May 2, 2024 Edition

The Highlander

ACADEMY DAYS GO BY IN A FLASH

Highland Academy campus began to fill up with students from all over the Kentucky/Tennessee conference on Friday, April 12 beginning at 10:00 a.m. This began our 2024 Academy Days. Academy Days is an event held here at Highland for a weekend where students who are considering coming to Highland Academy can see what we offer and what campus life is like.

There were many events going on during academy days: the drama vespers, bells performance, horseback riding, games,

everyone to show their clubs plus an introduction of all the staff. Hope Squad, a student-led mental health initiative, showed a video about a week of hope and how being in Hope Squad has helped them connect with others and how they’ve seen the change in the school. Solomon Lewis said, “you never know what someone is going through. You could save someone’s life. So always be kind to everyone, and show Jesus in everything you do.”

lawn concert, choir & band performance, and the finale of the weekend, Gymnix Home Show. Over 50 students came and stayed on campus in the dormitories. School events can encompass a wide range of activities from academic competitions to social gatherings. During Academy Days, a lot of Highland students got to lead mini groups where they showed them the school, played games, and did some get to know each other activities. They enjoyed the whole day getting to know each other and Highland. Adriel Garcia said “my favorite part of leading the group was when we were quizzing the visiting students on Bible questions and they were getting them all right, so it was fun seeing their excitment.”

The weekend started Friday around 10 when registration officially started. There were students welcoming the parents and their children. Then there was a welcome assembly. This was an opportunity for

A lot of students were involved in the activities of academy days. The Student Association (SA) was greeting people during registration and other students helped with decorations, leading groups, taking pictures and videos, and other things.

The Drama Class had their performance of “The Witness,”a play written by the drama teacher, Mrs. Melissa Weisner, and the class. They spent months practicing and building their set and were ready to show how God uses us to further His kingdom. Bells, also, had a performance during the drama performance playing right before the show began and then

during intermission for the offertory.

Sabbath morning, the seniors held Sabbath School in the gym. They did a skit of the sower with the seeds, did song service, special music and the lesson of the day. Solomon Lewis, senior class pastor, talked about the importance of spreading the message and even if it’s hard, you never know who could need it. This was a perfect tie into the message of drama vespers the previous night. Sabbath afternoon had a lot of fun activities. The drama class also held activities on Sabbath afternoon. They practiced skits and got to play games with the visiting students with some of the drama members. Students John Mark Armstrong, senior, and a couple others were relaxing outside playing guitar and singing. Armstrong said, “I really enjoyed playing with all my friends and being able to be in communion with them. I was glad the weather had cleared up and it was the perfect time to be outside.”

Rachel Liu said “singing together and hanging out with everyone was my favorite part of the whole weekend. I loved the weather, the vibes and just being able to relax.”

Horse Club got students involved with a horse ring ride Sabbath afternoon. Each member had a job to do whether it was making sure everyone had signed the waiver, or was leading the horses while someone was on top. They all participated. Mia Gomez said, “my favorite part was getting the horses ready. I love taking care of them and making them look presentable.”

After an afternoon filled with activities, the final hours of Sabbath were spent in the outdoor classroom for worship. Principal Watkins prayed and started it all with activities for everyone to get to know each

other on a deeper level. The first game was sharing an embarrassing story about each other. Tanya Lunga said, “when I was little I was walking down the stage from church, and I fell in front of everyone.” That is one of her most embarrassing moments. The next activity was a testimony session. A lot of students shared how Highland has positively impacted them and how glad they are to be here. A parent who was visiting said he loves the community and how small the school is because it showed him how close knit it is and he can really appreciate that in a school.

Lastly, to finish the weekend, there was the Gymnix Home Show. This

show had so much diversity and the theme was beachy. The Gymix team has also been preparing for a long time for this performance and they gave it their all. Erika, a visiting student from Louisville, said, “I loved the show. I couldn’t even comprehend how they were doing all those cool tricks, but I was having so much fun seeing them perform. It was one of my favorite parts.”

Academy days are one of the best ways to get to know about Highland Academy. Everyone pitches in to make a perfect weekend for everyone to be able to enjoy. At Highland Academy,the main goal is to develop Christ-like character, and to be able to share the message of Jesus Christ. This weekend was filled with communion, activities, and friendship. There’s a place here for you. Join us!

