December 10, 2025

NORTH STAR

SHORTER REGISTRATION WINDOW SPARKS CONCERN

With only six days to lock in schedules, many worry the condensed timeline could limit options and add stress to an already hectic process

by Abby Dunbar adunbar938@g.fhsdschools.org

New registration plans have been set to allow six days for classes to be picked to benefit the efficiency of the process, and allow for the district to get numbers faster for next year.

Counselors gave some lessons before Thanksgiving break to encourage students to think about the classes they will pick by Jan. 12.

“All the decisions that are made about enrollment and advisement and the timing come from the district office and it sort of works backward,” counselor Lorraine Smith said. “They want to be able to hire the best teachers and the best staff they can, and they want to do that as early as they can.”

your previous classes? Like, if a kid signed up for Honors Geometry and I look at their transcript and they got a C in Algebra, that’s probably not a good fit and we’re gonna talk about that.”

“I feel like sometimes this stuff is more complex than people see it.” -Lorraine Smith, counselor

This advisement is supposed to happen for every student after registration closes during the months of January and February. But some teachers worry about the shorter registration window affecting less popular classes with only one hour. This year, Printmaking is only offered during fifth hour, and art teacher Kim Skwira has put an incredible amount of work into keeping the class alive.

GRADE LEVEL COUNSELORS

Freshmen

Emma Kolkmeier

Sophomores

Kyle Harris

Juniors

Lorraine Smith

Seniors

Lisa Woodrum

LESSER KNOWN COURSES

Here are some courses to look out for when registering for next year’s classes.

1 Broadcast Journalism

Broadcast Journalism serves as a practical arts credit but also provides students with an opportunity to learn video skills. This is an introductory course for journalism classes.

2 Sculpture

Sculpture is an art class that will help students bring out their creative side while making pieces out of various mediums such as clay, soap and wool.

3 Computer Aided Drafting

FINALS CHANGES CAUSE CONCERN

by Ashlyn Thies

athies277@g.fhsdschools.org

Some students dread the anticipation of first semester finals while on break, arguing that they will forget everything they have learned. This year, a change in

“Everyone wants to go home and relax,” Associate Principal Erin Steep said, “So, having that semester wrapped up before we leave, I think it’s just good for

Although the timing aspect of finals is becoming more regulated due to the value of the finals now varying between classes. The committee decided that each class can have the finals worth different amounts of students’ grades, weights are the same across the district,

“I don’t like the new percentage, but I like how[finals are] going to be before

The district plans on trying to hire teachers in March, right before they get out of college, so they can have a better pool of candidates. This can only happen if they have registration numbers early, so they can see what kind of staff they need.

“I feel like sometimes this stuff is more complex than people see it,” Smith said. Once students register for classes, they will talk to their counselor to finalize choices and make sure the classes they want will be beneficial to them.

“It’s conversations with kids,” Smith said. “You know, we look at the pre-AP classes and Honors classes versus regular. When we are talking about level, that’s a lot of teacher recommendations. How have you done in

“We made flyers and put them up around the building, and I just needed a few more kids in order for the class to make it,” Skwira said. “So, I recruited the last few kids from my painting class.”

Counselors rarely push classes toward students because they worry they will seem biased, but the teachers who fight to keep the classes on the roster may argue that these classes should get better promotion throughout the year.

“Kids don’t know about it,” Skwira said. “With us being in the basement no one ever comes down here in the new building. We’re not on the main floor. People don’t walk past us, so we don’t get much foot traffic. Printmaking is one of those classes that I think once kids know about, it’s fun and want to make it. But, it’s not feasible to make a class of 30.”

Computer Aided Drafting is an enginering class that helps students to develop drawing skills needed for enginering and technical fields

“I feel like it’s very limited on time, so I feel like I didn’t get all the help I needed, but I do, like how we’re able to switch it up a little bit, after the fact, in case we need to.”

Cailyn Rector, 11

NEW CHANGES IN AMI

WORK

by Olivia Abeln oabeln467@g.fhsdschools.org

Over the years, teachers have given out AMI work, like reviews for finals or homework, but this year, there are new AMI policies. At the beginning of the school year, students were given paper packets where they could pick and choose what assignments they wanted to do for each class, and online copies can be found on FHN’s website. Students at FHN have mixed feelings about the new policies.

“I think they’re amazing,” senior Emily Day said. “It’s a lot more of a functional system, rather than teachers just assigning random assignments.”

Most students think the new policy is good, but some think it’s just busywork.

“I think it’ll be easier, but not worthwhile,” senior Scarlett Horstman said. “I think it’s a waste of our time to do busy work and not be progressing in our other classes.”

Shariya Herrod works on homework. (Photo

Senior Peter Swaboda signs an AMI paper. (Photo by Layla Williams)

Assorted supplies lie on the desk as students consider what classes to take for the coming 2026-27 school year. (Photo by Eashaan Patel)

MOCK TRIAL PREPARES FOR FIRST ROUND OF COMPETITION

by Lily Thompson lthompson080@g.fhsdschools.org

On Jan. 12 and 15, Mock Trial will be competing in their first round of trials at the St. Louis County Courthouses in Clayton. On Oct. 6, the case was released and students started to receive their roles.

“I’m happy with my role, I get to be a lawyer and a witness this year, which is cool,” junior Regan Griffin said.

Every year, the mock trial team has two trials, this year their second being Feb. 10 and 12. If the team wins their competition, they can continue on to regionals and nationals. The students receive two different roles for each trial.

“I just try providing all the resources they need to do their parts, like showing them how to do a direct examination, a cross examination, and opening and things like that,” assistant coach Noah Slaughter said. “Just providing a lot of examples and space to work on their stuff with their partners and their teammates.”

The coaches’ focus on structure and support has helped steady the team, particularly as they move into one of the most difficult stages of the season: creating the teams.

“The toughest thing right now is just making the teams,” Griffin said. “I think everyone is pretty happy with their roles in the end, it was just difficult in the beginning but now that we’re past actually creating the teams, it’s not going to affect us.”

With interest in mock trial growing, the increase in members has also been a setback in trying to determine teams for this year’s trials. Students will be assigned one of the five teams, either defense or prosecution. Many of the members wanted to be a witness, which caused a lack of lawyers, making the teams harder to create. Students have been able to overcome this setback, and are now on track for good trials these upcoming months.

“I think we should hopefully, knock on wood, make it to regionals, just because we have for the last few years,” Griffin said.

AI VIDEOS OVERTAKE SOCIAL MEDIA SPACES

The use of AI on social media used to solely be for captioning videos, but new technology allows for entire videos to be made with a single prompt

by Mahdi Abdallah mabdallah396@g.fhsdschools.org

Sora AI is an app that allows anyone to make AI generated videos for completely free. With Sora being such an accessible platform with a handful of useful tools, it’s causing AI videos to be spread all over social media. This is leading the younger, more online generation to fall victim to its consequences.

“If I wanted to make you believe that chocolate ice cream is better than vanilla ice cream, I can build content,” Dustin York, Associate Professor of Communication College of Arts and Sciences, said. “After a month of seeing 40, 50, 60 of these news outlets, you’re going to start believing that’s real. When you start seeing 50 fake news organizations all say chocolate is great, you are going to start believing that chocolate will make you live longer. I think that’s the big issue for high school students.”

It can be incredibly easy to change someone’s opinion about something. People may currently be able to tell the difference

SCAN THE QR CODE TO ACCESS SORA AI

between AI and real videos, but many feel that won’t be forever. According to MLscience, AI is evolving at an exponential rate, and Sora AI, an upcoming platform commonly used to generate AI videos, could one day be used to make anything that anyone wants.

“If you wanted to make your own show, your own superhero thing, your own alien thing, you can make it from your living room,” York said.

Pretty soon, AI could get so advanced to the point where entire movies could be created. However, AI isn’t just evolving in video production alone. According to Forbes, AI is becoming more intelligent and realistic. According to IE insights, as AI advances, so does the bond some people feel between themselves and the screen.

“High schoolers are at the point where they’re becoming less and less engaged in romantic relationships and leaning more into these AI companions, therefore more loneliness, right? Getting out less, having less connections with humans,” York said.

The issues with AI videos and AI companions is that now, AI videos could be

On Nov. 13, the Mock Trial team met in the FHN learning commons to practice for upcoming competition. (Photo by Claire Locke)

ANNE MCPARTLAND’S STUDENTS’

“I will miss her kindness and the way she treats her students.”

Finn Ryan, 11

“She has a lot of passion for teaching German and she is really good at it.”

Esther Lin, 12

RETIREMENT CAUSES SHIFT TO GERMAN CLASSES

by Carly Hedrich chedrich120@g.fhsdschools.org

students and other staff members for the life of retirement.

“I’m kind of sad that she’s going away,” junior Ben Brinkman said. “She’s a very nice person. She’s very energetic and eccentric.”

With McPartland gone, students feel FHN won’t be the same. They believe she makes learning interesting for her students and has kindhearted conversations with them whether it’s in class or during passing periods.

“I’m going to miss her personality. I don’t think I will take this class next year because it won’t be the same without her energy.”

John Evans, 11

“She makes learning a language very fun and engaging and she makes me encouraged to go outside of class to learn more about it,” Brinkman said. “I’ll watch German TV shows because she’s shown us German movies and how fun it could be to watch those, as well as German music, and encourages us to listen to more.”

With her retirement, students are worried about new students going in to learn German or plan on taking another German class. Some are also worried about transitioning to different teaching methods and support.

made of that fake companion, causing some to be more immersed in this fantasy since they can watch a video of that fake companion. Since they are more immersed in the fantasy they grow up but have no idea how to interact with other people, and as Dustin York said, it causes more loneliness. But AI can sometimes be good for people.

“If you own an HVAC company, with AI videos, you’re gonna be able to create ads, commercials content, for basically free,” York said.

Using AI in this way can help small businesses thrive among all the big corporations that have money to do whatever they want. So, family businesses that don’t have the budget to make an ad have trouble getting people to know about their businesses, but with AI, all that’s needed is a picture and a prompt. Although AI can be helpful in many ways, according to Education Week, AI videos and deepfakes can pose a threat to students.

“I think the biggest issue with AI videos being so easy to make is the fact that you can give a prompt and picture of a face for example, and it could generate a video of someone doing something they never actually did,” junior Payton Counsell said.

“She is very sweet and really helps out when you need it, no matter how simple it might be.” Eva Best, 10

“They’ll miss her energy and her support,” Senior counselor Lisa Woodrum said. “She’s amazingly supportive of students, and she is very understanding when students need something.”

“I will miss how often she makes the class laugh and how good she is at teaching.”

Joshua Kummer, 10

McPartland uses techniques such as speaking practice and one-on-one practice with both her and other students to help each student improve individually.

“That way I’m able to witness them

While McPartland has worked here, she has made a big impact not just on her students, but the community as well.

“She has always served on multiple committees for students and staff to help bring new ideas and to problem solve things,” Woodrum said. “She was doing at that time, besides teaching German the mentorship program so she would work with the juniors and seniors to help mentor

While McPartland’s impact on FHN is coming to a bittersweet end, it opens a door of possibilities for FHN students and

“Knowing that it’s going to come to the end, I wanted my retirement to be a celebration and not sad,” McPartland said. “But I purposely announced it early so that my students and I could make the most of

Anne McPartland passes out papers during class. (Photo by Kira Pierce)

(Photo by Shutterstock)

COFFEE BOOTH REMAINS CLOSED

by Lennon Sharp lsharp744@g.fhsdschools.org

Since the construction of the new school, students and faculty have been wondering what is to be done with the never opened booth in the cafeteria, the “coffee shop.”

Many wonder why the school would introduce a specific space for a simple purpose and then not take advantage of it. However, there’s more complex underlying problems preventing the booth from opening.

