The Talon newspaper v. 16 issue 5

'James and the Giant Peach'

Theater seniors take their final bow after spring musical

by Emily Cacciatore

In this semester's show stopping performance of James and the Giant Peach, the seniors say their sweet goodbyes to NAFO theater.

The Nation Ford theater department showcased James and the Giant Peach in the main auditorium from March 16th to March 18th.

James and the Giant Peach, a story by Roald Dahl, has been translated from book, to movie, and now, to musical.

learning how to work stage lighting, the cast and crew have flourished from the opportunities taken away from this production.

Many of these new skills are taught by the theater staff, but they are also taught and expanded upon by the seniors in theater. Some of them with three or more years of experience under their belt, gaining immense experience and lessons in each moment.

der how they all get along.

“Working with a big crew gives me experience with teamwork and leadership,” junior Kimora Young who starred as Spider explained. “The bigger the crew, the more exciting.”

grew so close and I feel a sense of responsibility for them, so it’ll be hard to leave,” shared senior Emma Bennett, who played Ladybug. “But I know they'll do great things in the coming years.”

“Having the seniors by my side made me feel like I could do anything,” said Junior ensemble member Amanda Mele. "They're kind of like parents or older siblings in a way, and if they weren't here I think NAFO theater wouldn’t be as amazing as it is.”

Through the trials of working with a large crew, and five months of learning their lines and choreography, they set the stage with their stunning performance and blossoming friendships.

“They’re all just so kind and supportive. It’s really nice getting to know them all,” junior Hailey Avitabile, who played Sponge, said about her cast mates.

Everlasting friendships and new adventures are just some of the things that keep the students of Nation Ford returning to the theater. But junior Julia Wolman, who starred as James, returns because “seeing the show come together is so rewarding.”

“I didn't want to make my performance too derivative of any previous iteration. Once I found out I was cast I only focused on our production’s script,” senior Brady Kuebler, who played Ladahlord, said.

James and the Giant Peach at its core was a myriad of new experiences. From constructing their first prop to

NFHS has an abundance of hard-working actors, tech, and costume crew. With such a large team, it's easy to won-

Seniors leave their passions

Student athletes say goodbye to Falcon sports

by Lucas Smalley

, 2, 1... The buzzer sounds. Athletes' hearts sink as the final game of their high school career comes to an end. It's bittersweet.

Eyes welling with tears, teammates hug tight, knowing it’ll be the last game they play together. The seniors huddle up one last time 1, 2, 3….. FALCONS!

The inevitable end of a high school season is knowing that all the seniors on the team will not be there the following year.

A lot of those athletes will never play their sport again in a school-oriented environment.

“I played two sports, and I'm only going to college for one, so leaving basketball behind was really hard for me,” varsity basketball and baseball player Nick Chuttey said.

It's the sport many of these student-athletes have been playing since they were in preschool and soon they will have to say goodbye to teammates, coaches, and their Falcon fans.

“I’m just enjoying the time I have now with my team,” says varsity lacrosse midfielder Ryan Parker. “I don’t want to think about the end, but it is definitely in the back of my head.”

These friendships have made impacts that the seniors in theater aren't quite ready to give up.

“I’ll definitely miss my underclassman the most. We

By the end of the story, after a treacherous journey, and many ups and downs, James (the character) declares that his wild group is his family. In Nation Ford's musical production of James and the Giant Peach this conclusion was taken off stage with the relationships grown and the impact they had on one another. 3

The cast of James and the Giant Peach performs for opening night in the Nation Ford High School Auditorium, March 16. Huddled together in a giant peach the cast members put on one of their final scenes.

Photo by Emily Cacciatore

"These friendships have made impacts that the seniors in theater aren't quite ready to give up."

Students need more mental health support

Offering more mental health resources at school best idea to help students

by Sabrina Randolph

One in every five children tend to experience mental health problems over the course of their school years.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2021, 42% of students felt continuous depression, and nearly 29% experienced poor mental health.

The older generation of adults didn’t have as much access to help with their emotional problems.

To elaborate, this means many adults are undiagnosed and are dealing with mental health issues in silence.

This situation also means many parents don’t quite understand their child’s inner mental thoughts, and mental health can often be overlooked.

Some parents may be more concerned with the way people view their child, as someone with a mental issue, instead of actually trying to help.

Perhaps this is why we need new thinking. Therefore, it’s critical that

schools take mental health seriously and develop policies and programs that allow students to feel seen and understood when struggling.

Schools have recently taken matters into their hands and have added a way students can communicate with a trained mental health counselor.

But is that resource truly enough?

Various students’ psychological well-being affects their school performance, causing assignments to pile on one another as their stress levels rise.

Adolescents may turn to extreme measures and end up in the emergency room if their mental health goes unnoticed.

Each and every individual student lives a very separate life.

Numerous experiences, such as trauma, may trigger a period of distress or even illness.

Can something as simple as therapeutic programs of talk therapy help?

With correct professional help you can make way and have a newer mindset. Individuals pay between $60

The Talon Staff

Editors-In-Chief:

Addie Rae Allen

Amaris Arroyave

Rian Donahue

Sara Pipa

Section Editors:

Emily Cacciatore

Mackenzie Creasman

Lizzie Ferretti

Connor Ford

Lucas Smalley

Graphics Editors:

Connor Lambert

Reporters:

Riley Crutchfield

Kalli Desai

Olicia Lucas

Olly Maness

Sabrina Randolph

Colin Small

Caroline Zban & all editors on The Talon staff Adviser: Beth Swann

to $120 on average for an hour-long session just for someone to get the care they need, which can be expensive for families.

