart

gswart370@g.fhsdschools.org

1. AP Lang & Comp AP English Language and Composition prepares students for college English classes.

2. AP Government Taking a government class is required to graduate so AP Gov is a great way to get that credit.

3. AP Psychology AP Psych is a class where students learn about different aspects of human psychology.

4. AP Art & Design AP Studio is one of the highest art classes offered in order to help students improve their art.

5. AP Physics 1 & 2 AP Physics teaches students about how things work in the real world in preparation for college.

During sophomore year, driving is on everyone’s mind. Here are some tips, tricks and other pieces of advice for how to get your permit, license and school parking pass (Content by Michaela Manfull, Information from MODOR & MHSP, illustrations by Izzy Lash) Required Documents

- Instruction Permit (15+) - Intermediate License (16-18) - Full (Adult) Driver’s License (18+)

How to Take Your Permit Test

1. Take the required documents to a DMV that provides driver’s testing 2. Take the driver’s test and lose no more than 30 points to pass 3. Apply at a license office 4. Take someone who can sign for your 40+ hours 5. Pay the license fee $7.50, but if it’s via card there is an added $1.25

1. Take the required documents to a DMV that provides permit testing 2. Get at least 20 out of 25 points correct on the written test to pass 3. Pass the vision and road sign recognition tests 4. Pay the permit fee $3.50, but if it’s via card there is an added $1.25 5. Take the papers they give you to another location and get your permit

8. AP Computer Science

How to Get a Parking Pass

7. AP Chemistry

AP PLTW Computer Science Applications is a class where students get to apply their coding knowledge using Java.

9. AP World History AP World is a great class for history lovers who want to learn all about history across the world.

10. AP European History AP Euro helps students to get an in-depth dive on European history.

Requirements to get a License To get a license you must: - Be 16 years or older - Have your permit for over 128 days, or about 4 months - Have at least 40 hours of driving practice, including 10 hours at night - Retake permit tests if they are over a year old

If you plan on driving to school, you’re going to need a parking pass. The steps to get one are easy, but spots fill up quick, so it’s better to get one sooner than later.

1. Fill out the google form to apply for a pass on the school’s website 2. Pick up your pass and pay in the main office

MORE INFO Scan the QR codes below for digital driving resources.

Required Documents

How to Get Your License

What to do With a Permit

AP Chem helps students to fully understand the wide topic of chemistry.

AP English Literature and Composition is a class where students analyze mostly fictional texts in order to write essays.

Types of Licenses

When applying for a license or permit, you have to provide acceptable documents to verify the following: - Proof of Identity - Date of Lawful Status - Proof of Social Security number - Proof of Missouri residential address - Driver Examination Record from the Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP) indicating successful completion of tests.

Some of the best things to practice while you have your learner’s permit and someone to teach you are: - Parking in a parking spot - Stopping smoothly - Speeding up and slowing down - Learn where the lights, windshield wipers, hazards and parking brake are - Driving through residential areas - Get hours in at night - Learn the roads and how to get to places you go often - How to deal with hydroplaning, emergency vehicles and ice

6. AP Lit & Comp

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HOW TO DRIVE

Vehicle Inspection

At the beginning of the driver’s test, the examiner will check the following: - Current license plate(s) and a valid inspection sticker.

- Working seat belts - Working doors - Clean, safe seats - Two sets of brakes (parking and a foot brake) in working order - A horn in good working order - Proof of financial responsibility

On the Test

While there are a lot of things in the driver’s test, there are some that are big reasons that people will fail: - Not successfully parallel parking in under two minutes - Not exaggerating over-the-shoulder looks when turning or changing lanes - Using the backup camera instead of looking out the back window - Not stopping at stop signs - Backing up too fast or not keeping the vehicle in a straight line

Permit Practice Test

Missouri Driver’s Guide

Testing Location Map

FHN Parking Pass Forms

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Hear from a FHN student about their job recommendation

“Lifeguarding to me is a job that feels important. It kind of feels cool to have a job that the whole point is saving people and helping people out,” junior Brooklyn Harvey said.

