March 29,2024

The Highlander

Week of Spiritual Emphasis Pg.1 and 2

HIGHLAND ACADEMY’S FIRST WEEK OF HOPE

March 18, the day students returned from spring break, began the spring Week of Spiritual Emphasis, which this year was called the Week of Hope. The event went from Monday March 18 to Friday, March 22. Week of Hope was led by Hope Squad members who are all students from Highland Academy selected by their peers as people they trust to talk to. They had help from Mrs. Logan Johnson, school psychologist, and other staff, but it was mostly student led. During the entire week, students shared their testimonies, spoke about mental health issues, ways students can help themselves and each other. They focussed on the importance of God when going through trying times and the ability to rely on one another. The students practiced what this looked like in break out groups throughout the week.

On night one of week, Jennifer Southard, girls dorm assistant dean and school nurse, shared her testimony. She shared about the early stages of her life and the trials she has gone through growing up. Many students didn’t know this about her but appreciated her vulnerability and that led to other students opening up about their past experinces. Southard expressed how even though she was young and some of the events in her early life were terribly traumatic, she still trusted in God. Her testimony left the room silent, and you could feel what she went through as she spoke. She emphasized reliance on God, which truly moved many students. Aurora

Gomez, senior, said that “my heart felt for her and even though I’ve never been through something like that, I could feel her hurt.”

Katie Beaulmont said, “Dean Jenn’s testimony was inspiring.” On this first night, the praise team sang “I trust in God” and that was the ultimate theme of the night. Even when it’s difficult to trust, God can be the only hope you have, and having faith that his plan won’t fail when yours does is a difficult to grapple with. One of the best decisions a person can make is to trust God even when

things aren’t right or fair, especially as a teenager. After Southard’s testimony, other students shared their own testimonies demonstrating how important being your authentic self can be to connecting, both with God and with each other. John Mark Armstrong, a senior, Ellie Cortez, a freshman, Zariah Hamilton, junior, Karisa Hood, sophomore, and Savannah Jackson, sophomore, also shared their testimonies. They stepped out of their comfort zones and when given the opportunity, they moved through their fears, and shared their stories. Adriel

Garcia, a senior, said, “ hearing John Mark’s testimony made me see a different side of him, and I was proud of him because I know how hard this could’ve been for him.” That was the point. Students became vulnerable sharing who they really are with students and the students responded with respect.

Throughout the week there were breakout sessions led by students in the Hope Squad. They would meet for 20-30 minutes and they would discuss questions meant to let them get to know others on a deeper level. Clara Reading, a sophmore, said, “my favorite part was the breakout groups, because I talk to people I normally don’t [talk to].” Cont. on page 2.

Possible TikTok Ban Pg.7

Volleyball All-star Pg.3

HOLIDAY CORNER

Lulu Lopez

Pictures provided by: Stephanie Rufo and katie McConnell

According to Armstrong, that was the entire point of the breakout Savannah Jackson and Suhjin Yoon made a presentation talking about anxiety and depression. They both talked about what it is to have these issues and how to help yourself with them. One of the ways they caught their audience was with an interactive activity with sour candy.

Yoon said that “studies have shown that eating super sour or super spicy treats can help you distract yourself when feeling anxious or sad” which causes the body to focus on the impact of the treat rather than on the anxiety. Tanya Lunga, senior, said, “I didn’t even notice I stopped worrying about my test because I was so focused on the candy.”

Another student, Sofia Garcia, a freshman said “I normally get tired during presentations but it was fun to listen to and I really enjoyed the candy exercise.”

During Week of Hope, student Solomon Lewis, senior and Hope Squad president, led every meeting. He prayed and gave encouraging words before anything started. He also led a group and organized activities.