There are options for free online therapy programs with trained volunteers, that might be more suitable for certain people, and people that may not be able to afford the help they need.

Though online therapy apps cannot “fix” someone because people were never broken in the first place, it’s always okay to not be okay.

It’s not always okay to avoid your issues and not seek professional help.

To many people, mental health is a subject that is taboo, more hush-hush, and covered up.

But it is not something to be kept from others around.

We need to be upfront instead of making mental health something secretive.

It can be difficult to find where to get information about mental health.

Visiting the Nation Ford home website, you navigate your way to the guidance tab where you can find the directory staff that addresses many

issues such as grades, but not mental health.

The topic should be more open in the school environment.

As students spend most of their everyday lives in the education system, students should be provided with methods to recognize indications of developing mental problems before it’s too late.

While teachers have to complete video course training every year, and every five years they take an online class in suicide training, they are not trained to treat mental illness.

The only thing teachers can do is suggest for troubled students is to see a guidance counselor.

To try and fix this ongoing problem, the school could take FLEX time to teach kids where to find resources, including psychologists with quick access and cost information.

Students who struggle with mental health need more support and quickly.

School is the best place to offer such support, but the current systems are not adequate.

The Talon Policy

The Talon provides students with an opportunity to research and write informative articles related to Nation Ford High School or topics students find interesting. The paper’s objective is to notify the school community of the news in a timely and informative manner and to entertain them through articles and columns.

The staff encourages letters to the editor. Nation Ford High School students, staff members, and the public can express their opinions and reactions to the articles in The Talon

Letters should be signed and should not exceed 150 words. Letters submitted may be published in the paper at the discretion of The Talon staff and will be edited for accuracy, length, and grammar, as well as offensive or inappropriate content.

The staff may permanently keep all unpublished letters for reference or guidance for future writing. All submissions should be submitted to Mrs. Swann, room D111, or via email to swanne@fortmillschools.org and note the topic.

Please keep in mind that opinions voiced in the articles and personal columns are not those of the Nation Ford High School newspaper staff or Nation Ford High School’s administration, faculty, or staff; opinions are solely those of the author who submitted the article.

It’s critical that schools take mental health seriously and develop policies and programs that allow students to feel seen and understood when struggling.

We need to be upfront instead of making mental health something secretive.

Second amendment needs re-evaluation

Gun violence is forgettable -- even better, forgivable. At least, it has become so. Just as brushing your teeth is routine, turning on the TV to shooting-victim counts makes the morning.

The normalization of gun violence in the US is startling, yet what’s even more concerning is our constant perpetuation of deadly events as the “status quo.” The last major school shooting was at Michigan State University. While the news was justifiably plastered across news stations and even on social media by MSU students, what can you remember about it? The statistics? The name of the perpetrator? Do you remember Arielle Anderson, Alexandria Verner, and Brian Fraser? Maybe not. Maybe you only thought about it for a week while the news was rolling out, and then moved on.

When you have the luxury of starting a new day, shootings are dismissed and merely treated as drama. The momentary frustration with legislation can be revisited when another shooting happens, because you can always expect it. Gun violence is a constant in our lives, and it’s become too comfortable.

In 2022, President Joe Biden signed the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act to increase the consistency of background checks when purchasing guns, as well as make the guidelines for safe attainment and storage of guns transparent. Congress’ responsibility should be clear: According to the gun violence press archive as of press time, May 1 there have been 185 mass shootings since the New Year. This alarming lack of action by Congress has forced Biden to issue an Executive Order to finally mobilize the Act. It’s apparent we are not just complacent in the face of violence, but actively pushing against attempts to overcome it.

Of course, one of the most cited arguments for gun rights is the Second Amendment of the Consti-

by Addie Rae Allen

tution, or the “Right to Bear Arms.” Let’s revisit the time in which quill met paper to set this amendment in history: it’s 1791, and the fastest firearms consist of muskets with 20-second reload times and flintlock pistols that average four rounds per minute. What James Madison did not account for in his proposal for the amendment was the types of weapons the average citizen could get a hold of in the future.

Look at the AK-47, which shoots 600 rounds per minute. This gun is 150 times faster than the flintlock pistol -- 150 times more dangerous. Yet there’s still the argument that the Constitution shouldn’t be revisited, and we should instead cling to tradition. We have lost our humanity in the name of our Founding Fathers.

Another primary argument is that the alarming rise in mass shootings is not a problem of legality, but rather a mental health concern.

Perhaps the best way to dismantle this idea is to examine the anatomy of an average shooter: white and male. How is it that perpetrators are overwhelmingly white and The Violence Project reports 98% are male, yet mass shootings are a “mental health concern?” According to Johns Hopkins, about a fourth of the US has been diagnosed with mental illness, yet a fourth of our country’s population are not mass shooters.

Mental illness is only being used as a scapegoat for the cracks in America’s foundation: racism, homophobia, and sexism. While instances of psychosis can be dangerous and should be treated, it’s faux-mental health-advocates that step into the limelight when the time comes to dismiss a critique of the Constitution.