Meet Isabelle Laneville Pg.5

Drama Vespers pg.3

World Cup 2026 is underway Pg.2

Lulu Lopez

Pictures provided by: Stephanie Rufo and Isabelle Laneville

Abi Hosler

WORLD CUP 2026 IS UNDERWAY

As Highland Academy gets ready to start their own soccer season, FIFA is getting ready for the World Cup of 2026. It may seem pretty early, but considering that this is a huge international event, a lot of preparation is needed! In fact, they’ve been getting ready for this coming World Cup since 2016! That’s 10 years before the actual event! If you’ve ever wondered what it takes to prepare for an event like this, then look no further. Stay tuned for the event schedule and to know what stadiums are near you!

The first step FIFA has to go through is the bidding process, which began in 2016! Many factors are considered such as stadium size, ease of transportation, accommodations, and team/referee facilities, etc. May of 2020 is when the FIFA Congress makes the official decision of the host location.

This year they have decided that the hosts will be Mexico, Canada, and the United States.

On February 4, 2024, FIFA just announced the full stadium schedule!

This year there is more pressure than ever for FIFA in making this event memorable and fun because is it the biggest sporting event in the world. Back in 2017 the official decision was made that the 32team tournament will be changed to 48. In other words, this is going to be the biggest World Cup to

date. José Mourinho (FIFA World Coach of the Year in 2010) states,

“It means that the World Cup will be even more of an incredible social event

More countries, more investment in different countries in infrastructure, in youth football. More countries means more Africans, Asians, Americans together. The World Cup is a social event and football can’t relinquish this opportunity to further reflect the passion of the fans.”

The next important thing is confirming the requirements for hosting. Each stadium is required to have at least 40,000 seats. The opening and final matches are required to have 80,000 seats as these are the most popular events. Plus, ease of transportation, accommodations, etc, are

reviewed before the final decision is made.

Next, FIFA talks to the government of the host countries. They want to make sure they have the full support of the government. Then they make sure that all human rights and sustainability efforts are in place.

This way they can ensure a comfortable and enjoyable World Cup for staff and participants alike. In case you are planning on going, the stadium closest to Highland Academy campus is in Atlanta, Georgia! to 71,000 fans. The stadium can hold anywhere from 42,5000The MercedesBenz Stadium is going to be a part of this historical event. The World Cup is an amazing international event that brings people together and we can’t wait to be a part of it!

Pictures provided by: google photos

Lulu Lopez

Highland Academy’s drama department performed for Academy Days Friday night on April 12. The title of the play was “The Witness.” The drama department’s director and teacher, Melissa Weisner, along with the drama class worked together to write the play this year. From the beginning of the school year until that performance, they worked to write, build the set, and practice the play during every class. Each minute would count by painting props, memorizing lines and learning different ways to express tone. God influenced this small group to work together, creating a beautiful piece of work.

The story opens with an argument between Josh Mazibuko, junior, and Lulu Lopez, senior, who act as the parents: Jim and Rhonda. Their children, James and Joy, are played by Aleksander Bibulovic and Tanya Lunga. The story is about Joy, a rebellious teenager whose parents are divorcing. Throughout the story, her friends help her get to know Jesus. The only problem is that Joy’s mom does not want her to hang out with her Christian friends thinking that Christian people are hurtful and hypocritical stemming from a past of difficult interactions with people from a church setting years prior.

For a couple of weeks, they go to Bible studies behind their parents’ backs, but they start to feel bad for sneaking around, so they stop. In the play, Joy and James act on their best behavior, but Rhonda can tell they are just being nice to get something from

DRAMA VESPERS

their parents. In her mind, Christians are the ones influencing Joy’s rebellion. Eventually, they courageously ask their mom if they can go to Bible studies. Through some persuasion and multiple conversations, she finally agrees. Emma Ruckle, junior, said, “They did a really

and could tell their hard work paid off. I got really into the story!”