On Thursday, there was an ice bath challenge. When introducing the

challenge, Solomon said “change your mindset from a victim mentality and shift it to an overcomer mentality”

by facing the challenge and getting into the bath. He meant that every time we do something uncomfortable or challenging, the mind creates pathways that tell us we are overcomers. Many students enjoyed this activity and even tried to see who could last the longest inside the bath. Victor Castillo, senior, lasted the most amount of time in the ice bath lasting a little over 3 minutes. “My strategy was to get out of my head and to just close my eyes and focus on something else” Castillo said. Many who came not expecting to get into the water took what Solomon said to heart and did the difficult thing by getting

They are hoping more students will open up the more they continue to share about themselves with their peers.

in. Maggie Carlson, freshman, was the first female of the student body to accept Castillo’s challenge and also sit in the water for an extended period of time with Saniya livingston, also a freshman, following right behind her.

Many people were impacted by the Week of Hope with waves of residual conversations continuing even after. Students lives were changed and marked for the better. Katie McConnell said, “even when I was taking pictures I still got to connect a lot with God, myself, and my peers.”

A lot of students felt inspired by the example of their classmates and want to continue to do this more through the year. Mrs. Johnson says that because it went so well, they will continue to do breakout groups once a month and it will change every semester.

Throughout the week, students grew spiritually, mentally and emotionally. Tears were shed and laughs were shared. Hope Squad members worked hard to be able to teach what they’ve been learning to their peers. Alexandria Reid, senior and Hope Squad member said, “I think we were all a bit anxious, but once we started breaking into groups, it was all about connections from there. The relationships I built with people i’ve never talked to before was very rewarding and that made everything worth it.’’ God has been working here on Highland Academy campus and he has been moving the students’ and staffs’ hearts. From music with praise and worship together to having deeper connections with classmates and leading each other to develop a closer relationship with God the week inspired connection and that was what it was all about.

Pictures provided by: Stephanie Rufo and Katie McConnell

Kyle Dudegon

March 24, 2024, was the Staff vs. Students Lady’s all-star volleyball game. The games started around 6:30 p.m. with both of the teams composed of some of the best players at Highland Academy. The students’ team was composed of Clara Reading, Tessa Wade, Rosie Fernandez, Maggie Carlson, Katie McConnell, Lily Gustafson, Aurora Gomez, Tonya Lunga, and Jana Shin. The staff team included Bekki Wade, Nikki Watkins, Bliss Kuntz, Shelly Miller, Sara Bagshaw, and Sandy Miller.

All of the five games played were

VOLLEYBALL ALL-STARS

Sports

intense, with each team trying its best to outdo the other. The teams were pretty evenly matched with the students and staff trading placement in the games. Nora Stevens said, “...It was pretty stressful to watch…” When the fifth game began, both teams were tied: two game wins to two. After a hard-fought game, however, the staff team sealed their victory and won the series three to four. “Even though we lost, I still had a lot of fun playing with a group of girls that I never played with before,” said Maggie Carlson

religion

HELP HAS ALREADY ARRIVED

In 2018 I remember watching for nearly three weeks as 13 boys from Thailand were trapped inside the Tham Luang Cave. The boys traveled 4,000 meters into the cave on dry land. While inside they were unaware of the heavy rains that fell. The image shows how several sections of the cave, between them and their exit, fill completely with water rendering them impassable.

After nine days in the cave, without any food, warmth or light (their few flashlights were out of batteries), the 13 boys gave up their efforts to dig through the walls. They lay down, huddled together, and believed they were going to die. After their rescue, the boys shared that at that moment, lying in the dark and cold, starving, without energy, and running out of oxygen, they believed that no one knew where they were, no one was looking for them, and no help was coming. Recently I watched a documentary about this rescue and it was hard for me to understand how they could have believed that their parents and emergency personnel would have

given up on them. How could they believe that

or our cave can be consequences of our

their friends, teachers, and family members would have stopped searching before they were found? The reality was that less than 3 miles away from their isolated, dark and hopeless prison, hundreds or even thousands of loved ones, townspeople, highranking Thai government officials, Thai Navy Seals, and world-class cave divers from all over the globe were mounting one of the biggest rescue missions ever recorded. But they could not see it, feel it, or believe it. They knew only darkness, hunger and loneliness. Each of us can find ourselves in one such season of life. Our cave can be the loss of a loved one or of a dream,

actions, or, inexplicably, our cave can be our physical or mental health. We may be convinced that no one knows where we are, and no help is coming. As I watched the documentary I thought, “If only they could see the monumental effort being given to rescue them, if only they could have heard the roar of trucks, and sirens and voices all coming for them.” The hope they could have taken knowing help was imminent. Tears filled my eyes as I reflected on seasons in my life that brought the same hopelessness, no one knows where I am, and no help is coming. In those moments, if only

we could see! If only we could see the mobilization of all of Heaven racing across time and space to rescue. If you don’t believe that, consider the following story.