This bigotry is made obvious by largely covered mass shootings in the past decade such as the 2015 Charleston church shooting, the 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting, and the 2021 Atlanta spa shooting spree. Each of these gunman’s choice of location exposes the disproportionate number of minority victims. Hate crimes are not the result of mental illness, they are the result of prejudice.

Gun violence in America is on the rise. However, it’s clear Americans are not convinced they should address it; everyone can agree that mass shootings are bad, but we can’t seem to get on the same page as to why.

Perhaps we ourselves are fueling this discourse to hide from the fact that the more time we take arguing about the dreams of men from over 200 years ago, the more time we take away from analyzing facts from the here and now.

To combat gun violence, the problem must be plucked from the root: mass shootings are caused by guns, which are made easily available under the Constitution. Legislative change must continue to be prioritized so the country can stop picking weapons over people. -ARA

Teens need to stop smoking weed

Marijuana harshly affects memory, mental health of young smokers

by Olicia Lucas

Inhale, exhale, and get high. High school students today smoke marijuana due to peer pressure, curiosity, or to just fit in with their friends.

The short term effects of smoking may allow you to be more relaxed; most teenagers love that feeling which is why they do it, but is that feeling worth it in the long run when you have lung cancer?

Teens also smoke to cope with their anxiety, depression, or stress. Teens may think that marijuana is solving their problems but in reality it is only making things worse.

The short term effects of marijuana are school difficulties, problems with concentration, and aggression.

According to the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, teens are justifying the use of marijuana because it can be used for medical purposes.

Medical use for marijuana with a prescription is called “medical marijuana.” In some states, children of any age can get medical marijuana if they have a “qualifying medical condition.”

In most states that allow medical marijuana, the marijuana is not regulated and therefore is not checked for ingredients, purity, strength, or safety.

However, there is no evidence that medical marijuana is any safer than other marijuana. Some teens believe that weed is harmless, but samples have shown that marijuana can be laced with fentanyl which is a deadly drug.

According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, fentanyl is anywhere from 50 to 100 times stronger than morphine.

Whether teens knowingly or unknowingly consume fentanyl, they are still at a high risk of an opioid overdose. It’s very difficult to determine whether you’re using fentanyl laced marijuana.

Fentanyl doesn’t look or smell like anything, so visually, it’s impossible to identify. The best way to avoid fentanyl is to stop doing drugs.

For teens who are smoking marijuana, it is not too late to quit. Marijuana withdrawal is usually only worse the first day or two, but after that, withdrawal symptoms will decrease gradually. They’re usually gone a week or two after the person no longer uses the drug.

There are other ways to cope with your anxiety, depression, or stress such as talking to a counselor, finding an alternative activity, or establishing yourself with a new group of friends. Marijuana will never be the answer.

nida.nih.gov

by Emily Cacciatore

Teens may think that marijuana is solving their problems but in reality it is only making things worse.

Gun deaths reach epidemic proportions in America, laws must change

FMSD considers ‘year-long’ school calendar Beginning in the 2024-2025 school year

by Connor Lambert

In order for students to have an equal number of days each semester as well as have more time for remediation, the Fort Mill School District (FMSD) has been debating about the change of the calendar for all schools, starting in the 2024-2025 school year.

This will be the first permanent change to the school schedule since 2007, but district officials are currently going through feedback from parents and staff before making any changes to this new calendar.

“What we’re looking at is a modified year-round calendar, and what modified means is that we do add some breaks in there so it’s not a full year-long calendar,” said Joe Burke, Fort Mill Schools public information officer. “There are still summer breaks although it is a shorter break–it’s more like eight-nine weeks instead of the traditional 10-11 we have there.

“The main changes would be that we start a little bit earlier in the year, add two remediation weeks during the year, and we would finish around the same time or pretty close to the same time we would usually get out of school,” he added.

While having a shorter summer, the new schedule will include more breaks throughout the school year, most notably having the two remediation weeks at the halfway points of the two semesters in October and March.

“They [remediation weeks] are pretty close to the midpoint, which is great because it gives us an opportunity to catch back up if you’re behind,” Burke said. “They also make for great break points for anyone who doesn’t need any remediation and can actually have a break and be out of school. But generally, in the calendar, we just put them in the ideal spots for academic and just personal areas just to take a break.”

One of the biggest reasons why FMSD wants to make the change leads back to when the school year would start.

“So the way it works, you look under the current

by Riley Crutchfield

With the goal of ensuring school security for all students and teachers, local safety and emergency services will be conducting a simulation on June 27 & June 29 as if there was an active shooter on a school’s campus. This event will take place at Catawba Ridge High School.

“Our public safety partners conduct active assailant training annually within their departments, with a joint full-scale training every three years,” local Safety and Emergency Services Coordinator Charles “Rich” Todd said. “A full-scale exercise is held every three years; the Fort Mill School District is hosting the exercise this year.”

To provide a realistic scenario, the exercise will be conducted nearly identical to an actual life-threatening situation. This simulation will use simunitions, better known as “blanks,” that will be used by law enforcement personnel who are playing the role of an active assailant. No volunteers will

law, and you can’t start till the third Monday of August if you’re doing a traditional school calendar,” Burke explained. “Then you start to look at how that throws off the balance between the first half and the second half.”

The district had just started assessing this process during this school year.

“It hasn’t been a long term process, but mostly this school year [calendar] that we’ve been looking into is as an option,” Burke noted.

FMSD still wants to consider how parents and staff think about this calendar change.