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HOW TO GET THE FIRST JOB

How to go through the process of applying and getting hired (Illustration by Kaylee Priest and Izzy Lash) jcalhoun751@g.fhsdschools.org

ADVICE

by Payten Davis

COVID caused a big fall off in Americas jobs, over 50 million people quit their job just this past year. More places than ever are looking for people to work and minimum wage is all the way up to almost $12 an hour. This is the perfect time for teenagers to get a job.

Certain jobs that are common around Saint Charles and Saint Peters that tend to hire teens are Whapelhorst, Walmart, Culvers,

McDonalds, Target, Schnucks, Deweys, Smoothie King and Quicktrip or you could work around the school at Francis Howell North as a janitor as we have a shortage of them.

The first step to getting a job is simply applying, you can apply online or in person. Once you have applied, it normally takes around three to five days for the employer to get back to you. If the establishment likes your application, they will most likely invite you in for an interview. When going to the

pdavis457@g.fhsdschools.org

by Jackson Calhoun

Kurt Laughman Kurt Laughman is the sophomore counselor and FHN baseball coach.

“I want them to start exploring career options and start narrowing them down to see what job or career will make them most happy,” Laughman said.

interview, it would be in your best interest to wear something business casual and not just everyday wear.

While this isn’t mandatory, it is well advised as it will make you stand out from people who don’t. Once at the interview, just answer the questions they ask you to the best of your ability and you can stretch the truth a little to make yourself look better if you would like to.

After the interview, the job should tell you if you are hired and let you know what else you might need to complete to finish the hiring process.

Congratulations you made it through your first year of high school. While each year has its own challenges, sophomore year can be tricky to navigate. You spent your freshman year adjusting – making friends, losing friends, getting lost in the halls of North, and just figuring out how to “do high school.”

But now you’re going to realize you still have quite a ways to go. So here’s my advice: First, do your homework. That sounds like common sense, right?

Well, it is, but it’s also incredibly easy to ignore. Most people have found that sophomore year’s classes were probably the easiest of the years, but that the homework was the most intense. Drowning in classwork will weigh on you and

Scan the QR codes below for more information on getting a job.

GlassDoor

Indeed

burn you out.

Second, find a routine that involves your work and stick to it.

Do not wait until your junior year to start actively taking charge of your academics; get ahead of the curve and your future college applications will thank you dearly.

Third, get involved in extracurriculars. Colleges look for well-rounded students, and those that show dedication to their communities are well-rounded. Find something that drives your passion and that you want to excel at.

You’re going to have an absolutely fantastic year, so go out and have fun!

NORTH STAR • 08.21.2023 • Pages Designed by Michaela Manfull

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JUNIORS MORE INFO

Scan the QR codes below for links to junior specific scholarships.

Scholarships.com

(Illustration by Michaela Manfull)

OPTIONAL BLENDED LEARNING CLASSES

We Art Scholarship

by Jackson Fifer

jfifer217@g.fhsdschools.org

by Jonica Schmidt

jschmidt328@g.fhsdschools.org

ADVICE

Blended learning gives the ability to students to only have to come to class a few days a week. It is introduced during junior year at North so students can get involved in the work program.

To sign up for blended learning, first make sure the class you are taking is offering blended as an option.

Then, when selecting classes on Infinite Campus for the new school year, under the class name there will be a “BL”, meaning “blended learning”. Make sure that blended learning is the best fit for you by talking to your teachers and counselor.

Classes at North that offer blended learning are Algebra lll, Personal Finance, English IV, AP Statistics, Honors French IV and V, AP Literature and Foundations of Wellness. These classes are usually scheduled towards the beginning or end of the day so students can come to school late or leave early.

Blended learning is a great opportunity for students to work more at their own pace and do things outside of school.

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Congratulations, you made it halfway through high school! Junior year can be exhausting, but I hope the advice I’m going to give you will help make it a little easier to navigate.

