April 1st Edition- Updated

The Highlander

SA ELECTIONS ARE HAPPENING

As the school year comes to a close and the seniors prepare to say goodbye, the schools have to prepare, too. Drama will need more actors and set designers, intramurals will need more players, Gymnix will need more teammates, and the Student Association is going to need new members. Student Association (SA) is a group of students that the student body votes into office that plan school events, organize activities, and plan all things student life related. This is an important role especially at a boarding school as student life on campus is 24 hours per day. Since the end of the school year is rapidly approaching, students began campaigning to be a part of SA for next year.

Student Association has helped plan one of students’ favorite memories at Highland. One way SA livens up student life is to plan an entire week of fun ways to dress up to show school spirit and earn class points. This year was no exception. Fun was had by all as the days involved days like barbecue Dad vs. Vsco girl, Twin day, Wacky Wednesday, Camo day, Fancy Friday to encourage school spirit. They also plan an informal and formal banquet for each school year. These are just a few examples of the fun SA helps facilitate each year. There are nine candidates running for the 2024-’25 SA election. One cannot travel the halls without seeing posters all around the Ad Building in promotion of themselves attempting to win votes. Student Josias Velazquez, sophomore,

him.

says that is what he calls a friendly competition. Another student running for SA, Diego Reynoso who will be a senior next year, said the reason he is running for SA is “because I want to be a part of the action and want to give back as much as possible.”

Bailey Darrell is this year’s SA President and since she is a senior, she will not be here to run again, but she does have advice for anyone who’s running. “Work really hard, manage your time well and if you work as a team, you’ll get it all done.”

Another SA member, this year’s vice president and a senior, Jackson Roddy, says his advice for the students running is “be willing to put in hard work and try to think outside the box.”

They both said that learning to take suggestions from students and the team and working together as a team is the most important part.

Clara Reading, a sophomore, is also running for a position in SA. She is a treasure for the girls club and a part of Gymnix. She has grown a lot in the past year and she feels as if she’s grown out of her shell this year. When asked why she’s running she said “I see how Bailey and Lily are, and it makes me want to make an impact on the school.” She said what motivated her is “one day I was talking with some people and we were bouncing ideas out to each other, and they said I would be a good fit for SA.” The vote of confidence made her consider SA as a possibility. Carson Watkins is also a sophomore. Even though he was in SA this year as SA

pastor, he is running again. He really enjoys planning events and working together as a group to make student life better.

Sarang Kim will be a senior next year, and she is also running for SA. She is from Korea, lives in the dorm and is a girls’ club officer. “I want to be a part of an SA because I want to grow my leadership skills and gain experience. I have a strong passion in planning activities and have gained interactions with people to be able to make the school a better place and fun. What motivated me was seeing your current SA. It made me realize how much they do and how fun it is and seeing the activities they do fuels me with ideas that I want to do. I’ve also been SA president at my old school, so I also have some experience. SA gives a sense of community and belonging among students, organizing social events, clubs, and activities that bring students together, creating opportunities for networking, collaboration, and friendship.” Maggie Carlson is one of the two freshmen running for SA. She is Editor in Chief for the Journalism Department. She said, “I’m running for SA because it gives me an opportunity to get to know people better and make events better. I also want to use people’s suggestions and ideas more. I didn’t run for class officer specifically because I wanted to run for SA and make a bigger impact on the school than a class officer would.” Isaiah McKenzie, a junior, wants to be an SA officer. He said, “I want to have an influence in the school and be able to share my ideas and help the school have a

fun time in the SA events next year. What motivated me was seeing how well SA has done this year and in previous years. It was like, ‘wow,’ I want to be able to make that change too and help people enjoy it.”

Emma Ruckle is a junior soon and soon to be senior. When asked why she is running for SA she said, “I have a real passion for leadership in my community, and I want to lead the school in not just the fun parts of Highland but also the spiritual and social parts, and just make the community stronger as a whole.” Lyla Litchfield will be a sophomore next year. She wants to be a part of SA because she enjoys this type of leadership saying, “in this type of leadership, I can be myself and let my creativity flow. I also want to impact others around me and make a difference. I love group environments like SA where we can jump back and forth between ideas to get students involved, but overall, I just want to grow my leadership skills and make a lasting impact” on the school and the student body.