“So right now we’ve sent out a survey to all parents in the district and all staff in the district to get their feedback, and we’re still in the process of going through all of it. And I can tell you that we got close to 7,000 responses from it,” he said.

While 7,000 responses doesn’t seem as much compared to the 23,000 parents in the school district, this was the largest number of responses the school dis-

trict has ever seen.

“I can tell you that we’ve had a large range of things (responses). People saying that they like it–the shorter summer allows for the breaks during the year, in which they can now travel since it’s off season,” Burke said. “People also like the breaks during the year for remediation or just taking a break from school. And at the same time, we’ve heard from a lot of people that are having issues that would cause childcare problems.”

Another problem might involve high school programs like band, or other programs that happen in the summer and the new schedule having a shorter summer.

Those parents and staff that have responded positively by saying they like that students will be able to take a break during those remediation weeks as well as catch up, while other parents and staff might disagree because there’s a possibility that they will have to work and have difficulty being able to take care of their children.

Even though there could still be some edits to the new calendar, starting in the school year of 20242025, Fort Mill families may likely need to get ready for a big change.

be targeted.

“Before the exercise, all volunteers will be briefed as to what to expect, and they can withdraw participation at any time or ask to be assigned a role that will not be exposed to certain events,” Todd says.

Because the use of blank rounds could impact student volunteers, to protect the safety of volunteers, “mental health officials will also be present should anyone need to speak with them before, during, or after the incident,” Todd said.“Exercise managers will be looking for signs of emotional distress in role-players,” he explained.

The goal of student volunteers in the drill will be to enact as an injured student in a scenario where an armed assailant compromises the school. Volunteers are expected to fulfill their general role and receive specific situational commands from law enforcement on reacting. Volunteers may also be displayed with fake blood to add another sense of realism to the simulation.

“ What we’re looking at is a modified year-round calendar, and what modified means is that we do add some breaks in there so it’s not a full year-long calendar.

Shooter simulation to mock realistic events

‘Always faithful’

by Olly Maness

Almost 35 years ago, he was a freshly graduated recruit from Marine Corp Recruit Depot, Parris Island, S.C. as a Private First Class. Today he is Sergeant Major John D. Logan, a Marine JROTC instructor at Nation Ford High School.

Eight years ago, when he was interviewing for the position, the first question the then-principal asked him was: What are your career goals?

“I said, ‘I accomplished all of my career goals. My career is over, and this is what I do now because I just want to impact kids.’ And I will continue to do this as long as I am impacting kids. But as far as career aspirations and things like that? I achieved all of that in the U.S. Marine Corps,” Sgt. Maj. says confidently.

As a retired Marine turned teacher, he shares his experiences in the Marine Corps from June 1988 to the present day, serving as an instructor to civilians. He shares the ups and downs of really being a Marine. But he also shares an insight into what it felt like to get in and to get out.

“Well, to be quite honest, I did not initially want to go into the Marine Corps,” he said. “I was kind of forced into a position where my best choice was to go into the military. My brother was in the Air Force, and so I originally planned on following my brother’s footsteps and enlisting in the Air Force.

“I had been in some trouble as a young person, and when I relayed that to the Air Force, they pretty much told me ‘You might wanna go talk to those guys across the hall.’ That happened to be the Marine Corps office.

“I knew a little about the differences in the military branches but not much. When I talked to the Marine recruiter though, he made a really big impression on me. I left there with a really good feeling, but I also took it upon myself to talk to the Army recruiter and the Navy recruiter, just to see what they had to offer.

The Marine recruiter left the biggest impression on him, but the biggest influence was really his father, a World War II vet. He was in the Navy in the Pacific and Sgt. Maj. was down to the Army and the Marine Corps.

“My dad just said, hands down, if it was him making that choice–he would’ve been proud of me with either response, but–he said that if it was him, he’d join the Marine Corps in a heartbeat,” Sgt. Maj. Logan said.

His father had tremendous respect for the U.S. Marines, but there was a lot to consider.

“It came down to the army offering me more tangible things like accelerated promotion, and more jobs, to be quite frank. The Marine Corps was offering me the challenge of becoming a U.S. Marine and earning the title U.S. Marine. I decided to go with that, and I never looked back and never regretted it,” Sgt. Maj. Logan added.

Getting into the Marine Corps was the easy part–it was staying with it that really meant something, he says. Some join to follow in their footsteps, others join for the money, and some join because they want to be a Marine. He wanted to be a Marine.

Being in the Marines isn’t the easiest breeze, but now says he’d do it all over again.

“If I could do it all over again, I’d do it in a heartbeat–if I could be 19-years-old again and be issued a 19-year-old body. I loved every minute of it.

“Of course, like every other job, there are highs and there are lows. There are good times, and there are bad times--but the camaraderie, the brotherhood, and sisterhood–just being a Marine and being around Marines, there’s nothing like it,” he says.

He found going from being full-time in the Marine Corps to a retired Marine instructor was easy. “It’s nice getting a pension check from the government every month. I’m not necessarily in the same category as a lot of retired Marines who have completely severed themselves from the Marine Corp.

“I still wear the uniform every day, I still talk Marine Corps, and I still teach Marine Corps, so I’m not the typical retired Marine who’s off and doing something completely different. So while I am retired from the Marine Corps, I kind of half haven’t retired from the Marine Corps. The good part about it is not having to move every three years and being in a stable place with my wife.”