I recommend participating in extracurricular activities that pique your interest as well as taking courses that challenge you.

Although it may feel like a lot, being more involved in school activities, clubs, and harder classes is a great way to start building interests and helping to develop college applications. It may seem far away, but starting to think about college now is going to help you greatly in the future. You do not want to have to worry.

Cameron Impact Scholarship

(Illustration by Izzy Lash)

JUNIOR SCHOLARSHIPS

by Noah Tucker

ntucker088@g.fhsdschools.org

There are many scholarships that are only available to juniors graduating in 2025 as opposed to senior scholarships. These scholarships are geared towards juniors and the deadlines for the scholarships are shown.

Many websites are available to help find the bestfitting scholarship. Niche is a scholarships website that has no essay scholarships. Scholarships.com has over 3.7 million scholarships to apply to. Other scholarschip websites include Fastweb, My Scholarship Central, Career Onestop and Going Merry.

As you go into your junior year, you gain more trust and responsibility. Having fun is a good way to balance your school workload and making smart decisions is very important. Don’t do anything that you would regret doing or that could affect your options in the future.

Making good connections with peers and staff will help to develop opportunities for letters of recommendation or job references.

Being a good person and a well rounded student who is hard working and respectful will pay off in the long run.

Lisa Woodrum Woodrum is the junior class counselor.

She is in charge of helping juniors begin preparing for college and prepping for the ACT/SAT. “My goals are that our juniors do a interest inventory so they can plan for post high school, so that by senior year they will know what they are looking for,” Woodrum said.

CREDIT CHECKLIST

Know what credits are needed to graduate high school (Content by Tony Biondo, Illustration by Violet Newton)

The left is a checklist, each circle represents one HALF credit required for graduation. The right shows the category of the classes and which, if any, classes are required for students to take at FHN. Communication Arts English I, English II, English III or AP English Language and Composition, Communication Arts elective Math Any three Math credits such as Algebra, Calculus or geometry Social Studies US History, World or European History, US Government Science Physical Science, Biology, Science elective Fine Arts Includes Art, Music, Theatre Practical Arts Includes Business, Family and Consumer Science, Lewis & Clark Vocational Career Center, Newspaper Production Personal Finance The Personal Finance course meets this requirement Physical Education Personal lifetime fitness and one half credit physical education elective Health The Health course meets this requirement Electives Any class not included in the other categories or completed exceeding the required amount

Some colleges or universities require additional credits in subjects such as math or science for admission than is required to graduate high school. Courses such as computer science may not be considered mathematics or science. It is important to check with a potential college or university to see if computer science is an acceptable replacement for mathematics or science. Additionally, many colleges or universities require a minimum of two years of a language to apply but this is not a requirement to graduate high school.

ACT/SAT SCHEDULE

by Tony Biondo

abiondo548@g.fhsdschools.org

What to Know There are various resources at students’ disposal that can help prepare them for the tests. ACT prep course is a semester long class that touches on English one quarter and math the second quarter. Closer to the school test date, different workshops will be available after school in order teach strategies, useful knowledge and other tips.

ACT Dates October 28, 2023 December 9, 2023 February 10, 2024 April 13, 2024 June 8, 2024 July 13, 2024

SAT Dates October 7, 2023 November 4, 2023 December 2, 2023 March 9, 2024 May 4, 2024 June 1, 2024

Tips & Tricks Here are some tips and tricks for taking the ACT and SAT from FHN students ACT “To prepare for the ACT, make sure to get enough sleep the night before and try not to stress out too much the morning and have a good, nutrious breakfast.”

- Alayna Lohaus, 12 SAT “When taking the SAT, take a bunch of practice tests and questions and if you’re struggling with time, try to time yourself while you do it.”

- Brendan Curtis, 12

NORTH STAR • 08.21.2023 • Pages Designed by Tony Biondo and Ray Hathcock

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SENIORS SENIOR SCHOLARSHIPS

College is right around the corner, so here are a few websites to help avoid major student debt on the other side. (Content by Ray Hathcock and Michaela Manfull, Illustrations by Izzy Lash) MORE INFO What Are Before Applying Scholarships?