This year’s SA has planned events to keep the students active and their hard work has motivated the students running for next year’s SA to have even more fun and contribute to the overall experience of the student body. Everyone has been working really hard in order to win votes. As Darrell, current SA president said “if you work as a team, everything will get done.” Being involved in SA can provide students with opportunities to develop leadership, organizational, and communication skills. Serving in leadership roles helps students build confidence and gain valuable experience that can benefit them in their future careers. Remember to vote! Your vote counts!

brought donuts to encourage students to vote for

He

Lulu Lopez

Picture of: Carson, Isaiah, Diego, Maggie, Clara, Lyla, and Sarang

Picture of: Josias

Picture of: Emma

Pictures provided by: Naomi Houston and Izzy Laneville

Lulu Lopez

Friday evening, April 5, Fusion was held here at the Highland Academy Raphan Ley gymnasium. Fusion is a youth centered ministry for high schoolers in the Kentucky/Tennessee conference. During Fusion, students get to enjoy Christian fellowship, worship together and make new friends. On Friday, all these students came together from Madison Academy and other schools to the Highland Academy campus to welcome the Sabbath hours by praising God together. Students also got to enjoy Chipotle, which could arguably be their favorite part of the evening.

The night started off with food. Everyone got to pick their seats and talk to their peers as they shared a meal together. Pastor Ed Martone, conference Youth Director, brought prizes for everyone when they won a game and everyone got to participate. Student Karisa Hood, a sophomore from Highland Academy, won an Amazon gift card, John Mark Armstrong, a senior from Highland Academy, won an ICC Stanley Cup while other students got Fusion t-shirts. Sofia Garcia said,

“I thought the games were really fun and a creative way to get the crowd’s attention.

Even though I didn’t necessarily win anything, I had fun playing the games and trying to win.”

The praise team was formed by Highland Academy students, Sofia Alves, senior, Tanya Lunga, senior, Lulu Lopez, senior and John Mark Armstrong, senior, and were also accompanied by Pastor Will Labrenz, Highland Academy Chaplain and Bible teacher, and Donnie Underwood a Sabbath School teacher at Oasis Church in Hendersonville, Tennessee. During praise and worship, students shifted the vibe from food and fellowship to a more reverent, worshipful one.

Adriel Garcia, a senior at

Religion

KYTN FUSION VESPERS

Highland Academy said, “it’s always my favorite part and I like how students just stood up when they started feeling the Spirit move and it was a very good experience.”

Sofia Alves, also a senior at Highland Academy said, “playing the piano and singing with my group is my offering to God. I enjoy it very much and I love when I see people my age enjoy worshiping with us, too.”

and standing out for God, can be shown as and sort of how we can do it.”

Fusion is meant to help touch youths’ hearts and students’ hearts have been touched and moved through this experience. Goy Both, a junior at Highland Academy said, “Seeing adults be so passionate about helping the youth and trying to guide us in the right direction is really moving to me and I really felt touched to see

The sermon was presented to us by Jeremy Wong the new Youth Pastor at Madison Campus Church. He spoke about how all we need to do is have faith in God and trust His plan. Wong used the story of David and Goliath and applied it into modern day terms. Nobody thought David could beat Goliath until he did, and he did because he trusted in God. Wong said that we have to pray to God to help us face our goliaths of the world and in order to do that we have to have faith in our God. The God of the Impossible has bigger plans for His children. Wong moved students’ hearts in showing them this perspective they’ve probably never thought about. Alexandria Reid, “the sermon was very moving because I could see in the speaker’s face how he wanted us to understand the message and that really moved me. ”Maintaining a connection through prayer has provided a source of guidance and support during challenging times. Faith in God can offer comfort, reassurance, and strength in the face of adversity.” Nora Stevens said, “I enjoyed that he gave examples of what, standing up or standing with

all the work and things they do for us, like bringing food and snacks and playing games and worship songs that we know was also fun.” Diego Reynoso, junior at Highland Academy says that “Understanding my strengths, weaknesses, fears, and motivations provides selfawareness that allows me to assess the situation realistically and identify areas whereI may need to grow or seek support, but also knowing that is important because I might not be able to do something by my own strength that doesn’t mean God can’t. As long as I trust, I know I can go through everything.” Solomon Lewis, a senior at Highland Academy said

“the night started off great with food and the praise team who made it better.”

