A MENAGERIE OF ANIMALS AT HIGHLAND ACADEMY
By: Eliayna Burnett
For the past four years, our dedicated team has been running the equestrian program here at Highland Academy They add unique experiences to our campus, such as a petting zoo for Fall Festival this year, and horsemanship classes for all grades The equestrian program was initially thought up by Logan Johnson, school psychologist, who suggested it to Sara Bagshaw, our current equestrian director Together, they created our equestrian program that has added a few goats and sheep this summer The equestrian program has a few student workers: Mia Gomez, Lily Tonn, Georgia Beckworth, Tessa Wade, Cassie Sutton and Aiden Naumann “In the afternoons, we usually take care of the ducks, water plants, take care of the horses, ride horses, check fences, and that’s pretty much it,” said Sutton, sophomore and one of the equestrian workers
Recently, Highland Academy has had a few new additions to its arsenal of animals: six ducklings, a horse yearling, and the prospect of baby goats and sheep in the fall and winter The ducklings have been living in the maintenance building for a while One day, Sara Bagshaw went out to get goat feed and returned with six ducklings, partially donated by Ms. Nickie Sutton, Cassie Sutton’s mother, who works for Tractor Supply here in Portland.
As of September 1 of this year, the ducklings are about four weeks old. They don’t have names, but the equestrian staff are open to suggestions. Feel free to throw some ideas at Sara Bagshaw or any other workers
With the arrival of these ducklings, they started to build a duck house for them in the pond. The duck house took about three days to build, and the morning and afternoon workers worked on it for four hours daily The first attempt did not stay connected to its anchor, leaving the broken pieces floating around in the pond. The second attempt, however, safely made its way onto the pond, ready for the ducklings The ducklings will be sent into the pond at around 5–6 weeks of age
Alaska, or Chaos as referred to by Bagshaw, is our yearling horse Bagshaw worked with Alaska over the summer and plans to move her to a pasture of her own. They must set up the fences around the enclosure to keep her from the other horses The goats are due to have babies around September or early October. The sheep are due in January; however, Wilson, our ram, is relatively young, so we may not have any lambs this time
It's a busy time for the equestrian workers, but it is worth it to make this campus a more well-rounded and diverse educational space Hopefully soon, more students will be able to work with the animals Animal update: As of September 22, we have 2 sibling baby goats named Oliver and Otis with more 14 more on their way! Make your way up to the horses to see these sweet babies!
Editor In-Chief
Magdalen Carlson
Reporters
Helena Cortelli
Eliayna Burnett
Reuel Jabali
Evan Parris
Danielle Caldwell
Cartoon Art Design
Joash Alvarez
Design & Art Director
Tristan Naumann
Photographer
Malachi Armantrout
Miguel Bittencourt
Sponsors
Stephanie Rufo
Melissa Weisner
What should we name the Ducks?
The Highlander
CAMPUS
WELCOME TO HIGHLAND ACADEMY
By: Magdalen Carlson and Evan Parris
Highland Academy is not just a school; it’s a community where students are not only equipped with knowledge but also lifelong values. It’s a place where you can meet new friends, enjoy delicious meals and have your own alone time with the Lord Beyond that, it’s a school where kindness and peace truly shine. Of course, balancing classes and assignments can sometimes be a challenge, but the supportive environment makes it easier If you happen to fall behind on a test, don’t worry; most teachers are happy to let you retake it
As a Christian school, Highland Academy offers a unique opportunity to grow in faith and spirituality. “I don't like to hide that I like to learn about God,” says Blake Nazarenus, a freshman student who also shared how he invites his friends to join him here He also mentioned that in order to get his friends to come here, he’d simply tell them that the teachers are nice,
and that they'll be accepted And it’s true, Highland is a place where students are encouraged to develop Christ-like character, embracing kindness, thoughtfulness and respect This focus on character is evident both in the people and the atmosphere on campus
When you arrive at Highland Academy, you’ll find six main buildings: the church, chapel otherwise known as Ponce Hall, the gym known as Rephan Ley Auditorium, boys' dorm or Landis Hall, girls' dorm or Johnson Hall, and the maintenance building These buildings are lively hubs where students work jobs like cleaning, helping in the cafeteria or writing for the newspaper while earning money for school fees After classes, students can relax, study or hang out, with dorm worship at 8:00 p m and lights out at 10:00 p m (though, as some late-night stories suggest, the rules can be a little flexible)
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Photos taken by Reuel Jabali