(Illustration by Violet Newton)

LAST MINUTE NHS POINTS

by Ray Hathcock

rhathcock942@g.fhsdschools.org

As their final year in the National Honor Society, seniors have to obtain at least 40 points if they were inducted into the club their junior year, and 80 if inducted in their senior year. Kim Coil is the NHS sponsor for the senior and sophomore classes, she moves with her grade levels in which she sponsors.

“So they can work in the Francis House School District summer camps,” Coil said. “They can, at any time, volunteer for the city of St. Peter’s and Special Olympics; and both of those have websites that have all of their volunteer opportunities on them. So you would just go on [the website for the Special Olympics] and they need somebody to assist, they have very specific things that they’re looking for, and they list them on their website for volunteers. And then you would just sign up through their website and then you would go and help.”

Paige Whitfield is a senior and has been a part of NHS since her sophomore year. She has completed over 65 points.

“I would try to come to all the meetings, of course,” Whitfield said.

“And then also sign up for as many things as you can. And be present, and remember to place your sign up sheets that’s signed up and everything.”

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A scholarship is a grant made towards a students’ schooling from advanced levels of academics, athletic abilities, amount of household income or any other criteria.

While waiting for scholarships to be handed out by the counselor is always an option, getting on websites that provide hundreds or thousands of scholarship applications tailored to every individual usually gets the job done faster and better.

Choosing Scholarships

When deciding which scholarships to apply for, there are a few things to keep in mind.

1. Be sure there is enough time to get all of the required information and documents before it’s due.

2. Give parents, teachers, and other people ample time to write letters of recommendation. If you only give them a day, it’s unlikely it will be as good as if they’d had more time.

3. Many scholarships get very few applicants every time. Apply to any scholarships available because there’s no way to know if 100 people will apply, or just 15.

Fill Out the FAFSA

It is strongly recommended that all students looking to pursue higher education fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or the FAFSA. It helps with both being able to earn scholarships on its own and being a major item that many scholarships require on their applications.

To learn more about how to fill out the FAFSA, or to fill it out now, scan the QR code on the right.

Good resumes can set scholarship applicants away from the rest, and there are many easy ways to do that.

1. Make a cleanly designed resume. Either use a template on Canva or go check out our other article by scanning the QR code to the right.

2. Join extracurriculars. Being a senior isn’t stopping anyone from joining Sun Club and getting volunteer hours in.

3. Have a solid GPA. Taking honors classes senior year might not sound like the most fun idea, they can easily boost GPAs. Not everyone can have a 5.0, but having above a 3.5 isn’t the worst idea.

Scan the QR codes below for scholarship application sites and resources

How to Make a Resume

My Scholarship Central

How to Fill Out the FAFSA

Going Merry

My Scholarship Central

Bold.org

Going Merry

My Scholarship Central is a scholarship-finding resource specifically for students in Missouri, Kansas, or the St. Louis Metro area in Illinois. All that is required to sign up for the site is your most recent school transcript, though some scholarships may want to see things like a resume, ACT/SAT scores, or your SAR, which you get from filling out the FAFSA. Going Merry is one of the easiest scholarship search sites out there. It has tons of different resources, from actual scholarships to help filling out the FAFSA to comparing different college’s afford abilities. On the front page, it even offers a 7-question quiz for all students to see how much they could earn, with no sign-up required.

Bold.org also has many different scholarship options. Setting up an account is very easy and only takes a few minutes. This website utilizes a point system to provide additional resources, scholarships and help for students looking for financial aid for their higher education.

Bold.org

MORE INFO

Scan the QR codes below for other articles that will help you finish your time here strong.

How to Tie a Toga

(Illustration by Violet Newton)

(Illustration by Michaela Manfull)

HOW TO BECOME A TA

by McKenna Hudson

mhudson365@g.fhsdschools.org

Kyle Harris Senior counselor Kyle Harris is heading into his second year as a counselor at FHN. He recommends getting all your college applications figured out and completed as soon as possible in order to minimize your stress levels.