The transition was a pretty easy process for him, he says.

“I think the biggest adjustment to teaching was coming to the realization that high school students are not Marines and having to throttle back on what I was initially doing.

“In my very first Physical Training session at South Point High School, we had to call an ambulance for one of the cadets, and I quickly realized that these are not Marines, I’m in a new environment, and I have to make some adjustments,” he says.

It took him a full year to back down to a level where he could still teach and lead at a better level to high school students while it was still a challenge.

There are a good bit of upsides in the Marine Corps, and it’s not all war and sacrifice. “I mean Marine Corps is a people-business, and we have our own culture,” Sgt. Maj. admits. “When you’re a new recruit, and you go through the recruit training process, you come out of there a changed person. Being around Marines is important because you can count on them.

“If you told them a certain thing was happening at a certain time, and they needed to be there, everybody was going to be there–early. If something needed to get done, you didn’t have to worry whether it was going to get done. It was going to get done, probably before the deadline that you gave them to get it. That’s just the type of people that you’re around constantly in the Marine Corps.”

But being a Marine has risks. “The worst part about being in the Marine Corps was seeing other Marines not come home, and while that number is still really small, it’s still a number. I had Marines that aren’t with us anymore, and they made the ultimate sacrifice,” he said with a faraway look in his eyes.

With retirement, most folks may lay back or maybe even go do something completely different. Not this Marine.

“Again, I don’t have a 19-year-old body anymore, and when it comes time for me, I’ve always said that the day I no longer feel like I can effectively lead–and when I say lead I don’t mean just directly lead people–mean physically leading people,” he said. “Being one out in front, if I can’t physically do that, then it’s time for me to go.”

Retail therapy

Shopping offers benefits, financial consequences

by Rian Donahue

Bad day? Go buy that cute sweater you saw at Urban Outfitters last week. Or how about a pair of Dunks to go with your favorite cargos?

If you’ve never tried it, you likely know someone who has done it - retail therapy: the act of shopping with the primary purpose of improving mood.

Often seen in people during periods of depression or stress, it’s typically a short-lived habit. It’s not for nothing that items purchased during periods of retail therapy are sometimes referred to as “comfort buys.”

“When I get tired or annoyed with the world, I’ll shop for books on Amazon,” English teacher Maddie Neff explains. “My favorite book store is Books-a-Million, and I’ll go there and sit between the stacks and read.”

Studies show that retail therapy can be effective: “retail therapy not only makes people happier immediately, but it can also fight lingering sadness,” clinical psychologist Scott Bea at the Cleveland Clinic on their website. However, this form of therapy can hurt your wallet and develop harmful spending habits. It can even be more expensive than traditional therapy.

“I shop ‘til I drop,” senior Addy Morman said. “I do retail therapy to cope with what’s going on in real life. It makes me feel amazing, but then I realize I am broke and put it back.”

While immediate happiness may be imminent, it can be easy to go overboard. Retail therapy is a method of avoidance coping involving using distractions as a coping mechanism.

While buying comfort items can be a simple way to release stress and regain a sense of control in one’s life, these spending habits could evolve into Compulsive Buying Behavior (CBB), or severe addiction to shopping. CBB symptoms include persistent, excessive, impulsive, and uncontrollable purchasing despite severe psychological, social, occupational, and financial consequences, according to the National Library of Medicine.

“I went to the mall to my favorite store and made a beeline for the clearance rack,” sophomore Emmy Martin said. “I bought almost all the clothes on the rack and spent over $600 that day. I got a whole new wardrobe. I don’t regret it.”

Although there are heavy sociological effects in accordance with the behavior, your brain actually likes shopping. The act can be a rewarding experience and can trigger the release of both dopamine and endorphins, having an analgesic-like effect. The feeling is short-lived though, as the effects of the natural painkiller can influence stronger impulse buying.

Rather than running to the mall or browsing on Amazon as a crutch for mental health, alternatives could prove to have a better effect on mood (and your bank account). Exercise, improving diet, traditional therapy, reading, or even spending time with friends and family are simple alternatives to the damaging effects of retail therapy.

Former Marine Sergeant Major John D. Logan tells his story, impacts kids through teaching

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Head to head

Who is the real ‘GOAT’ - MJ or LBJ?

by Lucas Smalley

The most controversial question in sports is whether Michael “Air” Jordan and Lebron “King” James is the better athlete. However, the answer is a lot clearer than it may seem. Michael Jordan is the greatest player to ever lay hands on a basketball.

To understand why Michael Jordan is the best, means you have to dig deeper than just the stats. His ability to jump, score, clutch gene, and ability to win are some of the best seen in his sport.

Some may argue that Lebron James is the better player because of his stats alone. Recently, James passed Kareem Abdul Jabbar as the all-time leading scorer of the NBA. Jordan only falls 6,000 points behind James in 341 fewer games or four seasons. With the time spent on the court in mind, Jordan accomplished a more successful career in a shorter period.

Scoring is the most important factor in basketball–the NBA even has a title awarded to the player who scored the most points that season. Jordan has

10 scoring titles compared to Lebron’s one title.

While both are great defensive players, Jordan again outmatches Lebron, winning a Defensive Player of the Year award in 1988 during his illustrious career.