“Other things have taken priority and we can’t start up everything all at once… when you have a coffee shop and you use refrigerated products such as milk or cream, that requires a specific food license,” Site Administrator Cara McHaffie said.

Many are frustrated at the lack of use for the space, especially since the new building cost so much to build and several parts have been left completely unused.

“After the money that was spent just to build the school I would just kinda like to see all of it be used,” junior Evan Adams said.

CCR DAY EXCITES SENIORS

by Nadia Okilee nokilee160@g.fhsdschools.org

of teal and purple are projected onto the Missouri Botanical Gardens building during the Garden Glow event.

College and Career Readiness day, commonly referred to as CCR day after winter break, is filled with advice to all students about courses, credits and school opportunities. Students feel as if the information is rarely beneficial, the day is exaggerated, and the content is excessively repeated. A new idea sparked when Principal Erin Steep visited her old school and saw them doing something different: a celebration called Senior Olympics.

“Admin’s main goal is attendance, and with CCR day attendance is always horrible,” senior class president Eashaan Patel said. “So, now the idea is to give something for seniors to do, fun activities and an event that’s kind of a throw back to what we did when we were little, like a field day.”

Ellie McCoy, a member of the Chief of Staff, is currently working to plan activities and events.

“Our main goal is for all the seniors to have fun and to create long lasting memories as it’s their last year,” McCoy said.

FAMILIES FLOCK TO THE GARDEN GLOW

The annual Garden Glow event has begun at the Botanical Gardens, sparking holiday experiences for the whole family

by Claira Price cprice948@g.fhsdschools.org

It’s that time of year again, the Botanical Garden once again lights itself up for the dazzling event called the Garden Glow. The event is very popular with families because there is something for kids of all ages to enjoy.

“Well, for one thing, it’s outside, you can take your time, you don’t have to be at any one thing, and it’s something different,” library assistant Debb McDonald said.

“You know, we all love the science center and the zoo, but the botanical gardens is underrated, actually.”

The event lasts from Nov. 15 through Jan. 3. Attendees can buy tickets on the

GARDEN GLOW INFO

Learn more about

Botanical Garden’s website. Adult tickets cost $24 and kid’s $12 without a membership, but there are special family nights where kids tickets are half price. Starting this year, they have a sensory night with sensory maps, performance modifications and quiet areas. A staple attraction of this event includes fire pits and food stands, which some students believe can greatly enhance the experience.

“I think [the food and drinks] made it more of a cozy feeling,” junior Mikaela Kavades said.

(Photo by Peter Swoboda)

(Photo by Chris Brandt)

Hues

(Photo by Hannah Martin)

Vibrant orbs of glowing lights create an illuminated flower sculpture. (Photo by Hannah Martin)

A cottage-style diorama displayed at Garden Glow features the Botanical Gardens’ foliage. (Photo by Hannah Martin)

the Garden Glow at Missouri Botanical Gardens.

NORTH STAR

Illustration by Bri Taliaferro

Designed by Haley Beffa and Bri Taliaferro

RECREATIONAL READING

by Rayna Aathreya raathreya505@g.fhsdschools.org

With the phone ban effective this year, some are optimistic about students turning their attention toward books. One of these hopefuls is FHN librarian Gabrielle Weston.

“Ideally, as a librarian, I would love for every student to just come to the library and read,” Weston said. “And the test scores would go up and everybody would be happy. But that’s just not the reality.”

This year, with the new phone policy in place, the librarians have been with more freshman classes to encourage recreational reading.

“The idea is that when students are done with their work, then they can read something rather than pick up their phones,” Weston said.

While the phone policy has only been in place for a few months, Weston had noticed an uptick in recreational reading.

“It’s a small percentage, but it is only the first year,” Weston said. “I just think we need years and years in order to create a reading culture that values literacy.”

For her, the importance of reading goes far beyond its academic benefits.

“We have a lot of young adults that are receiving a lot of misinformation online, and can’t tell the difference between AI and real life,” Weston said. “It’s so important for people to be informed.”

FAVORITE BOARD GAMES

Students of FHN reveal their favorite games to enjvoy. A friend group plays the strategy based game Catan, while others share their favorite classics.

Sorry is my favorite board game because me and my brother get really competitive and frustrated with each other.

Makenzie Foley 10

Monopoly is a fun, family game, which is my favorite because it switches things up a bit with different versions.

I especially like Cheaters Monopoly.

Joanna Jolly, 11

With Catan, I like to play with my friends, and I think the development cards are useful because you can get useful cards that change the course of the game, like moving the robber or getting free victory points.

Evan Adams, 11

Weston also believes libraries themselves are far much more than just a source of books.

“It is very important for us to just be in the space of books and of information,” Weston said. “Libraries have so much purpose. It’s a safe space, and one of the last places where people can go and there isn’t an expectation to pay for something. That’s something that people tend to forget.”

Some students agree that reading recreationally offers a welcome break from their phone usage.

“Reading lets me just get off my phone and relax,” senior Valerie Garcia said. “But I don’t think my peers read very often.”

Weston is hopeful that this will change over the course of time.

“When it comes to creating a literacy culture, people just need to read more,” Weston said. “They need to question more. They need to think critically more. Let’s bring critical thinking back. Let’s actually have conversations, be inquisitive, and write down your thoughts. People don’t do that enough, and they really should.”

it’s more fun to yell at them because they can’t get as mad.

Nathan Celroy, 11

Catan trains your mind and your strategic abilities. And my strategy to win is to make everyone else not have as much fun as I do by trapping them with my longest road.

Wyatt Valleroy, 11

Junior Claire Brightwell is surrounded by a collection of books (Photo by Eashaan Patel)

UNITED BY ROCK

by Sam Hall

shall102@g.fhsdschools.org

Through all of the conflicts and tragedies in the world, music has always brought people together. Music bonds people through shared experiences and it also helps foster one’s personal identity. One of the most world changing genres is rock and roll.

CARS, COFFEE MAKE THE ULTIMATE CAR SHOW

One of Missouri’s biggest local car shows revs up the town as they prepare for their annual fundraisers and drives, catching the attention of local car enthusiasts

by Haley Beffa hbeffa397@g.fhsdschools.org

If you’re looking for somewhere to see cool cars, get a free show or maybe step up your photography game, Cars and Coffee is the place for you. Hosted by FastLane on the second Saturday of every month, this popular car show contains a bunch of unique and customized cars and bikes that you may not normally see on the road. From classics to exotics, you’re sure to find something that catches your eye.

“The thing I love about it is that there’s old people, young people, people with families,” Jameson Leavell, FastLane’s marketing manager said. “And everyone gets along.”

Cars and Coffee itself is held once a month in the parking lot of FastLane, though there are other locations hosted weekly. It is an opportunity for those in the car scene to show off their builds, or for people looking to get into the community to introduce themselves and meet new people with similar interests. There are often bike shows and rides that anyone is allowed to participate in. The event runs from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m., and can be expected to have anywhere from two to 500 people.

and have fun. FastLane allows people to book their own events for celebrations, which can be found on their website. They also host charity events every season, helping with gathering school supplies, food drives and Christmas toys. It’s not necessary to bring in items to donate, but it is always welcomed and encouraged.

“They can pick up toys to take back to have for families that they know of in their communities,” Leavell said. “Or whatever they are in need for.”

The events started 10 years ago, when Ben Schneider bought his first car, and was looking for meets he could attend. When he couldn’t find much, he was inspired to make his own.

“I went through different car clubs,” said Schneider. “But they weren’t very

Rock music has been bringing the world together since the early 1950s. Still to this day, it brings FHN students together in connection and friendship.

“Rock music can connect you with more people,” senior Aaron Wohlberg said. “I like Metallica because I think they have good instrumentals, and their songs have a good rhythm.”

Metallica is an American heavy metal band, formed in 1981. This famous band originated in Los Angeles by vocalist and guitarist James Hetfield, and drummer Lars Ulrich. Widely known from their hit song “Enter Sandman,” Metallica has left a great legacy and impact on the rock industry.

“I grew up around rock music because of my dad,” Wohlberg said. “I have probably been listening since sixth grade.”

When it comes to students’ favorite rock music, often times parents have a major influence. This is most likely because rock music was extremely popular in the 1980s and 1990s.

“My favorite rock bands are Green Day, Sum 41, and Blink-182,” senior Caleb Vaughn said. “I like rock music because my parents have always been listening to it. It’s what I hear every time I’m in the car, so I just got used to it.”

Similar to Metallica, Green Day debuted in the 1980s in California. Music doesn’t only help shape personal identity, but it can also strengthen parent-child relationships.

“My favorite part is definitely the community that’s built,” junior Brandon Kaiman said. “Everybody’s just there to have fun.”

Cars and Coffee is active on multiple social media platforms including Facebook and Instagram, where videos of those who went can be found. There are no registrations or requirements. Founder Ben Schneide encourages people to simply show up, be respectful

The FastLane company themselves started in 1944. FastLane is a familyowned business with the focus of showing off classic and unique cars. There is only one location, located on Little Hills Industrial Road in St. Charles, MO. The company started after David Williams, the owner, sold a classic mustang to one of his friends. That interaction sparked his passion for cars, and after a motorcycle accident, he decided to make his own company surrounding his passion. FastLane includes three showrooms with over 180 cars and trucks, and is the Midwest’s largest Backdraft dealership. They even have a dog named Halley, who is titled the client relation’s coach.

“We don’t judge, we let you bring anything,” Schneider said. “[We try to] to create a culture where everybody feels like they belong.”

“My favorite metal band is the Black Dahlia Murder,” sophomore Emily Thomas said. “I like them because they were one of my first metal bands. They have a lot of albums to choose from, and I just really fell in love with their music. My dad is into this type of music and he definitely inspired me to start listening to metal.”

There is a strong community inside the alternative music genre. It is a way of self expression for some through fashion and makeup.

“Music heavily shapes my style, I wear band shirts,” Thomas said. “The community within metal is very alternative, and that definitely inspires the way I dress and do my makeup.”

Sophomore Brooke Pruitt listens to music while reading in the library before school.

(Photo by Tia Soar)

Even in rainy and less-than-ideal weather, FastLane still hosts their Cars and Coffee events. Despite the circumstances, the weather has almost no affect on the results of the show. (Photo Submitted)

One of the many unique cars that can be found at FastLane’s events. (Photo Submitted)

FUZZY SOCKS

SWEATERS

Sweaters are a popular choice in the winter. It’s commonly made of wool, cotton and polyester which makes it a good choice for keeping warm. Popular places to get sweaters are Hollister, Altar’d State and American Eagle. Sweaters are great paired with jeans and a pair of boots. When cold weather comes around, sweaters are cozy and stylish, which makes them a classic winter essential.

“[I like to wear sweaters] because when it gets chilly outside, it’s important to stay warm and it’s comfy,” sophomore Adhalia Blesson said.

BEANIES

This is a perfect alternative to baseball caps for the winter weather, and it still provides a comforting fit to anyone who usually wears hats year-round. It can be a great fashion accessory to go with streetwear or casual wear like puffer jackets and sweatshirts. Stores like Amazon, Old Navy and Target sell beanies, and some even have a silk interior so it keeps hair nice and smooth.

“I think they’re interesting,” sophomore Zidian Walker said. “They look cool on specific people.”

UGGS

GLOVES PUFFER VEST

A puffer vest is a great layer in the winter. It adds warmth while also showing off the outfit underneath. It is best with a sweater and jeans. This is a great alternatie to a coat when ice skating or enjoying another fun winter activity.