This play was based on a true story shared by Juanita Cabrales, senior and drama member. The team redeveloped the story to fit into the right roles chosen by Melissa Weisner, drama teacher, and Callian Southard,

make their job any less important. Set Designers: Isabelle Laneville, senior and Drama Vice President, Victor Castillo, senior, Anthony Verdemaine, senior, Sabrina Mann, junior, Anna Simplice, sophomore, Jasmine Warren, freshman, and Alena Southard, freshman, all pulled the set and backstage of the play together.

good job. You can tell they put a lot of work into it.” One of the best scenes during the play is when Jim and Rhonda argue. Both Lopez and Mazibuko were so animated and loud that it felt real to the audience, leading to multiple loud gasps whenever there was an outburst.

The play was pulled together through prayer, creating smooth transitions, remembered lines, and perfectly portrayed roles. Rhiana Powers, junior, said, “I was impressed

President of Drama. Jolie Bibulovic is greatly thanked because she plays a significant role in wardrobe, set design, props, and backstage coaching. Nadia Bibulovic, junior and daughter of Biblulovic, said,

“I always love it when we are setting everything up.

It helps everyone bond and get to know each other better, creating a small community within us.” Having a nonacting role doesn’t

Without them, there would be no sense of setting. Lights and Sound: Allison Ziegler, sophomore and Sound Manager, Naomi Houston, sophomore and Drama Pastor, Rachel Liu senior and Lights Manager, Juanita Cabrales, senior and Suhjin Yoon, senior, all created a spotlight, and not just a visual one, all to make the play so much better!

Callian Southard, senior and President of Drama, said, “Every year, like a week before, we are scrambling to memorize lines and get props ready, but everytime things go perfectly!” In the end, Rhonda and Jim, the parents, joined the church, immersing themselves in God’s Word. Through God, they got remarried, bringing the family back together. JP Matthis said her favorite scene was the end because who doesn’t like happy endings!

Pictures provided by: Stephanie Rufo

Shiloh Bushey

SEXUAL ASSULT AWARENESS

There are many months of the year, but April is dedicated to the awareness of sexual assault (SA). According to rainn.org, SA is “sexual contact or behavior that occurs without explicit consent of the victim”.

SA is more than “just rape.” SA is:

Unwanted Fondling

When the victim is forced to perform sexual acts (oral sex, fondling, ect.)

Attempted rape

Rape Force does not only imply physical force, but it can also include blackmail, manipulation, and threats. The impact of sexual assault on survivors is often overlooked. The victims of these assaults can still be triggered a year or more after the assault. Time does not always heal. Most deal with the after effects of sexual assault for a life time in some way. Understandably, SA is an extremely sensitive topic, so be kind and understanding to those who have been courageous enough to come to you with such a heavy burden.

The effects of SA are more than just anxiety and depression. Shame, guilt, and denial, are very common among SA survivors. Those who experience SA deal with shame because they think there is something wrong with them.Survivors often describe themselves as dirty or unworthy. The guilt felt can be crippling. Thoughts pop into their heads like ‘Maybe I should’ve said no more” or maybe they think” I should’ve fought harder.” Denial for survivors sounds like “Others have it worse” or “it wasn’t that bad.” Denial can lead to even another effect: dissociation. Dissociation is when

survivors attempt to numb themselves to not feel the other effects like anxiety, guilt, shame, ect by distancing themselves from others giving a false sense of securing.

They tend to distance themselves from their friends and family, develop trust issues, have a hard time setting boundaries, and perceive safe situations as dangerous.

They often suffer from amnesia as well. Washington Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs states, “A survivor may not remember what happened. In the long-term, if the sexual assault happened before the development of language, the survivor may not have memory that can be verbalized.”

no limit to who can and/or will resort to sexual assault. Doctors, law enforcement, priests, teachers, work supervisors, coaches, family members, friends, or anyone you could think of. Commonly those with social influence position themselves for this type of behavior. When looking out for predatory behavior, one must remember that manipulation is more common than violence.