The Highlander
FALL PICNIC AT ICC
By: Danielle Caldwell
On the morning of Sunday, August 24, students and staff arrived at Indian Creek Camp prepared to enjoy a day of competition and fun at the annual Fall Picnic Upon arrival, a small worship service was held, including some upbeat camp songs and a short skit performed by SA officers. Afterward, the students were directed to the pool, where the competitions would be held
The competitions began with what is considered the most anticipated event of Fall Picnic: synchronized swimming Each class performed their carefully practiced routines, exhibiting everything from backflips into the water, to graceful arm movements In this event, it was the seniors that claimed the victory, with impressively coordinated movements based on the movie, The Lorax Their routine also featured the Lorax himself, otherwise known as Neveah Cano in an orange jumpsuit The sophomores placed second, with their delicate performance to Louis Armstrong’s “What a Wonderful World”
After the announcements, students were dismissed to spend the rest of the afternoon as they pleased. Some jumped straight into the pool, headed to the canoes, or took a seat in the shade with their friends “My favorite thing was hanging out with my friends and Mrs. Rufo,” shared freshman Caroline Bagshaw However, the majority found themselves in a mad race for the dock, in hopes of securing a spot on one of the boats for tubing or cliff jumping
The following events included smallest splash, largest splash, best swan dive and best flop In these events each class had their fair share of victories, but the juniors and seniors were the two that remained in a steady struggle for the title of first place The sophomores joined this struggle after boosting their score significantly by gaining an impressive amount of points in the volleyball challenge. It was the football throwing challenge that ultimately set the seniors ahead Senior girl, Georgia Beckworth, was the only person able to successfully jump from the diving board and catch the football, which was thrown to her by Luke Henry
It was after this that the two final events, the races, began In these events, the victories were split fairly evenly between classes The freshmen won their first event of the day in the boys freestyle relay, with the seniors and juniors close behind The seniors were the undisputed winners of the girls freestyle relay, with quite the lead on the other classes In the turtle races, it was the juniors that kicked their way into first place
Upon the completion of the last event, the final scores were announced. The seniors were the winners of the day, with an impressive 136 points The juniors placed second with 128 points The sophomores followed closely behind with 124 The freshmen came in fourth, with a score of 95 points. “The competitions weren’t easy,” said senior Elijah Labrenez, “but I was proud of my class for pulling ahead”
Sophomore Miguel Bittencourt recalls his experience from the afternoon saying, “It was my first time cliff jumping, and I didn’t know what to expect or how to land, but now I know Definitely do not land on your bottom!” For the remainder of the day, most people spent more time in the water than they did on land When 4:00 p m rolled around and preparations to leave began, students were weary from the day’s activities However, the exhaustion was completely worth it Fall Picnic was the perfect opportunity for students to take a break from classes and enjoy some time outdoors
Glad you’re
Photos taken by Mrs. Rufo
The Highlander
BEYOND THE COVER- A REVIEW OF OLD YELLER
By: Evan Parris
Old Yeller is a classic story about how a dog on the frontiers of America found his way into the hearts of one family, despite the prejudices against him by Travis, from whose perspective we read the book Despite its tragic ending, Old Yeller is a powerful and memorable book, although perhaps not the best choice for dog lovers
During the course of the story, you’ll see just how eventful Travis’s life is, as it seems there's never a dull moment, with the bulls fighting, his little brother swimming in the drinking water, running from his little brother, who, apparently, knows how to throw a rock, and generally dealing with frontier life to its fullest
The whole book is written in an interesting yet informative format, doing its best to convey information without boring the reader Since it's written from the perspective of a fourteen-year-old boy, you’ll often find that his views might not be what a reader, as an unbiased third party, would see as correct For instance, when his little brother pays no attention to his assumed authority, Travis expects his mother to join his side of the argument However, she doesn't always do that
The climax of the book is filled with fear, excitement, fear, joy, and finally, a deep sadness for what has been lost. What happens, you ask? Well, grab the book and start readying today to find out how it ends