The KYTN conference really cares about their youth and their goal is to connect high schoolers to God and build Christ-centered friendships. They want the youth of today to be able to know that they have adults who care for them and want to see and help them grow their relationship with God .

Religion

Pictures provided by: Rachel Liu

THE BASKETBALL SEASON IS A SUCCESS

February 26, 2024, was the official start of basketball season at Highland Academy! Campus hustles and bustles with a new energy when a new season is about to start! It is the perfect time for students to showcase skills they already have, while also learning in a safe environment.

Although Highland doesn’t have teams to play competitively with other schools, that doesn’t mean they don’t have fun playing during the season. Students have intramurals, where they can sign up, teams are made, and they can compete with each other!

In many years past, the basketball games were coed. But since so many more people want to participate, there is a boys’ tournament, as well as a girls’ tournament. The girls have three teams, and the boys have eight. It is very exciting to see so many kids excited and ready to play.

Many people had fun in intramurals playing the game and building teamwork with people in school they may not hang out with otherwise. Sabrina Manns said “My favorite part was the jump balls. I loved my team,

they all are good players and I’m gonna miss Tanya and Lily next year.” Tanya Lunga and Lily Gustafson are both seniors and will be graduating next school year.

On March 31, the boys’ teams had their playoffs in the Raphan Ley Auditorium. Before the night began, some of them were asked what they most looked forward to that evening. Michael Bushey, from Highland Elementary, said

“Making more than three points because that’s what I’m averaging.”

Josh Mazibuko simply answered “Winning.” His confidence turned out successful, as his team won their game and Josh scored a total of 19 points that night.

On April 4th it was time for the girls’ championship game. It was the team Dream against the Aces. The Aces had the victory with a close game ending 17-18. Rhiana Powers said, “It was really intense the last few minutes and I was really nervous.” She was on

the Aces team, and both teams were putting in their all to secure the win in the last minutes.

On April 7th, the boys’ teams had their championship game. Solomon Lewis, said,” Each player’s skill was brought out through competition.”

It was the Spurs against the Lakers. Kyle Dudgeon said,” It was a very good game. At the beginning both teams looked pretty close, then Mr. Lopez’s team (the Lakers) just smoked them.”

It was a well-enjoyed event to close off Basketball Intramurals for the year. The game ended 50-29 and was an exhilarating way to end the season.

Now that the Basketball season is officially over, students are now getting ready for the next and final season of the year. Soccer Intramurals are next, so students all over campus are getting their cleats out and ready. Typically these Intramurals are co-ed, but this year if enough students sign up, it may change. There may be both a girls’ and guys’ league. No matter what the outcome is, we look forward to what is coming next.

Pictures provided by: Isabelle Laneville

Mental

MOTIVATION VS. DISCIPLINE

Motivation is an internal spark caused by an external element, like desire. We see it in situations like when students go to a set of youth group meetings experiencing a fire for God, but then going home and just relapsing into the same sad routine as before. On the other hand, discipline comes from commitment, internal-regulation, and self-control. The nature of motivation is a feeling, a surge of energy. It is temporary and unreliable. Discipline is the opposite. Discipline takes self-control, internal-regulation, and commitment.

Both motivation and discipline come from a source. Motivation typically comes from a feeling one gets like from a motivational speaker or praise for doing a job well. One wants to maintain the positive energy and continues to do so for the reward. Usually, over time, the energy fades, the desire fades and a person loses interest. “Motivation is like a surge of adrenaline that propels us into action” (according to Raymond Sjolseth in

the article Motivation vs. Discipline) Discipline is the opposite. Discipline stems from personal commitment and selfregulation. Sjolseth goes on to say that “this stems from an internal commitment. It’s the decision to pursue a goal regardless of external factors. Discipline is a constant, reliable source of energy that doesn’t waver with external circumstances.” The nature of motivation is that it fluctuates with emotions and is temporary while discipline follows through no matter the circumstances.