Jordan has shown he is a winner, compiling six championships, both being 3-peats during his last 10 years with the Chicago Bulls going 6-0. James on the other hand, has appeared in more finals, but has only won four with the Heat, Cavaliers, and Lakers going 4-6. During their entire finals careers, Jordan has scored more than 50 points in eight match-ups out of his 35 games compared to Lebron’s one.

Jordan showed his dominance in what is recognized as one of the most physical and greatest eras in basketball history. Jordan has Lebron beat in scoring, defense, athleticism, awards, and the game of basketball in general his dominance was unprecedented.

There’s a simple answer to the biggest basketball question: Michael Jordan is the best basketball player ever.

Falcon superstitions

Athletes share traditional good luck charms

by Connor Ford

From lucky socks to impassioned prayers, athletes are looking for anything to get a win.

Many athletes around the world have some sort of superstition. Tiger Woods always wears a red shirt on the final day of tournaments. Micheal Jordan wore his North Carolina Tar Heels shorts underneath his Chicago Bulls shorts.

While not as famous, Falcons, too, have rituals or superstitions they perform before or after games.

“We all get into a circle and take a moment of silence to give us good luck,” junior cheerleader Isabella Weileman said. “The team has been doing this before every match. We want to get rid of all of the worry within us.”

For some players, their families can be a part of their superstitions.

“I draw the initials ‘P’ and ‘B’ in the dirt because it represents both my grandparents, my greatest supporters,” junior softball player Kiara Wiley said. “Last season was rough confidence wise and they were the only thing keeping me going in regards to playing softball.”

Great American pastime Changes to baseball fuel its popularity

by Connor Fowler

After Baseball originated in the 1860’s, it later became known as America’s “national pastime.” But around 2007, attendance started to decrease 1% each year, leaving the question, Is baseball losing its popularity?

With the rise of American football in the U.S. and soccer around the world, it may seem like baseball has lost popularity, but that isn’t the case.

Listening to music is something that also helps players prepare for a big match.

“I listen to music before every game,” sophomore football player CJ Smith said. “Either country or rap depending on the day. It’s something I’ve done for a while.”

Some athletes wear extra clothing during their games to give them better luck and to make them more comfortable.

“I always wear shorts under my baseball pants. They’re more comfortable that way,” sophomore Ben Chuttey said. “I feel like I won’t do well if I don’t.”

Yet, some kids are trying to look for something greater.

“Before every match, I pray. I feel like I’m speaking the future out into the world when I do,” freshman wrestler Cameron Magyar said.

When you’re winning, you want to keep things consistent to keep the streak going.

“I wear lucky socks every game,” senior lacrosse player Owen Collette said. “I saw we were winning and I felt like I couldn’t change it up.”

In the early 70’s, football started its massive rise in popularity and started to overshadow baseball as America’s pastime. Football became so popular because baseball schedules more games in a season than football with baseball having 162 games, compared to football with 17 games.

Over time, new generations have lost some patience when watching sports. While football, basketball and soccer all have time limits, baseball and softball are the only sports without them. This however helps baseball because sports fans want to see more of their favorite teams play for as long as they can without complaining about a time limit ending the game.

MLB has tried adding new rules to keep the game relevant like putting a Designated Hitter in the lineup, or reducing mound visits from six to five. The most recent changes in the 2023 season include banning “The Shift,” which allowed teams to realign their defensive positions to help aid in stopping a ball when hit. They also have expanded the bases to allow for more stolen bases, and the biggest and most controversial change is adding a pitch clock for pitches to speed up in between pitches thrown. All of these changes are causing the game to speed up and allow for more action to occur, bringing in new fans to enjoy.

One addition to baseball that has helped boost its popularity is the World

Baseball Classic (WBC) that started in 2006. The WBC is an international tournament with countries from all over the world meaning baseball has more fans around the world now other than football which is popular mainly in the U.S. Some countries in the WBC include the U.S.A., Venezuela, Great Britain, Mexico, and Italy. The tournament is very similar to the World Cup because both have teams from around the world and takes place every four years. Japan was the 2023 World Baseball Classic Champions who beat team U.S.A., 3-2.

Sports fans may think that the NFL has overtaken MLB in viewership, but that isn’t the case. According to Prime Time ratings, MLB had over 75% more fans at their stadium than NFL. While the NFL has 32 teams that in total play 256 games a season, MLB has 30 teams that play 2,430 total games a season leading to higher views.

There are ways that the MLB could continue to be the top sport in the U.S. without having to change the game to be more like football or basketball. One way is to promote the game to the fullest like other sports is with television ads, posters, and even social media. Another big change that needs to happen is lowering the cost of tickets. The average price of a MLB game ticket is around $53, so games need to be more affordable since people want to go with family or friends meaning more money is needed to be spent. That’s not even including the food and merchandise sold at the ballparks.

Baseball is not dying with everything that the sport is accomplishing right now, and it won’t lose its popularity for a long time. But maybe these new changes that MLB has made will bring a new generation of fans to the game. Baseball is, and forever always, will be America’s pastime.

Junior center-fielder Miles Baker begins to swing on April 13th against crosstown rival Fort Mill which they lost 10-4.

Photo by Lucas Smalley

Photos with permission from png.com.

NFHS coaches, athletes discuss challenges, impact of tough job

by Lizzie Ferretti

Whether you want a coach who shows unconditional love, pushes you to do your best, or has a lot of experience, coaches everywhere need to have a passion for their job and sport.

It is important the coach is suited for the job because their decisions have a large impact on the youth who play the sport.