Many think of women as victims of sexual assault, but it does NOT only happen to women, and it is NOT only committed by men. 1 in 5 male victims have reported their abuse from a man, 1 in 2 men

There are many contributing factors to SA. Power dynamics and inequality play a big role in the statistics of this type of assault. Giroux Pappas, Trial Attorneys says; “Sexual misconduct and assault arises most often in asymmetrical power dynamics, where the perpetrator occupies a dominant position relative to the victim. It can happen quickly and unexpectedly, but quite often sexual misconduct starts with something minor or subtle and then it escalates.” Often they focus their assault on and brush the more minor behaviors off saying the behavior is, “just how they are with people or they are just this way.”

This makes it possible for the predatory behavior to slowly escalate over time until the uncomfortable situations escalate to assault. There is absolutely

and 32.9% of adults who have intellectual disabilities have reported sexual assault according to the article Prevalence of sexual abuse in adults with intellectual disability: Systematic review and meta-analysis in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.

Reporting sexual assault sounds so scary. There are so many reasons SA survivors find to not report. As previously mentioned, many victims think it “wasn’t that bad”, or they are simply too ashamed to report it.

Some believe they will be blamed for the assault or that no one will believe them.

have reported their abuse from a woman, and 1 in 6 men have reported their abuse from both a man and woman according to the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 1 in 3 non-Hispanic Black women have reported unwanted sexual contact in their lifetime according to The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey: 2016/2017 report on sexual violence.

4 out of 5 American Indian and Alaska Native women (84.3%) have reported sexual violence at least once in their lifetime according to Violence against American Indian and Alaska Native women and men in the NIJ Journal,

Still others do not want to cause difficulty in family dynamics. So what do you do if someone you love has been sexually assaulted and doesn’t want to report? First, start by being a good listener and showing compassion. Believe them! With the statistics of sexual assault on all types of populations, it is apparent how common it really is. So when your friend comes to you with the hurt of such an encounter, believe, listen and be there. They need you, that’s why they came to you. Finally encourage immediate medical attention. This doesn’t only mean physical but mental. Encourage them to talk to a therapist or pastor or their parents. Help find help, and do not take control of the situation (unless of course, they plan to hurt themselves or someone else). Seek someone out who can help immediately.

Pictures provided by: google photos

Isabelle Laneville is a 4-year senior at Highland Academy. She is the design editor of “The Highlander” and vice president of the drama club.

Who inspires you?

Laneville said, “My mom [inspires me] because she came to this country to the same school when she was very young and she’s done so much like get a college degree and do so many things other immigrants aren’t able to do and she really inspires me. I appreciate her so much for being able to leave her country and start a new life in a totally new place and learn a new language.” Laneville’s mother is originally from Belize.

What’s your favorite memory from Highland Academy?

Laneville’s favorite memory of her time here at Highland is Boundary Waters. Boundary Waters is a 9 day canoe trip in northern Minnesota by the Canadian border that students get to earn P.E. credit for going and learn first hand about God’s creation, up close and personal. Laneville said, “I liked hanging out with Alexandria. I was in a boat with John Mark and Levi and I really enjoyed boating with them. We were so much more bonded when we came out. I’m grateful I got to see nature in a way I’d never seen before and I felt like I had a deeper relationship with God. If I could do it again, I would.” Mr. Wade goes out of his way to make Boundary Waters a fun experience, but also see God in meaningful ways that only creation can share.

MEET ISABELLE LANEVILLE

What’s your favorite childhood memory?

Laneville shared that a favorite childhood memory involved playing under the porch of her childhood home. About the experience she said, “We had netting under there and so we used it as a little hideout and used certain parts of it as a house and we’d bring snacks down there and we’d eat. We did that a lot”

What’s your favorite hobby and why?

Laneville has 4 hobbies she likes to do. She said,”I don’t spend much time on just one. I split my time pretty equally on reading, soccer, drawing, and running. I run so I can stay in shape for soccer and I read and draw pretty much every day. I love them because they are things I can do alone without thinking.” Laneville appreciates her alone time as campus life can get hectic.

Is there a book that has really inspired you?

When Laneville was asked her favorite book she said “The Giver,” which is a book written by Lois Lowery. It is about a society where no one remembers the past except one member who becomes known as ‘The Receiver of Memory.”