The upkeep of motivation is exhausting. According to Sjolseth, “Typically, motivation is intense but shortlived. It’s that initial burst of energy that can propel us into action, but it may fade as

challenges arise or daily routines become monotonous.” It takes constant reinforcement to attempt to solidify a habit. However, discipline enforces a habit quicker taking less work after a while.

Rushcutters Health speaks of a habit loop in the article, “Motivation versus Discipline:“ Cue –Triggers the brain to initiate a Craving – The motivational force behind habits. We don’t crave the habit; we crave the result or change in state practicing the habit brings. Response –The execution of the habit, which can be physical or mental. The amount of physical or mental power needed to execute the habit will determine whether or not you can/will actually do it.

Reward – The end goal of each reward serves two purposes: (1) Satisfaction – Provide temporary relief from the craving. (2) Education – This action is worth remembering for the future.”

Motivation is only ever short-term. Its only purpose is to provide a push to start a journey. Discipline is what comes after motivation. You can’t have one without

the other. For instance, say strengthening your faith is your goal. Maybe you went to the youth group meeting mentioned previously. Imagine you got inspired which motivates you to strengthen your faith.

Motivation is not the end.

You now have to put in the work of reading your Bible every day and not rely on your feelings. Things will get in the way. You may want to sleep in.

You find yourself busy and want to put it off until later. That is where discipline comes in. You choose daily to do what it takes to put in the effort, no matter the hindrances. If you feel like giving up, the Bible has some healthy insight; “For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” Hebrews 12:11 ESV. Motivation is a good thing, but scripture says that it’s the development of discipline that truly moves each and every one of us to stay on task and finish our goals. So, keep up the work. Don’t let circumstances, being distracted, busy or tired hold you back. You got this.

Creative Corner

Shiloh Bushey

Pictures provided by: google photos

Cassie Demaree

Solomon Lewis is a three-year senior at Highland Academy. He is currently the Senior class Pastor and the president of the Hope Squad. During his three years at Highland Academy, he has been involved in Gymnix, Bell Choir, and Choir. He plans to major in nursing and eventually become a CRNA.

What is your favorite memory from Highland?

Solomon was asked what his favorite memory from Highland was. He said, “I have so many memories that I cherish dearly. However, the memory that comes to mind right now is spending time with my friends in our hotel rooms during JHT.” JHT, or the Junior History Trip, is an annual trip that the Juniors take through New England with their U.S. History teacher Kenneth Hallam. This trip is around nine to eleven days long and has students spending lots of time together on the bus getting hands on, face to face experience with the history they study.

After you graduate, what will you miss most about Highland?

Since Solomon has spent so much time at Highland over the last three years, especially in the dorm as a boarding student, it is only natural that he would feel a longing for some of the things that he sees/ does every day. When asked about what he

MEET SOLOMON LEWIS

would miss the most, he said, “I will miss the people the most. My friends, the staff and my work supervisors.”

What is your favorite thing in your free time?

Free time is a thing that Solomon doesn’t get a ton of with all the responsibilities he has. Whenever he finally gets free time to do what he wants to do, he says, “I like to play video games, and sports in my free time.” He went on to say that the game he plays the most is “Blox Fruits.”

What do you plan on doing as a career and why?

Choosing a career is hard. There are so many things that go into choosing such as your personality, your interests, and your passions. Solomon seems to already have his career path and goals set out for himself. He said that he plans on, “... being a nurse anesthetist because I love the work they do and the pay they get.” The opportunity of being a nurse anesthetist is a

great one. They have flexible schedules, different workplace options and a lot of freedom.

Who is your favorite teacher and why?

Teachers are some of the most important people we will have in our lives, especially at Highland Academy where they are seen throughout most of a student’s day. Because of how often we interact with them, it is only natural that we have a fondness for one over the others. Solomon does have a favorite teacher and he says it is, “Mr. Hallam because he is wise and kind, but mostly because he is so real. What I mean by that is that his words and actions mean a lot to me.” Mr. Hallam teaches multiple different classes, but will always give you a piece of advice if you ask for it.