“I want a coach that is nice and cares about me, but will be tough when needed,” freshman girls varsity lacrosse player Avery Fore said. “I also like when a coach does a variety of drills and keeps practices as a learning opportunity.”

Building a relationship with the athletes is a crucial part of coaching.

It is good to be open with one another and practice good communication skills on the field or court, a process that leads to trust in each other, which is also important.

“I enjoy the relationships that I get to build with athletes,” says Tori Wright, JV volleyball coach. “Some of them will likely continue to be a part of my

life until they are my age and older.

“I also love being able to push players to become their best selves physically, mentally, and emotionally. It’s very rewarding to have that kind of influence on a young person’s life.”

Coaches have to be prepared for injuries, especially when athletes are playing a contact sport.

“I still keep in contact with former wrestlers–just because they leave the program does not mean that they left the Nation Ford family and the family that I have built while coaching,” head wrestling coach Bret Peltier says.

Parents also look for qualities in the coaches who will be working with their children.

of varsity soccer player Brooke Barrett said. Coaching in itself is not usually known as a high-paying job, so the money is not likely the incentive for coaches to apply for the position.

Coaching is about influence and helping an athlete pursue their sport of choice.

“Most people know that being a high school coach is not a lucrative career. You make enough to live, but most younger coaches, like myself, have a training side hustle,” Coach Anthony Marple said. “For me, becoming a coach was not for financial gains, it was to change the lives of high school kids.”

-Coach Tori Wright

“We want someone that cares about our kid and wants them to develop as a player, along with someone that looks at each person’s individual abilities to help them develop and create a good team.

“It is also important to have a coach that gives them the confidence to excel,” Earl Barrett, the father

14 Falcons commit to colleges, continue stellar athletic career

by Lucas Smalley & Connor Ford

Adream comes true after four years of hard work for 14 Falcon athletes who committed to playing their sport in college. During the first signing day on April 12 five athletes committed including Ben Walczak, Isaiah Hauser, Matthew Hurst, Owen Ameo, and Sierra Smith.

Among the five, three are members of the 2023 state champion Varsity lacrosse team.

Ben Walczak committed to Catawba College in Salisbury, North Carolina. “Ben is one of the most determined kids I know,” says Varsity lacrosse head coach Cory Turner. “During last year’s final Ben got injured and he’s bounced back tremendously this sea-

Matthew Hurst or as his coach calls him, “Matt the hammer Hurst,” has committed to the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Virginia.

“He left bruises on his opponents, you would know if you went against Matthew Hurst,” Turner said.

Owen Ameo committed to Roanoke College. “He’s one of the most competitive players I’ve ever coached in my 20 years of coaching,” Turner said.

“These boys had almost an 80% win percentage during their time with the team,” says Coach Turner.

Sierra Smith was a four-year athlete for the Falcon Track team. She committed to Appalachian State University.

“I came here the same year that Sierra did and out of the 20 freshmen she was the only one who stayed,” says Coach Micah McCoy. “Her hard work and determination finally paid off.”

The final commit was Isaiah Hauser who committed to North Carolina Wesleyan University which is a private school in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. Isaiah only played one year for the Nation Ford Football team but was a huge asset for the program.

“I told him we’re gonna miss him and I wish that I had him for more than one year on this team,” Head Coach Michael Allen said. “He demanded your respect, he demanded his teammate’s respect, and he demanded his opponent’s respect,” Allen said.

During the second signing day on April 27, nine athletes committed--Alyse Davis, Amariah Davis, Brady Corzine, Evan Morris, Gage Corzine, Hannah Dunnery, Kees Vandergriff, Kennedy Childress, and Nick Chuttey.

Twins Alyse and Amariah Davis

both committed to Southern Wesleyan University to pursue track and field.

Nation Ford had another set of twins commit with Offensive-Line Brady and Gage Corzine who will further their football career at Limestone University.

Coaching can be a fun opportunity and at times can be stressful with pushy parents and unwilling athletes. What’s the most stressful part of being a coach? “I would say one of the most frustrating things about coaching is encountering players that don’t want to give effort or have bad attitudes,” Wright said. “Those are two of the only things you can control in sports: your effort and attitude.” son.”

Morris, the starting goalie on the varsity soccer team, is going to Queens University to continue his soccer career.

Dunnery committed to Francis Marion University in Florence, SC. She will continue her soccer career as a midfielder.

Vandergriff a part of the JROTC Rifle Team has committed to The Citadel in Charleston, SC. Vandergriff has won many awards with the highly recognized rifle team.

Childress will further her soccer and academic career at Hampton University playing defense.

Finally, Chuttey will continue his baseball and academic career at Montreat College in North Carolina.

Coach Jeff Stack talks to sophomore pitcher/third-baseman Justin Brink after he struck out the last batter in the 5th inning during a game against Fort Mill. The Falcons lost 10-4 on April 13.

Photo by Lucas Smalley

“

...the only things you can control in sports: your effort and attitude.”

Inizio’s perfect pizza

Inizios a flavorful favorite in Fort Mill

by John Frick

If you’re looking for amazing traditional Italian pizza, try Inizio, located in Brayden Village. Inizio opened in the spring of 2022 and has seemingly been doing well since.

I’ve been to Italy and tried Italian pizza, and Inizio reigns supreme in my opinion.