“I think they are really stylish and I don’t know, i just think that they elevate any outfit, and it keeps me warm,” Reagan Griffin, 11

A cold weather essential that not only holds warmth and style, but acts as a last minute accessory to complete anyone’s outfit, whether they are playing in the snow or going out with friends on a snowy winter day. Gloves can be made out of wool, cotton, and natural or synthetic rubbers. Feel free to match gloves with jackets and sweaters, or wear more formal gloves with dresses and suits. Gloves are sold in many places, so there is a pair to fit all styles and personalities.

“I think that they are smart because it’s cold outside,” senior Akirah Dickens said.

SquarePants movie titled “The SpongeBob Movie: Search For SquarePants.” It will be released in theaters and available exclusively on Paramount+ on Dec. 19, and will be the sixth installment in the SpongeBob SquarePants film series. For some younger fans, SpongeBob SquarePants was a very memorable show from their childhood, adding to the excitement of the new movie.

“I watched [SpongeBob] at my grandma’s,” senior Maggie Fechter said. “My parents wouldn’t let me watch it, so I’d have to sneak it in at my grandma’s.”

With just nine days left until the movie’s release, many predictions and hopes for the movie are still up in the air. Some are hoping to see certain characters and old jokes from the series return.

“I always hope they bring back some of the nostalgia of it,” social studies teacher Kimberly Coil said. “That, always to me, is more fun for anything that is a continuing series, or something that they’re maybe trying to rekindle. Anytime they bring things back, from a pop culture standpoint, it’s fun

AVATAR TRILOGY CONTINUES

by Bri Taliaferro btaliaferro365@g.fhsdschools.org

Avatar: Fire and Ash is set to explode its way into theaters Dec. 19. This will be the third movie from the film series “Avatar” by James Cameron, with the films taking place on a foreign planet called Pandora, focusing on the various cultures of the Navi people with rising conflict from visiting humans.

“I really like the visuals… I think everything’s so beautifully tied together,” junior Mackenzie Dunn said.

Following Avatar’s sequel, “Way of The Water,” “Fire and Ash” will continue the story of main character Jake Sulley and his family as Navi, dealing with new emotional struggles and characters.

“I’m excited to see what happens with the characters, because the director said this one’s really sad, so I’m excited,” senior Melanie Breen said.

The film will feature a new antagonist named Varang from a fire manipulating tribe called The Ash People.

“I’m really excited to see the trilogy,” Dunn said. “I’m very interested in how they’re going to incorporate the fire avatar into this movie, and I’m curious to see what role the humans are going to play.”

LITTLE NIGHTMARES

by Claira Price cprice948@g.fhsdschools.org

record-breaking Eras Tour and to show the behind the scenes of it, Swift is releasing a six part docuseries series called “The End of an Era.” The tour set the new record for the largest grossing tour with revenue of $2 billion. It spanned across 51 cities and five continents touching millions of people.

“I’m excited to see the behind the scenes stuff [in the documentary] because I went to the Eras Tour,” freshman Adelaide Lottes said. “There were a lot of people and it was really fun. It was also very professional.”

The documentaries are set to be released on Disney+ on Dec. 12. With so many touched by the actual tour, fans hope to see many behind the scenes clips of their favorite songs.

“I really liked the song ‘The Last Great American Dynasty,’” junior Tabitha Hickman said. “I would love, love, love to see some background on that because they had people dancing and everything on the stage, and it was just really cool. And it became one of my new favorite songs after seeing it on tour. So, it would be cool to see some mention of it in the documentary.”

Eight years after the original release of the first Little Nightmares game, Bandai Namco has exponentially expanded the Little Nightmares franchise, a series of horror games different from others.

“[I like] the fact that they’re not trying to scare you with jumpscares, it’s more so the environmental things that make you afraid to continue on,” junior Ben Brinkman said.

Little Nightmares 3 follows the characters Low and Alone, and introduces a new twoplayer experience as well as new locations to flesh out the worldbuilding.

“[The games are] a lot more thought out since the first game. The first game was my favorite, but I feel like it could have been improved upon,” Brinkman said.

The most exciting thing happening with the series is the new variety of media being released. The ongoing comic series, “Descent Into Nowhere,” gives more information about the in-game world. The podcast is getting a second season, and fans are excited to see what questions will be answered.

“I think it could bring more understanding to the story, because some people get a little confused with how the story goes,” senior Peyton Howerton said.

Avatar first film production was on hold for 10 years, waiting for CGI technology to be advanced enough to film.

Director James Cameron has had this project idea since a child, which is why it is considered a project of 50 years.

Director James Cameron has also written the Titanic and Terminator 1 and 2.

UPCOMING FRANCHISE PROJECTS

Little Nightmares comic book series, “Descent to Nowhere” is set for the release of its 4th volume Jan. 28 2026.

Little Nightmares stop motion project was teased in the summer of 2025, official release date is yet to be confirmed

(Illustration by Claira Price)

The original Avatar film continues to be the #1 Box Office Film of all time, making $2.93 billion.

Secrets of the Spiral Spring 2026 will include two chapters of downloadable content for Little Nightmares III and a new costume set called the Ferryman.

Official promotional movie poster for Avatar: Fire and Ash. (Photo by Lightstorm Entertainment)

COMICS

Check out comics done by illustrators of the North Star

KINGSLY

BENEFITS OF MAGIC

Lennon Sharp

Zoë Lobato

Claira Price

Aw, he’s so cute! At least Willow likes him.

ZOE LOBATO, THE ARTIST

I’ve

ADVENTURES OF HENRY AND FRANK

STARVED

Since its birth, social media has served as a way to connect with others, but sometimes, this can cause comparison and have negative effects on its users. This in-depth focuses on the impact of social media on eating disorders in various ways and provides resources for anyone who may be struggling with them.

BEHIND THE SCREEN

community seems small there is a hidden world that lies below the screen.

Eating disorders can be really hard to identify in public. Some noticeable symptoms of eating disorders might be skipping meals, a high increase in food consumption, excessive restriction, or exercising excessively.

“They have nine truths of eating disorders,” dietitian Laura Brandfield said. “One of them is that you might not be able to outwardly tell if someone has an eating disorder or not. [Eating disorders] really affect all people. You know, girls, boys, all ages, all races, all generations.”

bit differently than they have been before,’’ Haynes said.

Most people who struggle with eating disorders keep quiet and may not reach out for help because it might be the only reason they are getting attention at home or they think it’s better to be a part of something more negative than positive. Though the battle is not an easy ride, counselors and dieticians agree that recovery is always possible.

“You know, life happens,” Haynes said. “And you have responses, and sometimes responses spiral out of control, and then there are folks who are going to get you back on track.”

THE BEAUTY WITHIN

How uncensored social media and a harsh ballet teacher created a life long battle for Kyra Landers

Aby Nadia Okilee nokilee160@g.fhsdschools.org

4-year-old with hair like silk spins and leaps in laps, rehearsing with the other young ballerinas, tiny ballet flats hit the floor, and top-notch buns bounce up and down.

A young Kyra Landers finds herself among the youthful giggles that fill the room as if there were a surround sound system built into the walls.

Suddenly, all the ballet flats stop in place, then shuffle nervously.

It’s time to announce the roles for her childhood annual dance recital.

While the other dancers are all wondering who will be getting which spot in the show, Kyra’s focused on something else.

“Mom?” She questions.

“Why are my thighs bigger than everyone else’s? Why do they look like that, and I look like this?”

Her dance journey was just the prequel.

“I remember my teacher made me the rat, and when I asked her if I could be an angel, she told me no, because angels must be skinny,” Kyra said.

Small comparisons and comments left by peers quickly spun into what felt like an everlasting illness. Kyra quickly became consumed, and by her next stage in life, her illness began to define her.

“When I got to middle school, that’s when it got really bad,” Kyra said. “I was on social media, comparing myself to other students and a lot of online influencers. I just wasn’t built like them, and all my friends were skinnier than I was. It didn’t feel good.”

Only then did social media come into play. Like many teenagers, especially during the lockdown, Kyra turned to online communities to fill the void left by the empty outside world. However, when Kyra joined these platforms, she quickly realized they were not what they seemed to be.

“There are these accounts on Twitter and they’re literally just dying,” Kyra said. “They are posting [images of their bodies or habits], and they can’t even move, and it’s idolized. They’re dying, their body is failing, I’ve had friends online, and I’ve just had to sit

there and watch them die.”

Social media is one of the biggest antagonists when it comes to the culture of eating disorders.

“A lot of the time, especially some of the younger generations under the age of 20 that are coming in counseling services are bullied on social media,” Jennifer Haynes, counselor and eating disorder specialist said.

“Things that people feel like- you just can’t avoid that.”

Some people online find comfort in

knowing they are not alone, though the publicity puts them at a much higher risk of being exposed.

“I think they know it’s wrong, but these groups give people a sacred space,” Kyra said. “They couldn’t post or show this stuff publicly, but online people will support you, even if it’s messed up.”

Large platforms like X have accounts that are often run by bots or variants of technology, meaning the algorithm is always working and will continue recommending videos that users interact with.

“Your media learns a lot of what you look at,” Haynes said. “If you pause or wait on something, it will keep coming your way; it catches so many things people don’t even realize. We encourage anyone who comes into the program to just delete and restart all of it.”

Though Kyra has now gone through many attempts at recovery, when an illness is so severe, the setbacks feel impossible. Whether it be her journey with her sports and weight cutting or her online presence, it had felt like no escape was possible.

“She became obsessed with it,” said Ashley Landers, Kyra’s mother. “It started with her coming home and just saying, ‘Well, I can’t eat that’. It got to the point where she was completely not eating and making up excuses. She’d tell me that she ate too much lunch, so she just wasn’t hungry. But I’d checked her lunch account, and it hadn’t moved at all.”

Watching your child go through something so severe is never easy. The sad truth is that eating disorders are so common, though it also means that you are never alone.

“I wasn’t offended by the lies because I went through the same thing as a child,” said Ashley. “I wasn’t upset with her. I was just upset because it broke my heart to see her struggling with it. I just had to remind her she can talk to me, and come to me with anything.”

Though Kyra might still struggle today, she has learned the importance of recovery and perseverance. She wasn’t going to be another “Twitter case.”

“You get in that mindset where you are just trained to starve,” Kyra said.

“I think what helped me most was just realizing you’re never going to reach your ambitions and goals once you get too far into your disorder, you have to pull yourself out of it, your brain needs food, and it needs fuel. You cannot be successful in school if you’re not eating- you’re so much more than your goal weight.”

(Photo by Nadia Okilee)

THE FILTER EFFECT

Unrealistic photo editing and modern day technology create dangers and unhealthy expectations for everyone, but especially teens due to the widespread use of social media

by Aerilyn Ide aide261@g.fhsdschools.org

Filters, editing, and distortion are in pictures and videos everywhere. From Instagram posts to magazines, edited images are widespread throughout the media, and only gaining in popularity.

Studies such as the Dove Self-Esteem Project and The National Library of Medicine depict increasing rates of young girls using apps to enhance or adjust photos. As difficulty increases to discern what is real or fake online, the beauty standards become less and less achievable. This can potentially be very harmful to a generation of young, impressionable youth.

“...we didn’t evolve for this media landscape, so it feels real even when we know it’s fake

.”

“The youth is a targeted group; that’s anything from television icons or shorts that you see or reels that may pop up on Instagram,” Assistant Principal Monica Perry said. “All of that is intentional. With all of

the apps that allow people to filter their appearance, hair, eyes, hips, legs, nose, cheeks, chin; that is very damaging to females as well as males, because that fake image is what they are growing up seeing, so that is what they expect.”

- Sean Fowler, Social Studies Teacher

The ease of changing one’s appearance in photos and videos has increased greatly in the last decade. Countless filter apps are easily utilized to quickly add effects to a picture, from a smaller waist to blurring of skin. Because of the popularity and frequency of these altered images and videos online, insecurity spreads. Comparison is a harmful factor in this. Comparison has become more common with the growth of social media meaning people are exposed to more things to compare to, possibly resulting in numerous negative effects.