In 2 Kings 6, the king of Israel repeatedly receives intelligence from Elisha to avoid certain actions or locations because the King of Aram would do him harm. After several such incidences, the King of Aram suspects there is a spy or traitor in his camp, and confronts his men. They let him in on the secret, “Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the very words you speak in your bedroom” (2 Kings 6:12). The king of Aram responds by attempting to capture Elijah, He sent, “...horses and chariots and a strong force there. They went by night and surrounded the city” (vs 13). The next morning when Elijah’s servant frantically reported the siege, Elijah responds with a prayer, and it is the same as my wish was for the boys, “open his eyes so he can see” (vs. 17).

In moments of fear, darkness, and trouble, call out this same prayer, “open my eyes, so I can see.” What is there to see? What can’t we perceive because the cave walls are too thick? Elijah said it well, “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them” (vs. 16). King Aram may have sent “horses and chariots and strong forces”, but our Father comes with chariots of fire, and he fills the hills with them and rescues his children.

Picture provided by: google photos

Lilly Lopez

Mental Health

BE AWARE OF EATING DISORDERS

Shiloh Bushey

Unfortunately, eating disorders are very common. It doesn’t matter if you are a teen, adult, black or white, male or female. It can affect anyone. Opening up about an eating disorder can feel difficult, but don’t hesitate to talk to someone you trust. If you feel as if you don’t have anyone to talk to, call or text 988. They have 24/7 and provide English and Spanish.

Several types of eating disorders exist. The most commonly known one is Anorexia Nervosa, which is the intense fear of gaining weight and typically comes with body dysmorphia, where one strongly believes he or she looks a certain way (typically not good) when it is not actually true. Those with anorexia also tend to exercise excessively to achieve their goal body image.

The ratio of girls to boys who have an eating disorder is 3-1. “At any given point in time between 0.3-0.4% of young women and 0.1% of young men will suffer from anorexia nervosa” according to the National Eating Disorders Association. A group of researchers followed 496 young girls and found that 5.2% of the girls developed anorexia, bulimia, or binge eating disorder, and not including specific disorders 13.2% of the girls had some form of eating disorder based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). The research was done by Stice E, Marti CN, Shaw H,

PEACE

Cassie Demaree

Silence in the noise

and Jaconis M. in 2010.

Binge eating disorder (BED), is one of the most common eating disorders. Binge eating is when one eats an excessive amount of food and does not purge (making yourself throw up). People who binge often feel no control during the binge and feel a sense

from BED receive treatment. If you suffer from BED, there is absolutely nothing to be ashamed of, and help is available.

Bulimia is similar to BED. One with bulimia binges uncontrollably and afterward purges to rid his or her body of the calories although

of overwhelming guilt and shame afterward. While anorexia is typically associated with being extremely thin, BED is typically associated with obesity and other health problems like diabetes, however, not everyone “looks the part” so do not ever discount an eating disorder because of the way a person looks when they don’t “fit” the look of someone with a disorder. Statistics that Eric Stice and Cara Bohon found tell us that between 0.2% and 3.5% of females and 0.9% and 2.0% of males suffer from BED found in the article “Eating disorder hope, Which Population is Most Likely to Have an Eating Disorder? Not even 50% of those suffering

The Steady tick of a clock

Presence of a friend

Understanding without talk

Thoughts can stop

Simply peace and quiet

Mind is put on pause -Just lie in it

Take a few moments

5 minutes at least

Take a deep breath

And find your own peace

diarrhea, or constipation. Frequent purging can cause dehydration which comes with a number of problems like cognitive decline, acne, and more.