Laneville continued, “I really liked “The Giver.” I’d say it’s the most inspirational book I’ve ever read. It was very eye opening for me because I grew up in a sheltered place so it was easy to relate to him [the main character]. He touched on some things that I was like ‘oh my life’s not that extreme but it was pretty close.’ I felt seen through that book and it opened my eyes to knowing that being overly cautious is not always a good thing.”

Have you experienced a miracle or answer to prayer?

see them again. Laneville swiped through several people saying they just didn’t catch her attention for various reasons. Then she came across someone who had an interest in books.

wanted to do that, but it doesn’t align with my other life goals like having a family, being a stay at home mom for a while, graphic design, and possibly religion and I’m just not willing to do that.”

A miracle Laneville first thought of happened this past Sunday. She was in her room thinking that she felt pretty good after exercising and doing her devotion, but something felt off. She said she felt “like I’m kinda in a rut, and I wasn’t praying. I was just thinking.” She felt like she was ready for the next step but did not know what that looked like. Later, she was on this app where you meet others your age and you talk about things you like and you never

As they shared about the books they loved, the other person asked, “can I ask a question?” Laneville gave him the go ahead. She said, “he asked if I was spiritual, and I was like yeah. I’m actually SDA are you?” He informed her that he grew up catholic but didn’t practice that religion any longer. He asked about differences in our religions (SDA and catholicism) so Laneville talked about heaven and hell and the New Jerusalem because he didn’t know about that. She tried to explain that and afterwards she said, “I was freaking out! What if I didn’t tell him everything right? Now I realize that was the next step in my relationship with God: getting to testify to someone, out of the blue, without preparation. I feel more grateful for God and right now I’m reading through the Psalms.” Psalm 111 was the one she was reading and it appeared to have a direct correlation with her experience with the person on social media. This was an exciting revelation for Laneville.

If money wasn’t a factor, what would you do with your life?

Careers are sneaking up on seniors, and when asked what Laneville would do if money didn’t matter, she stated; “If nothing was a factor, I’d be in the military. I would be an air force pilot. I’ve always really wanted to do that. My dad was in the military. He was in the U.S. Navy, so I’ve always

What have you learned from being at Highland Academy and how have you grown? When asked what she’s learned from being here at Highland Academy, Laneville responded, “I’ve learned how to find myself. I feel like even though I find myself pretending to be an extrovert when I’m really an introvert, I really do like to be alone and I realized that’s okay. I’m an extrovert with some people, but I appreciate myself more in many ways.”

She has learned to appreciate God in her life as well as her parents and even her pet.. She has learned to be more compassionate and understanding of others as you never know what story people carry. She said, “I’ve grown a lot more character wise and spiritually. Spiritually and mentally I wasn’t in a great place when I got here, and I went through a lot of suicidal thoughts and self harm.” Because of that she knew that she needed to find God but didn’t know how. She said, “He kind of just found me through Highland and vespers. I’ve seen him work so many things out in my life, especially with my mental health. I can tell you, if He didn’t put certain people in my life, I wouldn’t be alive today. I’d say God has really helped me grow to be a better person in my time here.”

Shiloh Bushey

Pictures provided by: Isabelle Laneville and Rachel liu

Campus News

GYMNIX LONG TOUR GOES TO MULTIPLE SCHOOLS

Magdalen Carlson

During Highland Academy’s April Home Leave, from April 16 to April 21, the gymnastics team, Gymnix, traveled on a long tour all throughout Tennessee to multiple schools and churches. They performed a routine at each school, eventually being rewarded with a trip to Dollywood. Throughout their trip, they got to share their love for God and their love for gymnastics. Since the beginning of the school year, Gymnix has been led by wonderful

coaches, Stephen Rogers, Bryce Reading, JP Mathis, Sara Bagshaw and Roger Schmidt. They have worked with all of their heart to make the best team possible. These coaches have put their all into practice by making sure students aren’t hurting themselves in a move, but also pushing them to help them find and reach their full potential. After all the hard work both the students and the coaches have been through, they get to end the year by going on a long tour!