“Social media is potentially detrimental for mental health in general, but especially

Apps like Facetune can manipulate photos, creating a “perfected” look that is ultimately fake but often goes undetected. This can create unrealistic standards for people when posting online, leaving disatrous side effects and harming the self-esteem of those who compare themselves to edited photos. (Photos by Shutterstock)

things like anxiety, depression and eating disorders,” psychology teacher Sean Fowler said.

Edited posts easily go undetected and pass as ‘all natural’, as they are intended to.

“When young women get online and they see people that are Photoshopped, even if they know it’s not real, it doesn’t matter. It feels real. Even when we know something is fake, we didn’t evolve for this media landscape, so it feels real even when we know it’s fake.”

The introduction of AI generated or retouched models has widened this aspect.

In the August 2025 issue of Vogue Magazine, a Guess ad featured two AI-generated models, wearing their summer collection. The advertisement sparked criticism from viewers. Opposers took to social media, saying that it was harmful to body image and also to the occupations of models.

“AI has definitely been brought into multiple social media platforms nowadays,” senior Deena Ermias said. “I feel like it could hurt multiple people’s personal lives, their jobs, and education as well. It’s something that should only stay in computer software and engineering and not brought into social media.”

FACETUNE VERSUS REALITY

In this instance, the person’s face had makeup put on and teeth whitened.

One of the most common uses of Facetune is to clear skin. Here, the face has been smoothed to take away any acne or scarring.

Facetuning images can also include a person’s body. Here, the neck and jawline area was made skinnier.

EATING DISORDERS GO VIRAL

Social media has had an intense impact on the surge of young adults developing disordered eating habits and seems to grow increasingly worse with the communities that are built online promoting eating disorders

Sby Riley Jensen rjensen810@g.fhsdschools.org

ince the dawn of the internet, the harrowing question of whether or not social media is doing the world more harm than good has lingered in the air.

Social platforms such as TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram certainly have their upsides, like facilitating communication and widespread news. However, the unlimited correspondence and the mask that social profiles provide has led to the emergence of harmful subunits within these platforms.

“Eating disorder Twitter is a side of the X algorithm where mainly young individuals are together, encouraging each other to basically immerse themselves in diet culture, but unhealthily,” Summer Merworth, a former victim of toxic online spaces, said. “You know, things such as fasting, starving, low calorie recipes, sharing unrealistic goals and unhealthy expectations. They kind of recruit each other. They’re all very twisted, and some of them can be cruel, and they lie a lot, and they’ll encourage you to get worse and worse until you’re dead.”

eating disorder websites,” licensed professional counselor Jennifer Haynes said. “There are a lot of pro eating disorder threads. On every single one, they’re just all clones of one another. You can go down really scary rabbit holes and there are people who will cheer you on to do the most unhealthy things.”

“If it’s trending, the algorithm is gonna push it. They don’t care about who can see it or age limitations or anything.”

The kinds of content posted on EDtwt varies. Sometimes, people are degrading themselves–posting their own bodies on a public platform and asking their followers to insult them for “motivation.” Sometimes, these young teens and adults post “fatspo”-- photos of overweight people they pass around accompanied by disturbing subheads, calling people “fatties” and “cows.”

- Khloie George

The idea that skinny is better is constantly perpetuated.

“[The community] 100% makes you worse,” George said. “It’s like a competition. Everyone’s competing with each other to be the ‘best’, which would mean getting worse. The people who are in [the community] for a long time, when they get super skinny, at first they’re like, ‘Wow, I made it.’ But after a few months, they’re like, ‘I hate my life. I wish this never happened to me.’ Like, ‘I want to get better, I just can’t.’”

These communities target teens and drive many young adults into mental volatility and instill a deep sense of insecurity in them. A prime example of one of these communities is the eating disorder society of X– formerly known as Twitter– EDtwt.

EDtwt is like its own civilization. The community has its own rules, leaders and even its own language.

“There definitely is their own terminology,” former member of X’s eating disorder community, Klohie George said. “It’s to kind of bypass the rules of social media. So, instead of typing out like the word calorie, it would just be shortened down to like ‘cals’. Or, like, if you’re talking about weights, you would have ‘GW’ which stands for goal weight, or ‘CW’ which stands for current weight.”

The majority of people who become victims of these toxic spaces are young girls. Some intentionally seek out these harmful spaces, but some are simply trying to be healthy, and the algorithm sends them down a path of unmeasurable destruction.

“There are a lot of pro

People flock to social media platforms like X to form these types of toxic communities. This is mainly due to the loose rules and regulations. According to George, the amount of harmful posts that seem to ‘slip through the cracks’ of network guidelines is becoming increasingly alarming.

“The amount of [harmful posts] that I’ve seen pushed out and even my own posts in the past being pushed out, the guidelines are just blind,” George said, “If it’s trending, the algorithm is gonna push it. They don’t care about who can see it or age limitations or anything.”

Even when people’s accounts get banned or suspended, there is nothing stopping them from restoring their platform.

“People are not going to leave these spaces until they’re ready because it gives them a sense of community,” George said. “You don’t feel as alone, so even though you might get reported 10 times– just make fake emails, fake accounts and come back.”

The most difficult part of being involved in a toxic space like EDtwt for an extended period of time is leaving. When a community and support system are intertwined with the very thing causing harm, recovery can seem impossible.

“Not everybody who’s sick for any reason is ready to recover,” Haynes said. “Maybe they’re gaining something from being sick. Maybe that’s how they have a chaotic home life, and maybe that’s how they’re getting attention. Any kind of recovery from anything doesn’t happen in a vacuum. You can’t do it alone. People evolve to live in tribes. That’s why we live in subdivisions. You can’t do things alone, and you certainly can’t go into any kind of recovery from anything alone. I don’t care if it’s your favorite door dash driver, someone can be your support system. We’ll figure it out.”

Are you or someone you know struggling with disordered eating? Scan the QR code above for help, information, and resources.

SCROLLING INTO DANGER

by Zoe Lobato zlabato998@g.fhsdschools.org

“If I follow these rules, then I’m valid,” Klohie George, an 18-year-old diagnosed with anorexia, would repeat. In 2022, George joined the X community: one of the largest platforms for normalized anorexic behaviors and weight loss culture. George latched on to this, consuming media that validated others for their unhealthy practices, and was encouraged to follow in their footsteps.

“The kind of posts that drew me towards this community were the tips, tricks, and guides,” Klohie George, a former member of toxic online communities from Utah, said. “I’m a bit of a perfectionist, so having a sense of rules that I could follow made everything seem real.”

According to George, these ‘recommendations’ remain dangerous, setting a baseline that is unattainable for anybody to maintain safely.

“They were stupid rules,”

George said. “If the average amount of calories eaten by an anorexic was 500, then it’s like, ‘okay, I can’t go over that, because that’s the average.’”

Due to the harmful information being spread, individuals trapped in this toxic cycle become disagreeable, which causes tension to pile up in already toxic spaces.

“Everybody is starved and passive-aggressive [in online spaces],” George said. “So, there’s a lot of backhanded comments.”

For George, recovery was only possible when she accepted that even once she started to change, she would still be valid.

“You spend so much time trying to reach a certain point, so it feels like it’s all been wasted,” George said. “You want to hold on to it, because why did I do this for so long, just for the outcome to be me going back to normal?”

SEARCHING FOR RECOVERY

by Zoe Lobato zlobato998@g.fhsdschools.org

Obsession is easily developed: liking a post for a creator going after the ‘supermodel’ look, following an account promoting 1,200 calories per day, trying out weight loss ‘tips.’ Compulsion takes the wheel; escape feels impossible.

“When [the eating disorder community online] was something I was into, I felt trapped by the internet, because it was all I was seeing,” Summer Merworth, an 18-year-old content creator from New Jersey diagnosed with anorexia, said. “It was all I was searching.”

Entering this side of Twitter, people don’t just see unhealthy behaviors and mindsets, but are encouraged to embrace them, encouraged to mimic those seen on the screen.

“I would always idolize these other girls on Twitter,”

Merworth said. “I would dress like them, post like them, do my hair like them. Try to achieve their figure. All of it.”

Perception of oneself is now skewed, and without the ability to feel good about themselves, they look to other people for their sense of selfworth, posting the very things that pushed them into this destructive cycle.

“Honestly, the only way I’d cope whenever I felt bad about myself is purposely looking for praise on the internet,” Merworth said. “Posting myself and then waiting for the compliments to roll in.”

Change is hard-earned: unfollow accounts that still encourage unhealthy behavior, delete the calorie tracker and make it a priority to eat three meals a day. Merworth is now fully recovered and has made the choice to be the change she needed to see.

‘I wanted to be an inspiration,” Merworth said. “So, I publicly allowed everyone to see me gain weight and tell them about my struggles. I wanted everyone to see that it’s good and okay.”

National Eating Disorder Association

22% of children and adolescents worldwide show disordered eating.

National Eating Disorder Association

Less than 6% of people with an eating disorder are medically underweight.

(National Association for Anorexia and Associated Disorders)

ENDLESS TRENDS TRIGGER MENTAL BATTLE

Eating disorders can impair mental health and cognitive function in many ways, made worse by social media’s trends and algorithms

by Abby Dunbar adunbar938@g.fhsdschools.org

Fighting an eating disorder is a constant battle. Restricting food intake can negatively impact your brain and how it functions. After a certain duration of adopting unhealthy eating habits, people who struggle with eating disorders can become extremely selfconscious. This insecurity is only intensified by the unrealistic expectations shown on social media.

“A lot of external factors can influence the way that we eat, or what we eat, or how much we eat,” dietitian Laura Bradfield said. “External factors sometimes can be really distracting from our internal cues of listening to our own body.”

The external factor that is heavily influencing everyone right now is the media, specifically social media. While trends like ‘ballerina legs,’ clean eating, and stair-master workouts are constantly being shown on For You pages, young adults are experiencing body dysmorphia and body perception difficulties more frequently.

“When we talk about body image, it is

our perception, and that we know that perceptions are not always accurate for a lot of people, but those with eating disorders, they do tend to be even more distorted,” Bradfield said. “They’re really not accurate what we see maybe in the mirror, or how we feel about our body, really typically are not accurate for those people with eating disorders.”

add to the misinformation found on For You pages.

“When we talk about body image, it it our perception, and we know that our perceptions are not always accurate.”

- Laura Bradfield, dietitian

The media and algorithms are partly to blame for the promotion of unhealthy eating habits and diet trends. Once a person likes an image or views a video about health and nutrition, the algorithm feeds them more content about food. Not all of this information is accurate, but it can look very convincing. Before long, the algorithm feeds someone so much information about so many different nutrition categories that they can forget what a healthy relationship with food really looks like. Health influencers and photo editing

“If you look up something, it feeds you a little something and then feeds you more and more of that, and then it goes more and more extreme,” psychology teacher Sean Fowler said. Constantly thinking about eating causes a mental block. These blocks may lead to increased distraction, confusion or the development of mental health problems. Dietitians and therapists work together to ease the psychological and biological factors that create an eating disorder.

“I like to ask…people or individuals why they might gravitate towards that social media,” Bradfield said, “or what is that message saying to them?” How is that affecting them, or their long term health, and overall goals?”

FROM THE INSIDE OUT

While eating disorders lie in the mind, they have disastrous short and long term effects on the body

by Samantha Hall shall102@g.fhsdschools.org

Eating disorders are mental illnesses that are defined by abnormal eating behaviors, such as eating too much or too little. Although this disorder can be rooted in the mind, it most negatively impacts the body.

The most essential way to stay alive is by fueling with food.

The first couple of days without enough food, the body relies on glycogen in the liver and muscles for energy. After an entire week without enough food, the body breaks down fat for energy, resulting in significant weight loss.