There are so many things that cause eating disorders (EDs), like biological, psychological, and social reasons. Having a close relative with an eating disorder (parent and/or sibling), or other mental disorder increases the probability of developing an ED. A result of ED would be, Low Available Energy (LEA) and type 1 diabetes (insulindependent). Perfectionism is a common psychological risk. “One of the strongest risk factors for an eating disorder is perfectionism, especially a type of perfectionism called self-oriented perfectionism, which involves setting unrealistically high expectations for yourself,” according to Stackpole and others in the article “The association between eating disorders and perfectionism in adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis”. More psychological risks are cognitive inflexibility, impulsivity, emotional dysregulation, and body image dissatisfaction. Social risks are weight stigma, teasing or bullying, limited social networks, and trauma.

If you or someone you love is suffering from an ED or have thoughts of restricting food, please reach out for help. You are not weak, and you are not alone. Your body does so much for you, so show yourself some love, and recognize you are specially designed; “I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well” (Psalm 139: 14 ESV).

one does not have to binge and then purge to have bulimia. When you think of bulimia, you think of binging followed by purging, but there are many symptoms we can see like, tooth decay, facial swelling, and dry skin caused by stomach acids and dehydration. When you vomit, your stomach acid comes up with the food you ate. Stomach acid is very destructive hence the tooth decay. But there are more problems puking stomach acid brings to the table like irritation of the esophagus, rupture of the esophagus (causes blood in the vomit), heartburn, acid reflux, and damage to the intestines causing bloating, Pictures provided by: google photos

Creative Corner

PURPOSE FOR YOUR PAIN-

The pain that you feel

The time that you've spent

Crying those tears

Questioning “what's next?”

The weight of your heart

And the emptiness inside God sees, He cares And collects all those tears you've cried

For there is a purpose for your pain

A plan God has made

Although unable to see it now, Someday…

You will understand

You will feel peace inside

For you followed God

And walked in faith, not by sight.

Highlight

MEET CHRISTEN THOMAS

Magdalen Carlson

Christen Thomas has been teaching at Highland Academy for the past seven years.

Thomas taught Survey of Science, Biology, Statistics, Calculus, A&P, and is most recently teaching Art, Chemistry, Algebra 2 and sponsoring STEM Club. She has been a sponsor of Student Association, planning all school-wide events. Thomas was born in Louisville, Kentucky and then moved to Portland, TN in 2003. She attended Highland Elementary and Highland Academy, finishing her senior year in 2009. Thomas has decided to leave this school so that she can take care of her family and make memories with her children.

What inspired

Thomas to teach, and has she always wanted to teach?

“I think that I have always wanted to teach,” Thomas said. She has always loved learning and sharing knowledge with others. Early in high school, she wanted to be a singer or a mechanic. Then her goal developed into being a reconstructive plastic surgeon. She wanted to be a surgeon that helps with cleft palates. “I also really loved the idea of working with birthmarks,” she said. One day she and her class were having a discussion with their teacher. “We had gone off on a tangent about babies and it was all girls in the class, so we were asking her about pregnancy. I just remember thinking to myself, this is what I want. I want to be in a classroom and discuss real life situations.”

Where did you meet your husband, Alex Thomas?

Mr. and Mrs.

Thomas met at Indian Creek Camp: he was boys’ director and she worked in the office.

“Throughout the whole summer, he was trying to pursue me, but we’re

both awkward people, so it was a lot of him being sweet and me being totally oblivious that he was even trying to pursue me.”

What is the hardest part of being a mom and a teacher?

Thomas’s main answer was the struggle to keep her energy levels up. “I have to be creative

God, “that’s probably the biggest way that I get to connect with Him.” Other than reading to connect with God, Thomas enjoys going outside. “When I lived on campus, I had planted many flowers, and from the beginning of spring to fall, I would have something blooming. I would love to turn on some piano music, sit, look at my

and explain things in different ways to different people, so it is a lot harder and a lot of brain power.” When she gets home, she has to shift her mindset and reset her energy to keep up with a toddler which can be a struggle for anyone.