On the first day, all of Gymnix left at 6:30 a.m. from Highland’s campus. They immediately headed to Algood Christian Elementary and then Murfreesboro Adventist School (MAS) to perform. At MAS they performed outside in the parking lot with the mats laid out. That afternoon the team traveled to Dunlap Seventh Day Adventist School where they stayed the night in their gymnasium. Because there were no showers, everyone had to shower in their swimsuits by using a hose outside. Bailey

Darrell, senior on the team, said, “My favorite part of long tour was being able to bond with my teammates and specifically showering with Georgia [Beckworth], Kylie [Copley] and Casi [Demaree] in our swimsuits.” During their trip, they traveled to Algood Christian Elementary, Murfreesboro Adventist School, Dunlap Seventh Day Adventist School, Floral Crest School, Southern Adventist University, Knoxville Adventist School, Dollywood, a church at Knoxville and Knoxville First Seventh Day Adventist church. In performances, the team got to show off their skills in partner work, tossing groups, and tumbling. During Girls’ routine, Tessa Wade held a three high with Clara Reading and Lyla Litchfield on top.

After each performance, they would ask if anyone wanted to try an “elevator.” This is where two bases and a backspot hold the flier at shoulder level on both feet. An “extension elevator” is where the flier stands on both feet, with the base’s arms fully extended overhead. They also offered to put one of the teachers up into an elevator. The confidence always varied between the children with some being really scared and

others not even getting nervous! The spiritual part of the entire trip was their tribute to God. The tribute to God is a performance by the team portraying Jesus’ life. It creates a scene of Jesus’ most memorable miracles that He

performed. Solomon Lewis acted as Jesus throughout the tribute. It ended with “Jesus” walking out of the tomb for when He rose again after He was crucified. While the team was at Southern Adventist University (SAU), they all got to work on different skills with the Gymmasters, the college gymnastics team, coaching them.

For the first time this year, Gymnix pulled off a four high with Jakson Roddy senior, as base, Carson Watkins, sophomore, was next, Tessa Wade, freshman, on him and Lyla Litchfield, freshman as the top. Many team members worked as the support making sure they were stable and safe. Everyone also got to work on the tumbling that they hadn’t quite gotten fully.

A very special thanks goes out to all the coaches for the wonderful team they put together. This tour was definitely exhausting for everyone, but memories were definitely worth the work. It will be hard to forget how much fun Gymnix’s tour was. Sharing God’s Word will always make something worth while.

Pictures provided by: Katie McConnell

GYMNASTICS HOMESHOW IS A BIG HIT Campus News

Kyle Dudgeon

Saturday, April 13 was the 2024 Gymnix Home Show during Academy Days at Highland Academy. This is the Gymnix Team’s biggest performance of the year.!

Lots of effort goes into this performance to make sure it is as extravagant and over the top as possible. The night was a success as the gym was packed with on-lookers and the performance met all expectations. The team works all year preparing for this event. Carson Watkins said, “It was a lot of hard practice getting all the routines together and polished, but it was all worth the work!” This show is both a fun time and also a sad one because, for the seniors, it will be their last home show at Highland Academy.

The Gymnix Show was the grand finale of the Academy Days weekend. The show was around an hour and a half long and consisted of many different tricks and moves by the team. One of these was at the beginning when the boys on the team were doing flips over the girls by jumping off the mini trampoline and then over a row of girls. As they kept flipping, they kept adding more people under the jump until the climax: John Mark Armstrong, senior, jumped over 10 of them at once and landed into a dive roll. When he landed, the crowd went wild!

wave, which was their teammates rolling on the floor in front of them, to the end without falling off the board. Curtis Balew, sophomore, said,

“The performance had a ‘wave’ of excitement.”

Emmett Stevens “surfed” for the guys and Lyla Litchfield “surfed” for the girls. After a ton of cheering and rolling, the boys came out on top then lifted up Stevens and cheered. Stevens said, “It’s been amazing to work with everyone this year and [I am] glad it went well.”

After the contest, the gymnasts did a mini skit where they had Armstrong walk the plank. They went back and forth about whether

see Carson Watkins, sophomore, Ethan Atlee, junior, Logan Darrell, sophomore, Elijah Labrenz, sophomore, Sam Fernandes, senior, Maddox Carlson, junior, Dominic Murrell, senior, Toby Scarbrough, sophomore, and Stevens jump behind one of the tumble mats and do funny poses pretending to swim.