“Start of senior year, if you’re planning on going to college, you should have 8-10 colleges you want to apply to,” Harris said.

ADVICE

by Cameron Chapple

A TA is a teacher’s assistant. They assist teachers with student work, classroom help or other jobs. Someone TA’s for a teacher during one of their free periods which aligns with a teachers class. Being a TA is not exclusive to any grade however more juniors and seniors can fit it into their schedules as opposed to freshman and sophomores. Students choosing to be a TA often do so to fill a free hour in their day.

1. Find your class counselor. Each class counselor can be found on the corresponding spread for each grade.

2. Talk to your counselor about being a TA for the specific teacher you want to TA for 3. Clarify with the teacher you’re trying to TA for that the hour you want to be a TA for is the same hour they have a class. You cannot TA for a teacher’s plan period.

4. Your counselor will alter your schedule and it will site that you are a teachers assistant for the hour you want to be a TA on your schedule.

Herff Jones Website

Order your Yearbook

WHERE TO ORDER YOUR CAP AND GOWN

by McKenna Hudson

mhudson365@g.fhsdschools.org

A cap and gown is one of the most symbolic aspects of graduation for seniors. It’s important to order your cap and gown so it will arrive in time for graduation in the spring.

1. During the fall, seniors will have an assembly where they are given a card where they list their height, weight and other measurements 2. Herff Jones is the cap and gown provider and you will be required to order your cap and gown online 3. There are four different cap and gown packages available ranging in prices. Some packages will allow you to purchase additional items like t-shirts, water bottles, bracelets and more 4. Dates to order your cap and gown are Nov. 3, 4 and 7 5. Cap and gowns will arrive in April

One last season.

You have one last season to accomplish all you wish. After this year, there will be no going back.

There will not be another season waiting for you next year. By now you know how the flow of the season goes and from day one of tryouts you are anticipating the first game, match or performance.

The difference with this year is the ending. When it is over, it is over forever which is something you maybe haven’t experienced yet.

With senior year starting you probably have already heard many times how fast time will fly by, so soak it all in. It feels like in a blink of an eye the season is over and you are wishing you had just five more minutes to relive it all. No matter

the feelings you experience, cherish them.

Use your past failures as motivation to help you improve. All the experience from past seasons gives you knowledge of the game.

Use the knowledge to advance your play and help advance the play of teammates.

Leave it all out there every day.

Tomorrow is never guaranteed, so play each day as if you will never play again. Putting in all the effort that is physically possible each day will not only shape you into a great player but will help you achieve your goals. Coaches will notice the effort and it will benefit you in one way or another.

NORTH STAR • 08.21.2023 • Pages Designed by Ray Hathcock

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CATCH US ONLINE

TOP FLOOR

For maps of the school to help you get around, download the FHNtoday app on your phone

FHN is a large school with three floors and 1.8k attendees. To navigate the school efficiently and stay informed about daily bell schedules and important events, download the FHNtoday app and follow @FHNtoday on all social media platforms.

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While the paper will provide you with essential information for the upcoming school year, to stay consistently updated, visit FHNtoday.com for daily content, including photo galleries and news stories.

MIDDLE FLOOR

In addition to news and photography, this year FHNgameday offers an enhanced experience for all of FHN’s student-run sports content.

SCAN TO...

Download the FHNtoday app from the Apple App Store

Download the FHNtoday app from the Google Play Store

Check out FHNtoday.com for more stories and information

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MAPS OF THE SCHOOL

You can find FHNtoday and FHNgameday on various social media platforms, including Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, Youtube, Twitter, and TikTok. These platforms provide a comprehensive and interactive way for students and parents to engage with the school community, get real-time updates, and share their experiences throughout the academic year. Stay connected and be a part of the FHN community by following FHNtoday and FHNgameday on all our social media channels!

BOTTOM FLOOR

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