Thomas has to balance back and forth between trying to do the best that she can for her students, but then also “being the best, energy-wise that I can be for my baby. It’s a hard balance.”

What is one way you like to stay connected with God?

Thomas loves reading, including the Bible that she’ll read curled up in her bed. “I have also been reading Ellen White’s “Conflict of the Ages” series over time. Right now, I’m reading Acts of Apostles,” she said. She also listens to podcasts about relationships with

What will you miss the most?

“Community,” said Thomas. “Over the years I have been able to grow special relationships with the staff. I love Mr. Ashcraft. He is such a giving person and he is so kind.” Over the years we have been supervision buddies, we’ve done STEM Club together, he’s helped me get the right supplies for the lab and we’ve had such amazing conversations.” She will miss Mrs. Lopez, because she has spent so much time with her talking about life.

Another one is Mr. Hallam, “he always has a kind word to say when we’re walking through the hallway. We’ve been supervision together for a couple of years. Mr. Sherman’s humor is like the best thing ever!”

Thomas could say a lot about all of the staff members. Even though she is excited to be at home with her babies, she knows it is going to be kind of lonely sometimes without having someone to talk to who is just down the hall.

flowers and admire them.” For her, those moments were when she felt His Spirit with her the most.

What is your favorite memory from teaching at Highland?

Thomas absolutely adores taking dorm students off campus to town and just getting to spend time with them away from the classroom. When she taught A&P, they did stretches on the front campus and had them doing all of these synchronized moves. Another favorite one of her memories is seeing students coming up with crazy synchronized swimming routines for Fall Fest, an event Highland Academy has every year.

“I think that’s probably what I’ll miss the most: community with the staff, but also community with the students, too.” Being at Highland has brought her close to the staff and students. They feel like part of her family, that is what she’ll miss the most.

Mrs. Thomas, the mother of Asa and soon-to-be mom of a little girl in June, will be very busy spending time and making wonderful memories with her family. She will truly be missed at Highland, but the good news is that she is still part of Highland’s community and family. We will always welcome her with open arms and wish the best for her as she has blessed so many on Highland Academy’s campus for the last seven years. Thank you Mrs. Thomas for your dedication to Christian education and living our school’s motto, to “Develop Christ-like characters and life-long learners.” Many know that you have inspired others to walk in the path of educating others because of your passion.

Pictures provided by: Christen Thomas

Shiloh Bushey

On Tuesday, March 26, 2024, a little before 1:30 am, the Francis Scott Key bridge in Maryland Baltimore collapsed when a 984foot container ship named the Dali crashed into it at 9 mph. The ship was on its way to Sri Lanka as it passed through Baltimore. As of Wednesday, March 27, 2024, we know of 6 missing or dead. A search and rescue team headed out to find these 6 with helicopters, drones, and underwater vehicles. Just moments before the cargo ship collided with the bridge, the captain issued a mayday stating that the ship had no power.

The six missing are

Kyle Dudegon

A 72-hour state of emergency has been declared in Haiti after multiple armed gangs stormed the two largest prisons in the country, allowing thousands of prisoners to escape. Authorities in Haiti have ordered a nighttime curfew in an attempt to keep innocent people safe. “The police were ordered to use all legal means at their disposal to enforce the curfew and apprehend all offenders,” said Finance Minister Patrick Boivert, the acting prime minister, to the Associated Press in a statement.

Gang leader Jimmy Chérizier (nicknamed Barbecue) declared himself to be responsible for the coordinated attacks in order to remove Prime Minister Ariel Henry from office. Henry was supposed to step down from his post on February 7, however, planned elections were not held and he remains in office according to the BBC.

The attack on the National Penitentiary has shocked the People of Haiti, even though they are accustomed to living under the constant threat of violence. Almost all of the 4,000 inmates housed in the National

World News

BALTIMORE BRIDGE COLLAPSE

all presumed dead. Miguel Luna from El Salvadore is loved by his family who say “He is a husband, a father of three, and has called Maryland his home for over 19 years,” said CASA executive director Gustavo Torres “longtime member of the CASA family.” The Patapsco River is 50 feet deep, so when it was simply

Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador, according to a press conference stated Reuters.com.