Many teens with eating disorders attempt to burn fat by prolonged fasting. Going without food can be extremely dangerous if not medically overseen. Once the two week mark without enough food hits, the body starts to feed on muscle, leading to organ failure and eventually death. Eating disorders are very harmful to the body, especially to someone who is still growing and learning, such as adolescents. Unfortunately, teenagers and young adults are the group of people who are at the highest risk of adopting such disorders.

“It was really hard to focus in school when I was starving,” said senior Kyra Landers, who has struggled with an eating disorder in the past. “Especially as a high school student when your grades are setting you up for your future, your physical health and being fed and safe is so important.”

Not fueling the body properly slows growth, decreases blood pressure, causes anxiety, tiredness and dizziness. Underfueling also causes a person’s stomach to upset, resulting in constipation and bloating. It also does significant damage to bone health, creating an increase of injury, especially if that person is exercising or doing sports. Additionally, it can be extremely detrimental to dental hygiene. The bones that make up teeth can decay if they are not being given the correct nutrients. Beyond that, those who suffer from bulimia and adjacent disorders are subject to frequent regurgitation. Vomiting exposes teeth and gums to stomach acid, which results in the erosion of the bones and enamel which make up teeth. The longer someone has an eating disorder, the more severe these effects will become, and the more brittle their immune system will be.

MOST COMMON EATING DISORDERS

“It physically impacted my body by bruising really easily and getting tired easily,” Landers, who used to be on FHN’s wrestling team, said.

Although eating disorders do a large amount of harm to the body, there are ways to recover, such as going to treatment centers or going to a dietitian. Different things work for different people, but there

Source: National Eating Disorders Collaboration

are solutions for even the worst of cases. For the majority of people who have struggled with an eating disorder, recovery can take years. Reaching out for help as soon as possible will lead to a faster recovery.

“With proper treatment and proper nutrition, things can be reversed,” dietitian Laura Bradfield said. “However, there can be some long lasting consequences depending on severity. How quickly they get diagnosed or treated can predict recovery factors.”

VALID ADVICE IN A FEED FULL OF UNQUALIFIED INFLUENCERS

There are tons of “professionals” on the internet who often end up promoting certain products or give unqualified advice, but there are other ways to get help than from influencers

The bigger social media gets and the more often people are online, the more there is a growing community of self-proclaimed doctors that provide medical information over sites like TikTok and Instagram.

For some, it may be nice to have such easily accessible health information, but that doesn’t necessarily mean people are getting reliable, scientific information.

Anyone can put on a white lab coat and stethoscope, claim they’re a doctor and spread misinformation, which opens up the possibility of doing more harm than good.

“I think there is definitely what’s kind of called ‘pop-psychology’”, said Taylor Viehman, a child, youth and family therapist.

“And I think with social media, we’re just so naturally drawn to comparing ourselves to other people as humans.”

Misinformation can happen greatly when involving healthy eating habits. TikTok “dietitians” will come online and say the “top 10 secrets of losing weight”, and maybe even try to sell a “miracle product.” And while these methods could potentially help someone lose weight, there is no guarantee that it is healthy or safe to do.

According to the Mental Health Foundation, for young women especially, by Haley Beffa hbeffa397@g.fhsdschools.org

weight and body image is constantly playing in the back of their minds. Society pushes their unhealthy standards of being a certain height, a certain weight, a certain body type, onto any young mind they can. If they don’t fit up to those standards, it can have a damaging effect on their mental wellbeing. This can cause teen girls to want to do anything to lose weight, going so far as to even take advice from people online.

But there are better alternatives.

According to Viehman, talking to licensed dietitians, doctors and those in the nutrition field will always be leagues better than trusting a stranger on the internet. Everyone is different and has different needs, meaning what works for some may not work for others. But if that isn’t easily accessible or offered to some, there are hot-lines and trustworthy, reliable online resources that can provide factual and structured information, coming straight from professionals. Taking advice from people on the internet that lack a professional background will never end well, and will likely cause more damage in the long run. Viehman suggests reaching out to the National Eating Disorder Association, or a school counselor.

“I think that everyone is just doing their best,” Viehman said. “No one ever has the right to make any comment on anyone’s body. Every body is different.”

1 It’s a Choice

Contrary to what many believe, eating disorders are a mental disorder resulting from an imbalance of neurotransmitters, just like depression or anxiety.

2 Only White Teen Girls Have Eating Disorders

Any person of any sex, ethnic group, or age can develop an eating disorder.

3 Disordered People are Attention Seeking

In fact, most patients report hiding their disorder and body for an extended period of time before they sought help.

4 It’s “Just a Phase” Most eating disorders develop as a coping mechanism and can become deadly if ignored and left untreated.

5 Recovering is Easy, “Just Eat”

Eating disorders are not just about food. It’s impossible to fully recover without establishing healthy coping mechanisms and building confidence.

6 Fat People Can’t Have Eating Disorders

In reality, a vast majority of people with eating disorders have a healthy or overweight BMI. Eating disorders are mental disorders, not physical disorders.

Source: University of Rochester Medical Center

NORTH STAR

FHN

Designed by Claira Price

Below are some examples of gifts that people have received for Hanukkah.

Cash

CELEBRATING HANUKKAH

FHN students explain what Hanukkah is to them, and share gifts they would typically receive, which vary all over from books to tennis shoes (Content by Bella Vassoller)

Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday celebrated by few at FHN, but it’s still an important part of who FHN students are and what they value.

“It’s based on a story where the oil was supposed to only burn for one day but it burned for eight days instead,” sophomore Aaron Shack said.

In order to decide when Hanukkah begins, Hanukkah celebrators follow a Jewish calendar called the Jewish Lunisolar Calendar. The calendar fluctuates and does not contain the same amount of days every year, so in order to decide when Hanukkah will begin, the 25th day of the ninth month on the calendar begins the 8-day celebration. This year the holiday will begin on the night of Dec. 14 and end on the night of Dec. 22.

“Basically, you get one gift a day for the eight days,” sophomore Ismael Estrad said.

“Usually, the first day is a small gift and it builds up to the eight day, being a large gift.”

Like any other holiday, different families will celebrate Hanukkah a different way. Oftentimes families will have themes following their nights, or will choose to not receive a gift every day.

“Every family celebrates in a different way,” senior Carson Howard said. “On my dad’s side I only celebrate 3 to 4 days of Hanukkah, so last year, some of the gifts I got were a polo shirt and golf balls.”

FHN students have all sorts of differences that set them apart, one of those being the holidays they celebrate. Even through the differences, Knights stay united, and can all still appreciate the value of the holiday season.

“Hanukkah is basically like Christmas with a different origin, but it’s really about the same thing of giving and receiving presents and being with family,” Shack said.

HANUKKAH WORD SEARCH

QUICK HISTORY

Here is a simple, brief overview about the history of Hanukkah according to Wikipedia

There once was a place of worship used by the Jewish called the Second Temple. In 168 BCE, the Greek-Syrian King named Antiochus IV Epiphanes banned Jewish practices and forced Jews to worship Greek gods. The Maccabee family, which was a family of Jewish priests, led a rebellion against the Syrians which is now referred to as the Maccabean Revolt. In 164 BCE, the Maccabees won the war and regained the Second Temple. Upon entering the temple, they found that the Menorah only had enough sacred oil left for one day of light. Strangely, it burned for eight days, which was enough time for them to produce more sacred oil. This is where the eight-day celebration and the significance of the number eight came from.

FUN FACTS

(Content by Carly Dyson) (Ilustration by Naomi VanDyne)

Hanukkah is not mentioned in the Bible Chanukah is another, more traditional name for Hanukkah. Instead of potato latkes, an older tradition is to eat cheese pancakes, or cheese latkes. Tuesday is the only day of the week in which Hanukkah cannot start. Hanukkah was originally considered a minor Jewish custom, but is now a very important celebration.

HANUKKAH UNSCRAMBLE

Unscramble the following Hannukah gifts (Content by Peyton Thies and Carly Dyson)

STUDENTS GET INVOLVED WITH LOCAL CHURCH

biblical lessons while balancing fun and play.

“It makes me hopeful for the future, and it’s exciting to teach everyone,” Hanson said. “I recommend it to everyone, you should definitely start, even if you start with something small and work your way up.”

HCC has deep roots within its community. High school pastor Sam Skaggs was once a North student himself and attended Harvester’s youth group nights. He now leads schools all over the community, developing small group and large group leaders, creating sermons, lessons, and is one of the faces for the largely attended “Harvester HS Nights” where many FHN students are on Sunday afternoons.

with his group of fourth and fifth graders, spreading gospel and

WINTER ACTIVITIES IN THE AREAS NEAR YOU

(Photos from Shutterstock)

• Chicken N Pickle

• Steinberg Seasonal Skating Rink

• Centene Community Ice Center

• St Peters Rec-Plex

• Creve Coeur Ice Arena

• Webster Groves Ice Arena

• Kirkwood Ice Arena

“For me, I love seeing all the students not just pouring out their gifts and abilities for the people, but for their family and friends,” said Skaggs. “It’s one thing for us as the church and adults to put something on for the kids, but it’s completely different for students to be a part of the church and create these events, invite their friends to read scripture, sing a worship song, or even hear a testimony.”

EXPLORING POPULAR WINTER ACTIVITIES WITH STUDENTS AT FHN

by Sienna Randle Srandle854@g.fhsdschools.org

There’s no denying that winter is here, and the holidays are just around the corner. Though many want to stay indoors as the temperatures drop to a new low, it’s time to explore all of the possible activities one could enjoy this winter. When it comes to the outdoors, there’s plenty of options to look at, such as going out to an ice skating rink, or staying at home and having snowball fights or sledding in one’s backyard.

“[My favorite winter activity is] outdoor ice skating definitely,”

freshman Evelyn Prinster said. “I love ice skating.”

Although one might want to enjoy the winter from the sidelines, there are plenty of indoor options as well. One of these options is enjoying indoor sports like volleyball or basketball. Some other options are things like simply just enjoying one’s home, sitting down snuggled up in some blankets or relaxing at a cafe with a hot cup of chocolate. “I like being by a fireplace and watching a movie,” sophomore Emily Paden said.

Senior Cameron Burris gives advice to his middle school youth group, which he leads on Wednesday at Harvester Christian Church. (Photo by Nadia Okilee)

(Illustration by Jules De Los Reyes)

SWIG ARRIVES IN ST. CHARLES

by Katie Paul kpaul371@g.fhsdschools.org

With hundreds of different dirty soda combos and the logo on their styrofoam cups, Swig has made its way into St. Charles, bringing a unique beverage spot to the area. Based in Utah, the soda chain is slowly expanding to the Midwest and has won over residents and visitors.

“I really like the atmosphere,” junior Moira Dustin said. “I feel like all the employees are friendly and have good recommendations for what to get, and I’ve never had a bad experience with any of them.”

Swig has continued to remain busy, with heavy drive-thru traffic and a constant flow of customers.

“I waited about 10 minutes,” sophomore Hannah Palmer said. “It wasn’t too busy, but there was still a decent amount of people there.”

As Swig attracts more customers, its variety of drink mixtures is endless.

“My go-to order in Utah was the hula girl,” Dustin said.

By mixing soda and syrup, Swig has become the must-visit spot for students.

“If anyone was thinking about going to Swig, you totally should,” Dustin said.

TIKTOK MADE ME BUY IT

by Aerilyn Ide aide261@g.fhsdschools.org

Social media has made different products and trends go viral left and right. These products generate such high demand that duplicates of these products become just as popular. Take this year’s Labubu trend for example.

“The real one looks a lot better than the fake Labubu,” sophomore Dominic Morgan said. “The real one is better quality. I was trying to find real ones and then I saw some on Walmart.com, so I bought one. I knew it was going to be fake, so I bought it for fun.”