How would you describe yourself?

Describing oneself can be a difficult thing to do.

There is a reason for the difficulty: you want to describe yourself in a way that truly captures who you are, but also doesn’t appear as condescending or prideful. It is also difficult because of the complexity of people’s personalities and what exactly you want to highlight about it. Solomon describes himself as a

“finish the way you started”

type of person. I will usually start out great, then run into some difficulties, and in the end, I feel like I finish on the right track.” It takes tenacity and an understanding of oneself to truly finish that way.

Solomon Lewis is an amazing member of the Highland Academy family. He is always kind to others and is always trying to be helpful in any situation he can. He will be deeply missed by students and staff alike once he graduates this year.

Kyle Dudegon

Pictures provided by: Katie McConnell

SOLAR ECLIPSE PASSES OVER THE UNITED STATES

On April 8, 2024, the first total solar eclipse in seven years to pass over The United States occurred. This eclipse is different from the eclipse that occurred on October 14, 2023, which was a “Ring of Fire” or annular eclipse.

Some may be wondering what a total solar eclipse is. As the name suggests, a total solar eclipse is when the moon totally blocks out the sun; resulting in the areas affected being plunged into almost complete darkness. The only light being provided by the sun is its corona, which many don’t see unless there is a total solar eclipse. When viewing a total solar eclipse from within the path of totality, where the moon fully covers the sun, a person will see the sun covered by a massive black disk with its corona, the outermost layer of the sun, peaking from behind it.

According to NASA, the path of totality went through multiple states including Texas, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio. It also went through Tennessee and Kentucky, however, so little of these states will be in the path that it is almost irrelevant to list. In these states, the path went through most major cities like Dallas and Indianapolis. While viewing any solar eclipse, you need to keep in mind a couple of things. You will need to wear eye protection as the sun is not completely covered. Normal sunglasses are not sufficient eye protection as normal sunglasses will let too much light in which can result in permanent eye damage up to and including permanent blindness. You will need to get special solar eclipse

sunglasses which can be bought at places like Walmart, or Amazon.

There have been some conspiracy theories flying around about the solar eclipse on social media according to Newsweek. They go on to say that known conspiracy theorist Alex Jones posted a video on X, formally

known as Twitter, that was about 8 minutes long that claimed this eclipse was a sign from God and that the Department of Homeland Security is preparing to “hijack” this “biblical event.” According to the clip, the eclipse will pass over “eight U.S. cities named Nineveh.” However, according to Newsweek,

only two of the eight places in the U.S. (Nineveh, Indiana and Nineveh, Ohio) will experience the total eclipse on April 8.

According to Newsweek, other users on X have been speculating, without any actual evidence, other alternative meanings for the solar eclipse. One X user wrote:

“In my opinion, I think the April eclipse is the catalyst, yes, for a HUGE earthquake at the New Madrid fault line or intersection of the 3 eclipses.”

As the eclipse passed, these theorists were left with little else to say as life returned to normal soon after.

Unfortunately, the solar eclipse was blocked by the clouds during its apex for those at Highland Academy. Just moments after, however, with almost totality, the sky cleared just enough to see it. The entire school started cheering and pointing at the sky. The enthusiasm was electric. Michael Barrera said, “I didn’t expect it to be cloudy, but I’m glad I saw it.” Abigail Holser said, “It was really cool to see and makes me think about how well-thought-out God made the earth.” Our universe is so precise. God left nothing to chance and events like this make it apparent.

Some people were pretty disappointed by the cloudy day, though, like Nora Stevens who said, “I didn’t really think much of it.” Emma Ruckle said that it was “Underwhelming for real.” Unfortunately, the weather didn’t follow the yearly trends that we usually see around this time. The New York Times reported that “it would be a matter of luck if a break in the clouds happens to perfectly coincide with the eclipse time.” The weather almost didn’t cooperate, but the big show was not missed.

The solar eclipse was awe-inspiring, as the moon perfectly aligned with the sun, casting its shadow upon the Earth. It served as a poignant reminder of the vastness and beauty of our universe. As we reflect on this extraordinary event, let us continue to marvel at the mysteries of the cosmos and strive to deepen our understanding of the universe that God created for us.