When considering reasons for the collapse, one might wonder if the bridge was structurally sound and able to withstand a normal blow. As investigators look to answer that question, they found the bridge, although

too dark and cold authorities put a hold on the search. Of the six, presumed dead, they hail from Mexico,

up to code, was engineered in such a way that it could not endure a catastrophic hit. According to Reuters.

com, “The head of the National Transportation Safety Board said the bridge lacked structural engineering redundancies common to newer spans, making it more vulnerable to catastrophic collapse.” As the Dali hit one of the pillars which was part of the foundation of the bridge, it made it impossible to withstand such a hard hit.

Reuters quoted Maryland Governor Wes Moore saying “Tuesday’s disaster may be the worst U.S. bridge collapse since 2007, when a design error caused the I-35W bridge in Minneapolis to plunge into the Mississippi River, killing 13 people. Even still, many more lives were saved as authorities redirected traffic as soon as they received the mayday from the Dali. No one can truly know how many lives were saved by the decision to respond so quickly.

Pictures provided by: google photos

HAITI PRISON BREAK

Penitentiary escaped in the jailbreak. Among those who chose to stay in their cells were 18 former Colombian soldiers accused of working as mercenaries in the July 2021 assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse.

This deadly attack marks a new low in Haiti’s downward spiral of violence.

Since Thursday February 29, at least nine people have been killed in PortAu-Prince, Haiti’s capital, among them are four police officers. These gangs are setting up coordinated attacks in places such as Croix des Bouquets (the second largest prison in Haiti), The International Airport, and the National Soccer Stadium According to BBC.

According to the Associated Press, after gangs opened fire at Haiti’s international airport last week, the U.S. Embassy said that it was halting all official travel to the country. On Sunday night, March 3, it also encouraged all American

citizens to depart from Haiti as soon as possible. While all of this was happening, President Henry was in Kenya trying to gain support for a United Nations (U.N.) backed security force in order to help Haiti quench its problems with deadly gangs. On March 5th, his officials said that he had landed in Puerto Rico. He arrived late in the afternoon in San Juan on a chartered flight that originated in New Jersey. Tracking data showed the flight was heading toward the Dominican Republic, which shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti, but circled back mid-flight before diverting to Puerto Rico according to CBS.

As of March 6, Gangs are in control of an estimated 80% of Portau-Prince. According to CBS, they are increasingly coordinating their actions and choosing targets that were once unthinkable like the Central Bank. Stéphane Dujarric, the spokesperson for the U.N., said the secretarygeneral of Haiti has stressed the need for urgent action, especially

in providing financial support for the mission, “to address the pressing security requirements of the Haitian people and prevent the country from plunging further into chaos” according to CBS. The question on many people’s minds is why is all of this even happening?

The origins of the conflict in Haiti can be traced back to former President Moïse’s assassination, but the roots of the conflict go deeper: back to the economic catastrophe caused by the 2010 earthquake, the 29-year dictatorial rule of “Papa Doc” and “Baby Doc” Duvalier, and even to the grotesque impact of the vast “reparations” Haiti was forced to pay to France for generations after independence in 1804, which severely hampered economic development according to The Guardian.

The Guardian went on to say that Henry, who was the prime minister, took the role of acting president after the assassination, however, his presidency is widely viewed as illegitimate, and has repeatedly failed to hold promised elections. Without the democratic processes, a power vacuum was created, and that vacuum has been filled up by multiple powerful gangs to expand their influence. They go on to say that Haiti’s police department is severely underpowered, with about 10,000 active officers across the country. All we can do now is hope and pray for the safety of the Haitian People.