A dupe is a product that closely resembles another while being cheaper than the original, however, the quality of dupes vary from product to product.

“I bought the off-brand Drunk Elephant moisturizer,” freshman Abby Fister said. “I don’t know anything different about the actual lotion, just the packaging.”

TikTok is the biggest culprit for inspiring these mass shopping trends of oddly popular products.

“I saw the Dubai chocolate bar on TikTok, and then I decided to buy it because it looks so good,” junior Gracie Bitter said. “I found one at the gas station for $20 and then I made one at home. The one that I bought was too filled with pistachio and it just wasn’t as good.”

STUDYING SPOTS BECOME MORE POPULAR AS SEMESTER ENDS

by Lily Thompson lthompson080@g.fhsdschools.org

As finals week approaches, finding the perfect study spot can help students stay focused and make the most of their time, and maybe even make studying enjoyable.

“I go to Mocha Point with my friend Zoe,” junior Scarlett Fischer said. “I wanted to go somewhere new that had a better environment, because I’m used to procrastinating at other places.”

Restaurants and coffee shops such as Panera or Starbucks are common study spots during finals season. Some students, however, prefer smaller or quieter locations. Mocha Point is a Yemeni coffee shop on Main Street that provides such qualities, but libraries can often be even more quiet.

“I usually go to a more empty area like the library,” sophomore Miranda Oberlin said. Libraries remain a reliable quiet option. Most of the public libraries in the area have a designated “Teen Space,” and the Kathryn Linnemann Branch in St. Charles offers free reservable study rooms for students who want to work without interruptions.

While many students choose public spaces, others may prefer studying on their own.

“I like to study at my house because it’s comfortable and pretty quiet,” freshman Hunter Bill said. “At my house I’m not bothered by anything around me.”

WHERE DO YOU PREFER TO STUDY?

“The library is really peaceful and quiet, and I have no choice but to do my work when I’m there.”

Lewis, 10

“The Learning Commons, it’s usually really quiet there, and I get to focus on my studies and on the stuff that I need to learn

(Photo by Eashaan Patel)

View of Panera’s dining room in Mid Rivers, a popular place to study (Photo by Haley Beffa)

“My favorite drink is a root beer with vanilla cream and toasted

“I love Dr Pepper and I love peach.”

Elana Farrar, 9

Karley

Barista at Swig, St. Peters, hands a costumer a drink (Photo by Kira Pierce.)

BEST OF FIRST SEMESTER FEATURE PHOTOS

From the gym to science classes, students have been active in and out of the classroom throughout the semester.

Senior Morgan Smith gets a pie to the face by Thomas Moran during the annual Black and Gold Day to fundraise for the Goonies. Many clubs fundraise by selling merchandise or running activities.

(Photo by Nadia Okilee)

Senior Olivia Gietl snarles after making a play in the 2025 Powderpuff game. The game took place on Oct. 1, the Wednesday before the annual Homecoming dance.

The Senior Class of 2026 went on to win the game. (Photo by Kailyn Mort)

Riley Riggs takes part in FCA’s See You at the Pole. The club holds the event once a year at the flag pole that stands outside the Francis Howell North campus. This is a time where members of the club join hands and are led in a prayer and interact with their peers and community. (Photo by Claire Locke)

Joey Ingracia plays Hungry Hippo at the annual Homecoming Pep Assembly on Oct. 3 after second hour. The assembly had a mix of games, fall athletes running out and annoucements for the festivities following. The Homecoming game took place that night with the dance taking place the following. (Photo by Claire Brightwell)

Hezkiel Dubale serves Chili Mac at Culture night on Oct. 9. Culture night was hosted by Triple A and MAC Scholars as a way for student to share their cultures at home with their peers. The event featured foods and preformances put together by groups of students and families. (Photo by Claire Brightwell)

Claire Lee plays in a relay held in Mrs. Soltysiak’s third hour Honors Biology class on Oct. 31. The students were given an activity pertaining to their unit on protien synthesis and mutations. Multple stations were set up around the room and hallways with challeneges to eventually uncover a halloween themed phrase. (Photo by Eashaan Patel)

Isiah Moore takes notes in Eric Webster’s Honors US History class as they talk about different technoligies used in war during the 1920s. This is Webster’s first year teaching as North and serving as head coach of the football team. (Photo by Layla Williams)

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WINTER SPORTS: GAME OF THE WEEK LIVESTREAMS

Check out the livestreams for part one of the winter sports season. Livestreams are found on @FHNtoday on YouTube (Photos by Bri Dunham & Angelee Orozco )

WRESTLING BOYS BASKETBALL GIRLS BASKETBALL

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Jan. 14th at 6:00 p.m.

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Jan. 27th at 5:30 p.m.

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THE FRESHMAN FIVE

Now seniors, five who made varsity as freshmen lead the team that once lead them

by Ezana Dubale edubale460@g.fhsdschools.org

At the beginning of the 20222023 school year, the varsity girls’ basketball team had five freshmen on the roster, endearingly named the “Freshman Five”. These girls included Morgan Smith, Elise Grimshaw, Olivia Graeser, Addy Jones and Courtney Epplin. Three of the girls stepped up from junior varsity, and two were picked directly for the team. This was a significant shift in the team’s roster, surprising everyone involved. Head coach Danielle Rampley was the first to know.

“The year before, we had lost around six seniors, so I knew the class coming in had a large group of freshmen,” Rampley said. “They were all skilled, they played well together, they were good friends, and I just think bringing them up together made sense.”

These freshmen would find themselves skipping the low-paced junior varsity play and going straight to more experienced competition.

“I think that it was a big role that we all had to step into,” Smith said. “All of us getting into our first varsity game was such a surreal moment for us, and it was scary, but it led us to where we are now.”

Their first year on the team was an

adventure in more ways than one. As they navigated new roles and worked to understand the team in and out, every practice showed them something new about their play style and the program they’d joined

“I would say our first year was very focused on learning,” Graeser said. “Learning where we fit in with the team, seeing the leadership that’s already on the team and developing that within ourselves. Coming from eighth grade to varsity is a big jump, so getting used to how they play, and how Rampley likes to coach, was something we had to learn too.”

Since there were so many freshmen on the team, none of them could shy away from their role. Everyone played to their strengths and put in all they could for the team.

“We definitely had to step up,” Jones said. “The older girls expected a lot out of us because around half our team was freshmen. We just really had to step up and meet the expectations that were needed for varsity a little earlier than most people.”

But through it all, they supported and listened to each other, facing every challenge with confidence and discipline.

“If one of us is down, we’re all down and we’re all lifting each other up,” Smith said. “It’s a five-month long season, so of course

there’s gonna be setbacks, and there’s gonna be negative moments. But I think just being good friends gives you someone to lean on in those tough moments. So, through those setbacks, knowing that we’re all going through the same thing together just helps you through that mental block, and reminds you that you’ll get through it all together, no matter your setbacks or challenges.”

And come their junior year, things started to get serious. They had experience, and they began to step up into their new role on the team.

“Coming into sophomore and junior year, we had a much bigger role to play,” Smith said. “Sophomore year got a lot of us more playing time, and junior year was the big switch where you had me and Addy Jones as captains on the team. So, I think a lot of us had to step into that leadership role and help with keeping the team spirits high.”

This wasn’t an easy change. The move from being just a member on a team to a leader can be a difficult one for some. For Rampley though, she feels it pushed these girls to reach their potential and become the best players they could be.

“I don’t think I gave them a choice,” Rampley said. “The girls that play a big role on our team, that start, that score our points, they knew what they needed to do, and I think they embraced it. Some of them rose above what I expected, and figured out that they’re really good basketball players. I think

The five seniors, from left to right, include Morgan Smith, Courtney Epplin, Olivia Graeser, Elise Grimshaw, and Addy Jones all smile and laugh as they engage in a group hug. (Photo taken by Kylie Ramirez)

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FINDING A PLACE TO BELONG

OPINION

Eric Taylor

’m not like anyone else. I’m broken and have a brace on my leg. I was born with Cerebral Palsy. A physical disability that has permanently affected my daily lifestyle day in and day out. It left me wishing to do more, to be

team gave me the social life that I needed? At that moment, my life was a constant back and forth from school to homework, day in and day out, and suddenly, I was missing the benefits sports gave me.

Although I couldn’t bear not fitting in again on a team or being the worst out of everyone. It was against my perfectionist nature, and this trend continued over and over for a few months, until I found my community during fifth grade, DASA.

DASA stands for the Disabled Athletes Sports Association, and that is where I started finding true happiness in the world of sports. They offered a variety of different

they just didn’t have that confidence in their younger years.”

And so, they held strong throughout the changes in their team’s structure, continuing to support one another like they always had.

“[I just knew] that whenever I missed a shot or messed up a play, they still had my back,” Grimshaw said. “They encouraged me, and I [knew] that I could rely on every teammate I have on the bench and on the floor.”

And the support they give to one another is a great reflection of the connections they’ve built and the friendships they have with each other.

“I would say it’s definitely more than basketball,” Jones said. “Lucky me, I’ve been playing with a lot of them since I was in third grade. If we were playing other sports, not all of us would have connected. But I’m really happy we did all connect, because I feel like we match really well, and thrive off each other.”

Today, these five are still playing. This final season, the five are now in their senior year, and they’re all working to end it on a good note, including their coach.

“I hope they go out and just leave it all out on the court,” Rampley said. “I don’t want them to have any regrets… I think they’re ready to have a great senior year. We’re adding more freshmen to our team this year, so I hope they can be leaders for those freshmen who are coming in.”

Epplin stands at 5’8 and plays as a Shooting Guard

Courtney Epplin

Jones stands at 5’8 and plays as a Power Forward.

Addy Jones

7:00 p.m. @ FHC 12/10

6:00 p.m. @ FHH 12/16

7:00 p.m. @ FHN 1/7

7:00 p.m. @ Troy 1/14

GIRLS WRESTLING MATCHUPS

5:00 p.m. @ FHC 12/10

7:00 p.m. @ FHN 1/7

6:00 p.m. @ FHN 1/14

NAVIGATING THE TAKEDOWN

When injuries take wrestlers off the mat, the entire team feels the impact, but athletes and coaches adapt, recover and fight

by Alexis Hunter ahunter097@g.fhsdschools.org

Wrestling is a high intensity sport, requiring levels of endurance and strength most don’t realize. With that comes high risk of injuries occurring.

For wrestlers, coaches and teams as a whole, a single injury can affect the dynamic of an entire team and performance status.

The most common injuries are knee, ankle and shoulder. Recovery time looks different for all wrestlers.

“It all depends on the athlete and it depends on how serious the injury is,” Sean Fowler said. “It’s hard to say how long they will be out for. Most of them bounce back pretty well. One thing to look out for is having athletes coming back too soon, that risks them injuring themselves.”

Playing a key role on the team and needing to take time off to recover from an injury can be detrimental to the team performance.

“When someone’s injured, it’s gonna affect the team in a couple ways,” Fowler said. “If you have a number of athletes, it’s a next one-up situation. Someone who was behind them, maybe JV or whatnot, can move into varsity. So, it’s an opportunity for them, but typically speaking, it will hurt the team, potentially with the team score, especially if there is nobody to step into that position.”

Coaches must find a solution that best fits in the moment and allow their team to adapt to the changes. When injuries happen, there are lots of changes that have to happen, changes that also apply to the wrestlers.

“They’re not just teammates, they’re also competing,” Fowler said. “Being practice players is one thing that can be really problematic when one is out. Like if you have a really good practice partner and they get injured, then you have to try to adjust the best you can. Although, it’s a double-edged sword because the benefit of that is you get to see a different style of wrestling and you maybe become better.”