A break in all the fun and excitement was an artistic presentation by Zariah Hamilton on the silks. Silks is a type of performance in which one or more artists perform aerial acrobatics while hanging from a specialist fabric. They use the fabric to wrap, suspend, drop, swing, and spiral their bodies into and out of various positions. Nadia

started to thank the audience for their contributions; whether it was time or financial. Then Armstrong took the mic and thanked all of the coaches for their efforts and longsuffering that went into getting the team ready for the performance.

Some of the team members then came out with gift bags for all of the coaches and thanked them once again. Abigail Hosler said, “It was incredible to see the hard work my friends and classmates had put in all year. Their hard work paid off and made an impact. I am so glad to call them my friends.”

Soon after, Rogers started to hand out awards for the outstanding achievements of multiple team members. Jackson Roddy, senior, was awarded Best Male Base while Ana Anderson, sophomore, received the award for Best Female Base. Carson Watkins, sophomore, was awarded Best Male Top, and Clara Reading, sophomore, got the award for Best Female Top. Bryson Beckworth, senior, was awarded Best Male Middle, while Bailey Darrell, senior, got the award for Best Female Middle.

he should have to or not.

Armstrong said that he had no other friend but the ocean, and then he was told he could go be with his friend and walk the plank.

Next was the guys vs girls surfing contest. The objective was for one team to roll their representative on a buoy board across the mat. The person on the buoy board had to “surf” the

After that was the funniest part for a lot of people: synchronized swimming. Unfortunately, there was no actual water. Instead, we got to

Bibulovic said, “The Gymnix home show went really well, I especially loved Zariah’s silk routine.”

The finale of the entire show was the entire Gymnix team portraying the life of Jesus Christ through their medium of gymnastics. They went step by step through his life showing just a few of the miraculous signs that Jesus performed in the presence of his disciples, with Solomon Lewis, senior, playing the lead role of Jesus. Once the Gymnix team finished all of their routines, Coach Stephen Rogers, head coach of the team, came up to the mats and talked about how great it was to work with the team this year, and how much work, effort and money went into it. He then

Ethan Atlee, junior, was recognized as the Most Improved Male, and Jana Shin, senior, was recognized as the Most Improved Female. Bryson Beckworth then comes back and wins a second award, which was Best Male Tumbler. Last but not least, Zariah Hamilton received the award for Best Female Tumbler.

Right after the awards, the coaches started calling each senior by name, giving a little speech about them, while awarding them each with a plaque that symbolized the number of years of hard work that they put into the team. This year’s Gymnix home show was an amazing display of what hard work, dedication and God can do for you. The Gymnix team put so many long hours into making this show possible, and it turned out better than they could have imagined. Nora Stevens said, “[The] Gymnix home show this year was fantastic! I loved everything about it, I laughed at the synchronized swimming, and cried when they did Jesus’ story! It was very impactful this year and I hope that everyone else enjoyed it as much as I did.” Great Job Highland Academy Gymnix!

Pictures provided by: Isabelle Laneville

Cassi Demaree

When I laugh

Im me, myself again

I feel joy

Like I finally fit in

Because its whole

Solving the puzzle, the missing piece

To whom I am

To what I want to be

Who doesn’t want to be happy

To truly be themselves

To laugh unworried

About the thoughts of someone else

LAUGHTER

Because it’s when you let go The time you finally understand Where to find the missing pieces To the puzzle of who I am Laughing is vulnerable Just as tears when you cry Happiness can be scary to feel When you expect it to die

So it almost feels safer

To sit in the pain, alone Because you cant fallIf your already standing so low

You get used to feeling unwhole

The missing piece becoming a partYou get used to the sadness

More comfortable in the dark

You feel left out

But not from others, yourself

Because pieces are missing -you feel like someone else

But the one thing stays the same

That when I laugh I am me

Vulnerable and goofy

Introverted and deep

That piece I feel is missing

Feels just a bit more intact

When I let go–

And I just let myself laugh <3

SENIORITIS IS TAKING OVER THE SENIOR CLASS

As the final stretch to the end of the school year begins, students begin to feel the whole year’s work hit them all at once and become fatigued, especially seniors. They say it’s called “senioritis.”