Kyle Dudegon

On March 13, 2024, The United States House of Representatives passed a bill that could potentially ban the social media application (app) known as TikTok. According to National Public Radio (NPR), this ban is because lawmakers feel that TikTok is a threat to national security because it is owned by the Beijing-stationed company, ByteDance. Lawmakers allege that TikTok spies on American information and also spreads Chinese propaganda on the application.

This is not the first time the United States (U.S.) has tried to ban TikTok from users in the country.

According to CNN, back in August 2020, the Trump administration tried to ban TikTok because it was seen as a national security threat. However, according to Fortune News, Trump recanted his calls for a ban on TikTok and is now targeting Meta’s Facebook alleging that it is a far greater enemy of the people because of its policing of information and censorship of American people.

According to CNN, The House vote was 352 to 65, with 50 Democrats and 15 Republicans voting in opposition to the bill being passed. This bill states that it will prohibit U.S. app stores from making the app available for download unless ByteDance, within six months of the bill being signed into law, sells the company off. CNN goes on to say that experts believe that it is possible for TikTok to complete a sale before the six-month mandate.

Although the House passed this bill very quickly, Senate majority leader Chuck

POSSIBLE TIKTOK BAN

Schumer remained uncommitted to the next steps in the Senate, only saying that the chamber would review the legislation further, according to CNN.

USA Today says that Americans seem to be split on the topic of banning TikTok. A recent poll by the Associated Press and NORC Center for Public Affairs found that 31% of U.S. adults would favor a nationwide ban on the app, while 35% would oppose a ban. Among those who actually use TikTok daily, a national ban is wildly unpopular: 73% say that they would oppose the ban. If the Bill passes and ByteDance is “forced” to sell TikTok, they will not have very many options in the U.S. of entities to sell to because of how much TikTok is worth. According to Priori Data, TikTok is worth 75 billion dollars. This is almost twice the amount that Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, spent when purchasing X (formally known as Twitter). According to the Associated Press, Tech Giants such as Google and Meta (Owner of Facebook and Instagram) would most likely be blocked from purchasing TikTok due to the Biden Administration being so strict with

the Antitrust Act.

According to Backlinko.com, TikTok’s user base consists of mostly people in their late teens and early to late twenties. Because of this, it is fitting to get opinions on the app and its future from the people with whom it is most popular. The students of Highland Academy all have some kind of opinion on the matter, such as Lucas Mills, who says that he is not a user of TikTok. He says that he feels like it is addicting. “... Once you get into it, once you start that first video, it never ends. It’s like you watch a video and say ‘This is my last one’ but then your finger seems to continue to scroll. So I just don’t do it…”

When asked, Aleksander Bibulivic said he doesn’t use

TikTok because “My mom won’t let me. Also, I think that it is addictive.”

He then went into more detail, “She saying stuff like ‘constant scrolling, you can do better with your time.’”

All of those who said that they use TikTok say that they use it only for entertainment purposes like Curtis Balew who said, “[I use it] mainly when I get bored or to check something out real quick.” Jamel Mann

said he uses it to “Pass time.”

After being asked why they used TikTok, they were asked their opinion on the possibility of the impending ban, mixed opinions were given. Josh Mazibuko said

“I don’t care at all. It doesn’t make a difference to me.”

This kind of reply does show that even people who often use TikTok may see it as something that should be banned.

The ban on TikTok represents a complex intersection of the questions of data privacy, national security, and cultural influence. While it may address immediate worries, it also raises questions about freedom of expression and the role of technology in modern society. Regardless of the outcome, the TikTok ban serves as a stark reminder of the power and dynamics at play in the postmodern age and the need for thoughtful, nuanced approaches to addressing emerging challenges online.

The Highlander Staff

Editor-in-chief

Magdalen Carlson

Designer and Art Director

Isabelle Laneville Reporters

Magdalen Carlson

Abi Hosler

LuLu Lopez

Kyle Dudegon

Alexandria Reid

Photographers

Ana Anderson

Kyle Dudegon

Naomi Houston

Sabrina Mann

Sponsors

Melissa Weisner

Stephanie Rufo

Activities

Casi Demaree

Samantha Roddy Social Media

Stephanie Rufo

Shara Juanita Cabrales