Coaches are affected as well and must not show any disappointment or worry as they are to be there for the wrestler and the team as a whole. However, they too are affected and can be disappointed.

“I’ve had some injuries over time, and your number one responsibility as a coach is to keep your athletes safe,” Fowler said. “When they get injured, especially when it’s a serious injury, you ask yourself questions, like, is there something I could have done to avoid this or whatnot? So, there’s a certain level of responsibility you take, even when there’s not much you could have done about it.”

To prevent injuries from happening so often, Fowler teaches his athletes special moves and techniques that avoid this problem. Additionally, when someone gets hurt, his words of advice go a long way.

“[I tell the athletes] ‘hey, you’re okay, you’re not letting anyone down. You’ve got to take care of yourself right now,’” Fowler said.

From a wrestler’s standpoint, they often feel defeated. Their goals are being put on

(Photo by Nadia Okilee)

THE COST OF LATE PRACTICES

Late-night practices are pushing swimmers to balance fatigue, schoolwork, and performance in and out of the pool

by Jocelyn Kuker jkuker325@g.fhsdschools.org

Most high school sports have their practices right after school, but people don’t often think about the sports that can’t practice at Francis Howell North. The girls’ swim team practices at the St. Peter’s Rec Plex, resulting in their practices being from 8-10 p.m.

“Because we don’t have a pool to ourselves, we share the Rec Plex with the Sharks,” junior Moira Dustin said. “Because [the Sharks] are their club team, they give them the earlier practice opportunities.”

The Knights also share the pool with schools including St. Dominic, Liberty and Francis Howell Central, because Pattonville is the only school in the area with its own pool. A lot of swimmers also notice that because of their late practices, they have struggles that translate into their personal lives. Many girls aren’t accustomed to the late practices, causing them to struggle with balancing both their academic life and social life during swim season.

“A lot of the girls who swim club are very used to swimming at the prime practice hours,” girls swim and dive coach Rowan Pugh said. “So, when you have club

swimmers who want to swim high school, they now have to practice at later times, so it’s difficult for them to adjust. We do have girls that chose not to swim high school because of this.”

Many girls really feel the effects of the late nights during school. Not only do the swimmers have to get home, but they also have to get ready for bed, wind down and get any extra schoolwork done. With the little amount of sleep they get, it affects their productivity during school, and can make it hard for them to concentrate on their work when they’re sleep deprived.

“During swim season I am more prone to sleeping during class,” Dustin said. “I also struggle with paying attention in class and keeping up with my work.”

The swimmers have to adapt in many ways because of the times of practice. Many of them notice themselves falling asleep in class or having a harder time paying attention. Though the times of practice are difficult, over the years, they have found ways to cope.

“I try to nap as much as I can and sign up for tutoring programs that help me learn what I missed in class,” Dustin said. “I also

have found catching up on sleep and late assignments over the weekend is a nice way to keep organized.”

Not only does it impact the swimmers, but Pugh also notices the effects of having practices late.

“I’ve noticed my head is more in a fog,” Pugh said. “I mean, you’re getting five hours of sleep on a good night so it makes it very difficult.”

Not only does the availability of practice times affect the mental aspects of both the girls and their coach, it also affects the productivity of their team and what they can get done during practice times.

“We also kind of give up time in the pool to let girls go early, go home early,” Pugh said. “We will practice Monday, Wednesday, Friday, 7:30-9:30 p.m., but we can only be in the pool from 8-9:30 p.m., where other teams get that full pool time.”

SEARCHING FOR SLEEP

The girls not only go to sleep later due to practice times, but still have to wake up

Though these times are difficult, Pugh and the team really try to be positive and work with the practice times they are given.

“The girls are amazing and they really do make the best out of the time slots,” Pugh said. “We do still get a lot done with the time we are given to practice.”

“My nights end around [midnight] and I have to be up at 5 a.m. for church classes.”

Dustin, 11

“I go to bed at 11:30 p.m. and wake up at 5 a.m.”

Mattalyn Gibbs, 10

Senior Jasmyn Moody performs the butterfly stroke at a Tri-Meet against Fort Zumwalt East and Timberland last year. The girls took second at this meet, showcasing various skills, such as the butterfly stroke. (Photo by Jordan Ousley)

Moira

DOUBLE THE DRIVE

Oster brothers look to use their sibling chemistry on the basketball court

by Morgan Smith msmith922@g.fhsdschools.org

Chemistry is one of the most important parts when it comes to playing sports. Teams get the furthest when they are all on the same page. Some of the strongest chemistry comes from friends on the field, but for older brother Cohen and younger brother Beckett, their bond comes from something more than just a friendship. It comes from their relationship as brothers. Growing up together gives them a normal sibling partnership, but when it comes to the basketball court, they have a bond most can’t compete with.

“Me and Cohen play basketball together everyday,” Beckett said. “We either 1v1 or we spend time just getting shots up which really helps us out on the court.”

Practice is such a crucial part of playing sports, and it’s hard sometimes to practice alone. Having someone like a sibling makes it a lot easier to practice on their own and get better. They get up, and work for what they want no matter the time and weather.

“We work really hard no matter what it is,” Cohen said. “We also can be competitive so that’s always helpful.”

But having a sibling with the same passion as you, and the same position as you, may not always feel positive. The boys have avoided this for a while by playing for two different clubs, but making the transition from club to high school may spark new issues. Fighting for minutes, and arguing on the court are just two of the many things that can translate over to the court when having a sibling on the same team. And

although they have gone through those moments in the past, they choose to find ways to support each other.

“Yeah, we definitely argue with each other on the court,” Cohen said. “But it is cool just to see him and how he has gotten better over the years.”

Many athletes strive to make not only themselves proud, but also their parents and the people who support them every day. Some athletes may have a built-in pressure if their parent is a coach, which for Cohen and Beckett, is the case. Their father, Trevor Oster, is a coach at FHN for the boys basketball program.

“The best part of coaching them is just watching them grow up together,” Trevor said. “Seeing the hard work, the laughs, the progress. It’s been awesome to be part of it.”

There is always someone watching, at every practice, every game, and every day outside of sports. But with grit and

THROUGHOUT THE YEARS

Pictures of the Oster brothers growing up together

BETTER SHOE WINS

determination like theirs, many parents would be lucky to find kids like them.

“I love getting to watch them play together,” Stefanie Oster, the boys’ mother said. “My favorite thing about watching my sons play together is just how strong their bond has gotten stronger through basketball.”

The brothers are using their chemistry to their advantage this year on the high school court. Cohen looks to keep his legacy, whereas Beckett looks to start a new one of his own. After playing together side by side on the driveway, their own personal strengths may be what the program needs to succeed this season. Cohen was a leader on the team when it came to assists and steals, with 41 steals and 52 assists which he looks to continue in this upcoming season.

We just share such a great bond with each other,” Cohen said. “I think we have all of our experiences and things we did together growing up to thank for that.”

The Oster brothers play varsity together. Beckett Oster is one of two freshmen on the team. (Photo by Charleigh Olshwanger)

Beckett Oster, 2014

Young Beckett in fun car ride with family.

Cohen Oster, 2012 Cohen in individual shot for family pictures.

Beckett & Cohen Oster, 2021 Siblings win basketball tournament.

Beckett & Cohen Oster, 2016 The boys matching in the kitchen.

Beckett & Cohen Oster, 2018 The two at a professional basketball game.

Beckett & Cohen Oster, 2017 Brothers at the beach on vacation.

Beckett & Cohen Oster, 2025 Brothers pose for homecoming dance.

“Mine are better then Cohen’s because they just look a lot cooler than his.”

Beckett Oster, 9

AVOID BURNOUT

What do athletes at North do to avoid burnout in demanding high schools sports? How do they keep going? Since it’s common to leave what they love in high school, here is what a few said.

THE STATS

“I make sure I am hydrated and focused on my breathing. I also like to eat a healthy meal before I leave.”

Arianna Dangi, 11

Students at FHN deal with burnout, but statistics show that so do a majority of high school athletes in the nation.

1 91% Experience stress

and

MORE THAN JUST MUSCLE

Athletes share how balancing mental and physical health leads them to stay confident and preform their best

by Nicole Knop nknop413@g.fhsdschools.org

W5 WAYS TO AVOID BURNOUT

Here are five ways that athletes can avoid burn out during their intense season

1. Encourage proper fueling and recovery

2. Promote a healthy training balance

3. Focus on metal motivation

4. Create a supportive environment

5. Recognize when it’s time for a break

hen participating in a sport, a huge part of being successful is not only being physically fit but also being mentally fit. Many athletes struggle with finding a balance between the two. But when athletes accomplish this, there are so many benefits that come along with it.

“If you’re not in the right mental state, then it kind of brings your entire game down,” senior golfer Addyson Brenner said. “You obviously need to be physically fit, but it’s mainly mental.”

A huge component that affects mental health is the pressure to win and accomplish the goals an athlete has set for themselves. Learning to accept the outcome of an event no matter how it goes, is one of the toughest things an athlete has to learn.

“After a loss I have to tell myself that I’ll do better next time,” wrestler Jordyn Hollis said. “I try harder after that and practice even more and it makes me feel better about the loss because I know I am doing everything I can.”

When finding this balance, an athlete’s mental toughness can also increase. This allows athletes to get out of their head and focus on selfconfidence. Although this task is hard, being able to even acknowledge it is one step closer to success.

“I’m in my head a lot, whether it’s in a match or I didn’t feel like I did good enough

in general,” Hollis said. “I do get disappointed, and sometimes it is hard to get out of my head after stuff like this happens.”

A 2023 Holston Academy survey revealed that a very large percent of high school athletes experienced some level of stress due to their sport, with 58% of those students reporting a moderate to an extreme amount of stress.

2

Finding ways to cope with frustration and self-doubt is a difficult challenge athletes face. For many, the key lies in creating consistent routines to decrease injury as well as being able to treat an injury effectively.

“I have back problems, so I use ice or my massage gun on it to relieve the pain,” Brenner said. “This does affect how I play sometimes, but I usually am able to push through the day and tend to it after my match.”

With recovery playing a vital role in keeping athletes healthy, it is important to use the correct recovery techniques. Physical recovery isn’t just about healing the muscles, though. It is also about keeping a positive mindset through the process.

“I also make sure I have all of my uniform and anything extra I need before a game packed the night before so I can go to bed stressfree and not have to worry about it in the morning before I leave for school.”

Mason Scott, 11

45% Didn’t have fun

In a Youthcast Media Group survey of high school students throughout the country, almost half said the sport became to competitive and was no longer the fun they enjoyed.

“I don’t work my body as much as I used to,” Hollis said. “I have to take breaks more often, but it’s worth it because I am able to last the entire practice and still feel like I improved and accomplished things during that time.”

Hollis and Brenner both highlight that developing a healthy mindset can make all the difference when participating in sports. But support systems can help this be accomplished quickly.

“My biggest piece of advice is to make sure you have a good relationship with your coaches and teammates,” Brenner said. “That is one thing I always make sure I have as they help me stay calm before a match and try to be confident throughout the season.”

“When I feel unsure about my sport, I always go and talk to my friends about how I am feeling. They allow me to talk about how I am feeling and give me reassurance.”

Danny Shi, 11

3 70% Quit by age 13

According to a 2024 report by the American Academy of Pediatrics, 70% quit their specific sport by age 13 before they even make it to high school.

“I like to listen to music and just chill before a game so I am calm and ready.”

Mason Rentfro, 10

More Info

Scan the QR code for more information on the statistics provided above.