Kyle Dudegon Pictures

Kyle Dudegon

As the end of the school year approaches, we get closer and closer to saying goodbye to the seniors. As we all know, for the most part, college students don’t have the kind of money it takes to attend college debt free. Most students going to college don’t really know too much about where and when to spend their money, even. The freedom of being able to do what you want when you want could grow expensive if one does not have a plan. For this reason, many young adults in college end up taking on tons of debt. The first and most important way to try to stay out of debt in college is to maximize your financial aid opportunities according to Chase Bank. You should start looking for scholarships as soon as possible because many scholarships and grants work on a first-come, first-served basis or they have specific deadlines that you do not want to miss. The sooner you start your search, the better off you will be financially.

Now that you know that scholarships are important, you need to know where to find them. Usually, there are requirements for scholarships. Sometimes it is as easy as just filling out a form. Some require written essays, or maybe a school transcript for grade point averages or standardized test scores. Some may even require a resume. There are also specialized scholarships that may require some kind of additional information such as proof of residency, proof of height, or shoe size. On To College is an online resource with much of the information you will need to prepare for college such as: How to apply for scholarships, where to apply for scholarships, ACT/ SAT prep, etc. This is

TIPS ON SAVING MONEY

a resource currently provided by Highland Academy for all Highland students. Anyone can access this information even if you are years away from graduating. The more information you have, the more prepared you will be when it comes time to start the search and begin the process.

The second thing you can do to save money in college is to budget. Yes, that sounds very obvious, but it is just as important as it is obvious. Students tend to spend a lot of money without even realizing the totals of their expenditures. Because of this, it is important to set a budget and work only within the confines of the budget you create. Keeping track of what you spend can show you how you are spending money and where you can cut back. For example, students may not always want to eat at school, which is fair, but before you know it, a hot drink here, or a lunch with friends there can add up quickly.

A person may not realize how much they spend in addition to the meals they already pay for on campus. Not eating out brings us to the next point, which is to cook more. Your parents have likely told you how important it is to learn how to cook. According to Cnet.com, a meal as simple as a double

cheeseburger will cost you 66.2% more buying it than making it yourself. The savings can significantly add up over time. You may wonder how you are going to be able to cook if living in a dormitory, for example. Well, most colleges allow you to have things like hot plates or air fryers that would give you an easy way to make all the foods you love for less money.

Another big money waste is textbooks. CNBC Make It says that a survey of former college students says that 85% of students say that textbook and course material expenses are financially stressful, and 43% say that they had to skip meals in order to afford these costs. You may be thinking, “But don’t I need my textbooks to do my classes?” Yes, you do, however, there are ways to spend significantly less money on textbooks. CNBC goes on to say that the biggest step a student can take to save money on textbooks is to go to their local library to see if they are able to borrow textbooks from there.

If renting books is not an option for you, textbook composition sites such as BookFinder. com, SlugBooks and Campusbooks.com help students search their required reading by title or ISBN and allow them to see which outlet offers the cheapest price for any given textbook. Finally, many campus

book stores offer used books as an option. If you cannot find one in the bookstore, you may find another student who took the class previously and buy their book from them. Another thing that you should keep in mind that will save you a lot of money is your graduation date. As we all know, you must pay for each of your semesters in college. We also know that college can be costly.

So, one of the best ways to save money is to graduate college on time. That could mean taking an extra class during the semester.

That could also mean taking a class or two over the summer. The best part about the summer courses is that although they may be more intense because the same content is covered in a shorter amount of time, the classes can be significantly less expensive. The last, and arguably the most important way to save money in college is to use student discounts. Some students pay everything in full, forgetting that they are in a position to easily save money. Many businesses and associations are quite welcoming to students and provide reasonable discounts to those who can provide documentation. So take your student identification with you everywhere you go. Just by stating that you are a student and showing identification, you can get discounts on a variety of items, including books, movies, transportation, and much more. When in doubt, have the guts to request a discount. Saving up to 20% of your income is beneficial.