Do you have a book suggestion for Evan to read and review? Contact Mrs Rufo or Mrs Weisner with your suggestion
Photos from the Disney Movie Old Yeller
The Highlander GIRL’S CLUB KARAOKE
By: Danielle Caldwell
Sometimes, the best way to relieve stress is to scream your favorite song at the top of your lungs With this in mind, the girls dorm hosted a series of activities, including a karaoke event, in Ponce Hall on August 17, 2025. To kick off the fun, each girl received a notecard with the name of another girl in the dorm written on it They then sought out the person whose name they had received with the goal of finding something in common
After this quick icebreaker, the real games began. The first was a challenge in which participants stood, facing each other, with a cup between them They listened to the orders given to them by Saniya Livingston, who oversaw the playout of the game. If a body part was called, such as “knees,” players would place their hands on that part of their body, but if “cup” was called, players would reach down and grab the cup as quickly as possible Whoever successfully grabbed the cup first would proceed to the next round Karisa Hood came out on top, never failing to grasp the cup before her opponents
The next activity was a craft. Girls made picture frames, using popsicle sticks and decorated them with flower stickers, jewels, and various embellishments
Junior Gabriela Pascual said, “I really enjoyed making the picture frames as part of the evening” Junior Jasmine Warren also liked the creative aspect of the picture frame activity saying, “It was fun to see the artistic side of people” They then took pictures with
an assortment of props and costumes, to be printed and placed in their new picture frames Following this was the highlight of the event: the karaoke Girls had signed up with their desired songs the previous week and were ready to perform. The audience enjoyed the vocal stylings of Johnson Hall residents, which included Tiffany Vetter, Savannah Jackson,
Saniya Livingston, Olivia Dillard,Autumn Nicholas, Karisa Hood and Nakyi Weathersby, and a spirited group performance from the senior girls, who sang “Party in the USA ” “I was impressed with the talent of the girls who sang for karaoke,” says Kathyln Sampaio, in appreciation for those who performed Just as much fun was listening to the creativity of our M C Anna Simplice, senior After the final performance, the girls migrated to the cafeteria, where Girls Club officers served tacos and Jarritos soda bottles This event added some entertainment and fun to what would have otherwise been just another Sunday afternoon for the girls’ dorm
Art by Micah Hallam
The Highlander STUDENT HIGHLIGHTS
By: Danielle Caldwell
osiah Silveira is a freshman, hailing from Pleasantville, Tennessee So far this year, he has become an acting part of the campus’ spiritual atmosphere After taking on the role of freshmen class pastor, he delivered a short, yet powerful message at the Ice-Cream Social on August 22 In his spare time, Josiah enjoys playing basketball and video games He also enjoys spending time with friends and truly appreciates the social environment that Highland provides. Although he feels rather comfortable here, he still misses his family, and looks forward to seeing them over home leave
abriel Castillo is a member of the sophomore class He is the youngest of three siblings and lives all the way in Meridian, Mississippi. He finds joy in talking to friends, exercising, and studying He is also a member of the school choir He enjoys many of the things Highland has to offer, including the opportunities to make friends, as well as the food provided in the cafeteria. Although Highland gives him much to appreciate, he still misses his mom, and being able to play on his Nintendo Switch in his down time
ucy Griffin, a junior, lived most of her life in Birmingham, Alabama, but just this past summer, she moved to Huntsville She is the middle child of three sisters She likes to read, spend time with friends, and participate in sports like basketball and volleyball. She misses having her own space at home, and having her family around her Despite this, she still finds comfort and happiness in things like being a part of the Gymnix team and being able to make connections with new people
aeda Fritz is a freshman who lives in Westmoreland, Tennessee She has two brothers, one of which is Jovan Fritz, a senior here at Highland. She enjoys acting, making her the perfect fit for the drama class Outside of class, Fritz is fond of spending time with her friends and taking the occasional nap She misses her dogs from home and the comfort they brought her However, she still appreciates the sense of space and independence that Highland Academy offers
TheCreativeCorner
Wanna share your artistic talent with the rest of the school? Well the Creative Corner is the place to do it. Scan the QR code and fill out the needed information or text Tristan Naumann personally and we will post your art in the Highlander.