Senioritis is a heavy feeling students feel in their last year of highschool or college, where they have no motivation, are always tired and feel burnt out. This is not an official disease or a feeling most students get. Highland Academy seniors are no exception as they also feel this way with less than thirty days left until graduation.

Even though it’s not an actual disease, some “symptoms” to what commonly feels like senioritis include various expressions of fatigue such as a feeling of constant tiredness. Often, grades go down. Students have little to no motivation. Procrastination grows more prevalent, and students lose interest in their studies. Adriel Garcia, senior, says, “I definitely feel the tiredness and lack of motivation. I still get things done, but I don’t want to anymore.” This feeling is universal, and it can be difficult to manage it. Katie McConnell says, “it’s definitely hard to stay motivated because we’re so close to the finish line, but I made it this far. So I know I can do it for a couple more weeks. I’m just tired.” Often the word used is drained. Students say theory feels like “ academic victims instead of academic weapons.”

Stressing about the future is also common for seniors. Questions like “where are you going to college?” or “what’s your plan after graduation?” can be very draining for seniors just because they feel forced to make their entire life plans at the young age of 18. That can contribute to a lack of motivation, as well. Seniors don’t want to make the wrong decision or not meet everyone’s expectations. That can become very stressful for them as the graduation

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draws closer. Aurora Gomez, senior, said, “when my parents or anyone asks me for my major I get flustered.

There are so many factors to choosing and I don’t want to disappoint them or disappoint myself by making the wrong call.

It’s hard to choose the future I want to have based on a major and I feel very stressed as the weeks pass by.” Aurora’s feelings are not just hers. Others feel similarly. Alexandria Reid, senior, feels the same saying, “trying to do what I want to do and make my parents proud is harder than I thought just because it’s such a big decision. I also worry about paying for college because that’s also a huge factor.” A simple term for what they’re feeling is overwhelmed and even though life is going to be filled with moments like that, it puts a lot of weight on a highschooler.

Most of the senior class at Highland Academy has outstanding grades even though senioritis has definitely shown up on campus. Some may wonder how this is possible with so many seniors feeling this way. It is because they know how close they are to graduation and when they lack motivation, that gives them the extra push. The majority are motivated to finish strong. Even though they’re sad to leave high school, moving forward is a huge step for them, and it’s the start of their future.

Senioritis might not be an official disease, but it’s very much a real feeling. Just like most problems in life, there are ways to help solve this. Self care is an important part to moving through senioritis. Making time for yourself to relax like watching a movie, a self care night, or even just eating something that gives you peace is really important. Allowing yourself to have a breather and take a break from everything and everyone is crucial because that way you don’t feel so overwhelmed.

Another tip is timing yourself when studying. Putting up a 30 minute timer or

1 hour timer and allowing yourself a break after the timer goes off and taking a little rest before beginning again helps with the studying because it gives you a breather in between and doesn’t feel like you are cramming. It rests your brain and gives you something else besides academics to focus on. This gives your brain a sort of reset that refreshes and helps you prepare for the next set of studies.

Having a steady sleep schedule is important because if you don’t sleep well, you will feel tired throughout the day and that unbalance won’t help with managing your day. It will actually lead to that overwhelmed feeling. Having a schedule in general helps with organization and keeping track of your time.

Senior year can be tough, and it’s very important to know how to deal with all the changes that are happening and prepare for the changes coming in life. Having your goals in check and managing your time well are key factors in enjoying the last few weeks of your senior year. Senioritis might not be a “real” disease, but it’s very important to acknowledge these feelings and prioritize your mental state. Suhjin Yoon says “spending time with friends or reading a book unrelated to school is so healing to me, and when I’m back to studying, I feel better about it because I allowed myself to have that break.” A lot of people know what it’s like to feel anxious and stressed, and the best way to deal with things like this is making time for yourself.

It is common to feel burned out after 4 long years of studying and constantly trying your best. That notorious slump that hits during your last year of highschool has solutions. Stay motivated and finish strong. Remember the effort you put in now can open doors for your future. Power through, take breaks, eat right, sleep well, and keep your eye on the ball. Let the countdown begin!

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