Athletes handle mid-game pressure to perform their best and achieve the outcome they are striving for. With a lot of pressure on them they need to stay mentally strong to keep up with the game and teammates around them. (Photo illustration by Kylie Ramirez, Leyna Kindermann,

Reina Murell)

WINTER SPORTS MEDIA DAY

Media Day for Winter sports took place on Nov. 9

GIRLS WRESTLING

BOYS WRESTLING

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Jillian Hoelting is a senior on the girls varsity wrestling team. Varsity girls will face FHC in their next match at Central on Dec. 10.

(Photo by Samantha Shoulta)

Junior Dane Mullins has been on the boys wrestling team since his sophomore year. The team will host their home opening match on Dec. 17, against Howell.

(Photo by Kiley Wallace)

Juniors Jenna Smith and Mason Scott stand side by side for pictures, representing the varsity girls basketball team. On Dec. 11, the team will play against Duchesne for their fourth game of the season. (Photo by Taylor Griffin)

CHEER

Cheer upperclassmen posed for their last media day together as varsity cheerleaders. “I’ll miss how enjoyable the seniors made practices,” junior cheerleader Brooke Sholtz said. “They are all such nice and fun people to be around.” (Photo by Kiley Wallace)

BOYS BASKETBALL

Junior Jaxon Eyre joined the varsity boys basketball team this year after transferring from Lutheran High last year. The varsity team will play at Warrenton on Dec. 16 for the next game of their season.

(Photo by Taylor Griffin)

KNIGHTLINE

Freshman Charlotte Leighton posed in Knightline’s new hip hop uniform in her first year on the dance team. The team will perform throughout the basketball season during halftime shows.

(Photo by Tasia Lowe)

In my formative years, I vividly recall watching National Treasure, and deciding, with complete sincerity, that my destiny in life was to become like Nicholas Cage. When I was younger, what I loved beyond all else were stories of secret codes and underground catacombs.

Playing Uncharted as a youth definitely didn’t help my obsession. To this day, my skills of finding conveniently placed stone levers and deciphering ancient texts remain woefully underutilized.

For years, I’d always imagined myself as some brave adventurer with lofty ambitions of discovering a hidden treasure. Sadly, growing up meant facing the grim reality that is the tragic lack of treasure maps and the slightly impractical nature of my dreams. I was still drawn to the study of history, though the thrill of discovery took on a more practical form. I joined a crowdsourced initiative to digitally transcribe historical documents. Not exactly Indiana Jones, but to me, definitely still rewarding.

One of the first texts I transcribed was a set of travel logs by a man wandering in distant lands. As I worked through the text, I could almost picture myself walking alongside him marveling at all the cathedrals and grand vistas of deciduous trees. It struck me then that perhaps my childhood instincts weren’t entirely wrong. Maybe being Nicholas Cage was a perfectly plausible goal to aspire to. After all, I’d spent a few hours with a travel log and it felt like I’d crossed continents without ever leaving my desk.

History, as it turns out, can be thrilling in its own way. Tracking some long dead figure’s journey is its own kind of adventure: there’s the occasional surprise, sudden revelations, and of course, the triumph of finally deciphering their unintelligible cursive. Sure, I may not be dodging gigantic rolling boulders or finding secret passageways (yet), but it’s close enough for me.

SOARING CONCERT PRICES CONCERN FANS

The issue with modern day live show pricing stems from several sources and is becoming an increasingly larger issue as artists gain access to large-scale productions

CD or vinyl is watching it be performed by the artist in person. These shows provide a deeper listening experience, not just because you’re hearing the louder, live instruments, but also because you get to be in a closer

WHERE CONCERT MONEY REALLY GOES

proximity to the artist you enjoy. You get to see them interact with the audience in real time, and see how they perform and what type of energy they bring to the crowd. This experience many love does have one fault, one that has grown and grown as the years have gone on. This problem is just exactly how much money your average concert costs.

Many ginormously popular bands or artists are known for their extravagant shows. It’s simple, oftentimes the more funds a band or artist rakes in, the bigger the shows can be. Things like renting out huge stadiums that hold thousands of people as opposed to smaller venues, fancy lights, pyrotechnics, large props, and in some cases, sets where you’d be forgiven for thinking you were witnessing a full play rather than a concert. One band that has always been prone to these sorts of theatrical, large showcases is the massively popular punk/emo band My Chemical Romance. Most of their albums such as “Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge,” “The Black Parade” and “Danger Days: The

(Illustration by Naomi VanDyne)

Discover where every dollar goes and why many pay $100+ for a single concert ticket.

WHICH TICKET PROVIDER IS THE MOST POPULAR?

The amount of ticket buyers that purchased tickets from the following providers according to Statista.

63% of people use Ticketmaster.

31% of people use Eventbrite

28% of people use StubHub

22% of people use SeatGeek

16% of people use Vivid Seats

APPRECIATE MUSIC THROUGH ROCK N’ ROLL

Since I was old enough to remember, I woke up in the middle of the night to the sounds of jagged music echoing and reverberating through the house. When I tip-toed from my room to see where it was coming from, it was always the same, familiar source. My dad: practicing his guitar.

As a child, I wasn’t passionate about music. The only feelings I associated with guitars and drums were the annoyance I felt when they roused me awake the night before a big math test. However, as I began my middle school years, music started appearing everywhere. Everyone was always talking about their favorite artist’s new album or their celebrity crush from a certain boy band.

I figured I might as well give music a try. With my birthday conveniently approaching, I begged my mom to buy me an iPod. After just a few months’ wait, I finally was able to get my hands on the very thing that no one could keep quiet about. Hopeful, I turned in the top 100 hits for the week. I was met with nothing except severe disappointment.

I had imagined that listening to music of my choice on my own device would be a magical experience, or at least considerably better than listening to the morning radio. However, all the songs sounded dull to me. I mindlessly hid away the new iPod in my bedside drawer with no intention of rediscovering it.

True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys” are known as “concept albums.” This means that these albums are more akin to a musical with a cohesive narrative they follow calling for larger shows. Even with these bigger shows, many criticize the band for the unreasonable prices of tickets for their upcoming tour, with prices ranging anywhere from $119 for just entry all the way up to $937. These obscene prices have been criticized by fans and detractors alike. Many believe features many ticket vendors possess like dynamic pricing, which raises and lowers prices based on supply and demand, are scummy and something the band themselves are in control of. Plenty of other huge creators use these features too, but while there may not be much you can do to stop this massive price inflation, you can choose which artists you see.

With all of this, it can be easy to lose sight of the fact that even with the insurmountable fame and attention some have gained, they are still just people. People are able to make mistakes and do wrong. You are still able

to enjoy an artist, but criticize some of the choices they make, and recognize when an unfair deal is presented. It is important to not hold someone to a higher standard just because they’ve made things you enjoy. If no one recognizes or speaks up about issues such as this, they will never be solved.

In this time of massive price hiking, there are groups of artists that do not participate, and host smaller local shows. St. Louis local band Inches from Glory charged as low as $10 for entry at a recent show. It is a simple fact that these smaller shows are often cheaper, and come with the added benefits. Not only do you get a closer and more connected experience with an artist or a band, but going to random live events near you can introduce you to new bands and genres as well.

Despite what Ticketmaster might think, fighting the rising costs of concert ticket prices is possible if people realize how unreasonable it is and look for more local bands to enjoy in the meantime.

WHICH PROVIDER IS THE MOST EXPENSIVE?

How much it costs to go to Meghan Trainor’s tour, Get It Girl, with different services.

SEATGEEK

Tickets range from $54 - $1,048

A few weeks later, I started to have trouble sleeping. A rough but melodic tune kept me up: the sound of a guitar. I thought this strange hobby was just a phase of my dad’s that he had outgrown years ago. I stomped down the steps to ask him why he was playing so late, saying how music was a waste of time and certainly not something to trade for sleep.

When my dad heard my opinion on music, his face twisted with horror. He asked how I came to such a conclusion, when there is such a variety of music in the world, each with its own unique composition and sound. I almost laughed at him. Everything I had heard up to that point had sounded exactly the same.

My dad asked me to sit down. I asked why. His answer wasn’t spoken; instead, he played me a song on his guitar. At first, I was tempted to get up and leave, but as the song went on, I became more intrigued. What he played for me was different from anything I had ever heard before. It was harsh but euphonious; symphonic but unrefined. With newly awakened curiosity, I asked him how he learned to make music sound so good. He explained to me that it sounded better to me because it was a different genre. It was called rock.

Tickets range from $42 - $402

TICKET MASTER STUBHUB

Tickets range from $62 - $756

Since that day, rock has been my favorite type of music. I have delved into numerous rock bands and songs, and at one point, I even tried to learn how to play the guitar myself. Even though that proved futile, rock music taught me how to appreciate other genres as well. I wouldn’t be who I was today without it.

RETHINKING THE APPROACH TO COLLEGE PREPARATION

As seniors begin to feel the mounting pressure of college applications, students question whether the school should be playing a more active role in aiding their preparation and easing their stress

On Behalf of the Editorial Board yourfhn@fhntoday.com

Rolling into the winter months should mean anticipating the excitement of holliday celebrations, breaks off school, and the feeling of waking up to the beautiful coat of snow. However, for many upperclassmen at FHN, they are not looking up to the mistletoe dangling above their heads, but to the impending doom of the future, and what seems like the most important decision of their lives.

Students cannot perform to their best ability... if there is not a line of open and clear communication.

The first of November was the deadline for early decision applications for the majority of colleges in the US, with the Common App website only opening a few months before. This left many students with the feeling of

stress and anxiety as their mental capacity was handling seniorities, harder classes, ACT testing and the adjustment from summer break all while gathering and completing the endless amount of paper work and materials needed for college applications.

Many students say they felt unprepared, and wish they had

gotten started with the process sooner. The past few months held some of their busiest schedules, leaving little to no time to perfect and feel confident with their application, causing another stress factor. Many also say that additional guidance or time in school would have benefited them a lot more,

especially during their junior year.

The Solution

To combat this stress some English teachers have started providing essay practice after the exam season in the spring for students their junior year, or the school-run ACT camps before that. Though these camps help with the test itself, the technicality of the Common App websites and its ins and outs are the main stressors. The same concept and scheduling of the ACT camps could be replicated with Common App or Scissor Site directions. Students could also be walked through the act of requesting a letter of recommendation: who to ask, what to as, and how to ask, along with the continuation of extended essayhelp time.

STUDENTS WEIGH IN ON PREPARING FOR THE FUTURE

Students share how they are preparing for college and what they believe the school could do to support them.

“I think the school could have a program to help out students that need it. College prep can be stressful, and a lot of people need help to know what to do.”

Ayushi Singh, 11

lot. I just took the PSAT with my counselor to plan my future classes. Personally, I think the school could help set up something that would help students figure out what they want to do. ”

Danny Shi, 11

NORTH STAR

Editors-in-Chief of

Editor-in-Chief of

Student

Camps like these would create a much smoother transition for those incoming seniors, but also take the ease of counselors, leaving them with more time to help and build connection with each individual student. Additionally, the less number of seniors stressed out and worried over school and applications would result in less “seniorities” cases, growing school attendance and grade rates. Another door this could open is additional tutoring hours for A+ or NHS students, where they can learn the ins and outs and helpI coach the camp.

We feel as this goal, if organized upon correctly, could greatly impact all upperclassmen with their transition into the next stage as well as take the ease of off staff members and educators.

Video Editors-in-Chief:

Adam Williams Olive Bosanquet Cooper Berriman

Hunter

Prakul Bhattarai Sophia

Jakob Walker

Editor-in-Chief

writing. They could also help with navigating Common App because it can be very confusing for students.”

Momina Tariq, 12

Brendan Bedwell

Ezana Dubale

Natalie Epplin

Maddie Fennell

Elise Grimshaw

Isaiah Hester

Matthew

Alexis Hunter

Kuker

Noah Ridling

Jackson Schneider

Braden Thies

Advisers:

(Illustration by Naomi VanDyne)

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