The Highlander CAROLINA MISSION TRIP
By: Eliayna Burnett
On Sept 26, 2024, Hurricane Helene hit Big Bend, Florida, as a Category 4, causing approximately $78 8 billion in damage, with about 252 fatalities The storm caused record-breaking amounts of rainfall across several settlements in western North Carolina, including Asheville, Swannanoa, Spruce Pine and others As a result, several rivers overflowed, flooding towns, destroying houses and infrastructure, and cutting off power, transportation and communication in many cities for prolonged periods Mudslides occurred across the region, worsening the damageThis caused Highland Academy to reach out and offer a helping hand, not once but twice
The group also visited a local family struggling financially, where they helped with yard work and moved furniture The family was quite overwhelmed with their financial burdens with five children, and when the students entered the house, they were overwhelmed by the need they saw Without hesitation, the students began cleaning, sweeping floors, rearranging furniture, organizing clothes and washing dishes. They worked diligently for hours, taking the initiative to help without direction
On Friday, the group prepared about 130 lunch bags for the homeless, distributing them in downtown Asheville They also participated in vespers with students from Mount Pisgah Academy and a local elementary school
All the students who joined the mission trip reported positive experiences, helping in every way possible For instance, senior Ilanit Roth spent around two hours keeping an elderly lady company, improving her day through simple companionship In the following week, she won Student of the Week because of this generous act of kindness
When the storms subsided, the damage was extensive, leaving many people homeless and communities in ruins In response, Highland Academy sent a group of students to the Asheville area in the first weeks of October as disaster relief. They created many connections with the community, offering their help and spreading the spirit of Jesus Their actions demonstrate the power of community and the unity that can be achieved through service
This year, Pastor Will Labrenz reached out to contacts in Asheville to explore opportunities for more assistance The outreach ministry of the Arden Seventh-day Adventist Church welcomed the new group of Highland students, offering accommodations in their gym, meals, and facilities at no cost. The students contributed through various projects organized by the ministry, including assisting with distributing food to those in need
When asked why they wanted to go, one student shared that she thought it would be a really good opportunity She looked forward to being able to go as it was the first mission trip of the year. Junior Kym Olvida shared that she wanted to “just go out and help the community in North Carolina ” Senior Melissa Gongora shared that she wanted to go “because I want to help people and make them feel better” She said she wanted to help “ by just cleaning, giving them a bit of food, and making their day better”
Huai Huai, a junior, also had a good experience, saying, “It had a life-changing impact on me when I went because I’ve never done this type of service before What really impacted me the most was helping the homeless people, which was something I’d never really gotten to do, and it made me see my actual self and know that I could shine out there for others in need” She went on to say that “it’s not only for the service but its glory to God It would also make him very glad that we are doing his work It will change the homeless lives forever, because since we helped them, they will remember that forever.”
The communities in North Carolina are still working diligently to recover from these storms and could use prayers and help. This may not be the last time Highland lends a helping hand, but our hope is that the rebuilding efforts will continue and the communities will be helped by many others
The Highlander
By: Reuel Jabali
WEEK OF PRAYER
Week of Prayer kicked off the evenings of the second week of the school year with good music and even better messages Our guest speaker, Pastor Mikey Ayala, shared his insights on this year’s theme, “Living an Abundant Life” His personal stories of the challenges he faced and overcame resonated deeply with the student body, inspiring hope and demonstrating how to live more abundantly He emphasized that we can influence those around us for God by leading abundant lives
The Week of Prayer had a notable impact on the students “It was inspiring, and I connected with Pastor Mikey’s messages,” Anna Simplice, a senior at Highland, expressed. Many of the students appreciated the insights shared by Pastor Ayala during the sessions His approach to delivering the messages was fresh and unique for most attendees. “I appreciated how he didn’t sugarcoat anything,” sophomore Sienna Shoemaker remarked Despite the Week of Prayer taking place early in the school year, it proved to be as effective as it would have been later “I truly enjoyed his talks,” senior Corinthia Lopez shared, “It was a wonderful way to kick off the school year” Many particularly enjoyed and valued his ability to weave his narratives into the lessons he taught
Ayala shared his overall experience during the Week of Prayer Pastor Will Labrenz, Highland Academy chaplain, had kindly shared the theme of Living Life Abundantly with him beforehand, and he prayed over it while considering what to share From there, Ayala carefully shaped the topics to address what he believed students needed most to hear. He had a fantastic experience The students were engaged, the worship was powerful, and he felt encouraged by how God was moving. “The best part was not just preaching, but connecting with students one-on-one, hearing their thoughts, answering questions, and hanging out These personal interactions made the week even more special,” said Ayala These personal stories and interactions made the audience feel deeply connected and engaged “It was a privilege Sharing about an abundant life was meaningful because it’s not just a nice idea; it’s something Jesus wants for us daily,” he added
Despite being a mandatory school event, the Week of Prayer was a resounding success with most students finding the sessions engaging and enriching, creating a personal connection with the students The Week of Prayer also served as a powerful platform for personal growth and learning, inspiring students to strive for an abundant life and positively influence others
Photos taken by Miguel Bittencourt