Inizio bakes their pizza in a 900-degree woodfired clay oven for 90 seconds. The pizza has a thin crust, baked to perfection, and the pizzas as a whole, stay true to traditional Italian pizza. The pizza comes out quickly, but Inizio certainly has quality food that doesn’t taste like fast food pizza.

Inizio offers different kinds of pizzas as well as a plethora of optional toppings.

Last time, I got my personal favorite-a large Margherita pizza for $20 plus tax. The Buffalo mozzarella

comes on all of the pizzas and has a fantastic fresh mozzarella taste, especially with the San Marzano Tomato Sauce on the Margherita pizza.

Their pizzas certainly aren’t cheap, but the food is worth the price. If you aren’t in the mood for pizza they also offer cannoli, salad, and gelato. Inizio doesn’t have a fountain machine and instead offers primarily glass bottles and cans for soda options.

Despite the lack of cups, they have free water towards the back of the restaurant.

The environment of Inizio is modern with prints of Italian streets, Naples at night with Mount Vesuvius in the background, and more on the wall. Inizio also offers outdoor seating.

Overall, I would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for high-quality Italian Pizza.

‘Scream 6’ lives up to expectations

by Caroline Zban

The Scream movies never fail to impress me in the way that they contain that classic ‘touch’ of their past films along with a perfect amount of suspense, gore, and even humor, but the new Scream movie, “Scream 6”, gets even better. It’s one of the best in the franchise. The plot is evenly paced, chilling at times, and the movie is an adrenaline rush with a surprising amount of heart and buckets of blood.

First, the previous films lacked a deeper understanding of the characters and their bonds. “Scream 6” turns four friends into a ‘family unit’, the “core four” as they dub themselves. They are willing to do anything to protect one another, and it’s that close love for one another that helps the viewers care about them and have a vested interest in their lives. There were a couple of characters that I was desperately afraid for at times because I loved them and squirmed as they fought for their lives.

And fight they do. Ghostface (GF) in this film is a brutal, scary, and genuine threat. But GF faces determined survivors who aren’t afraid to throw down when necessary. Fights in this film are often full-blown brawls, bloody and brutal that take place during some wonderfully shot set pieces.

Great performances abound with the entire cast putting in some fantastic work. Some highlights would be Melissa Barrera, who plays Sam Carpenter, and Jenna Ortega, who plays Tara Carpenter, who do most of the emotional heavy lifting, and whose chemistry is palpable. The bond between the sisters is believable thanks to the emotional range of these two talented actresses.

Part of the fun of Scream films is also trying to figure out whodunit. This film is filled with subversion,

and while I did figure out who the villain was early on, I was blindsided by some reveals that I didn’t see coming at all. Red herrings are everywhere, legacy characters may or may not be who they seem, and no one is safe.

Overall, this movie is a top-tier sequel to the original films, I rate this movie 4/5 stars.

by Sara Pipa

THIS STORY CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR SEASON 3 OF ‘OUTER BANKS.’

After a long 19-month wait since the release of season 2 of the beloved show “Outer Banks,” season 3 is finally upon us. Most viewers began watching the show during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. The show grew a reputation as a “comfort show”and a way to escape the reality of the current state of the world through The Pogue’s escapades in search of long lost treasure.

The viewers could root for their favorite characters’ journeys, new budding love, and in the end, a possible new mission for the group. Although the audience had the opportunity to watch a lot of new plot lines emerge and see some loose-ends tie up, there is a lot of repetition from episode-to-episode and a multitude of old ideas that remain incomplete.

Through watching, it seems there is a pattern of predictable conflict. Someone in the group will have an issue–whether it be with another character or with themselves–that poses opposition for The Pogue’s end goal and leads them to feel discouraged. Yet, at the end of the episode, they will randomly and repetitively find a new piece of information, and their hunger for the gold is once again revitalized.

The main character of the show, John Booker Routledge (John B.), has his life turned upside down when his father goes missing in season 1, but along with the new season, also came his reunion with Big John (John B. ‘s father who was presumed dead). For John B. this reconciliation feels like a second chance for him to take action with his dad and try to find the gold together.

While I’m sure we all enjoy seeing the father-son time between the two characters, their reunion appears tainted with the relentless obsession that Big John possesses. He is still fixated on finding the gold, in a way that is almost unhealthy. He puts his own son in danger a multitude of times. This theme of “daddy issues” that both John B. and his girlfriend Sarah Cameron share brings them closer together, even through all of the obstacles they face.

Overall, I think the story line followed through to the end with the discovery of El Dorado, but I’m not sure how they’re going to tie in a motive besides greed and an adrenaline rush for their newest adventure; Blackbeard’s treasure.

I would definitely recommend the show regardless of the minor flaws it contains. Let’s hope next season is packed with even more thrills.

Poster courtesy Netflix

‘Outer Banks’ releases season 3 with minor flaws, big adventure

Baked hot and fast, Inizio serves quality Margherita pizza that definitely doesn’t taste like fast food. Photo by John Frick

Poster courtesy Paramount Pictures

Student makes 6,931 mile journey

From Iraq to America

by Mackenzie Creasman

School spirit superstar Lynn Marsh supports Falcon family

by Addie Rae Allen

Lynn Marsh isn’t in her room during her fourth block planning. Instead, she’s under the auditorium lights taking a power drill to a “James and the Giant Peach” prop. It’s three days until the opening night of the spring musical, and Marsh is doing everything in her power to ensure a quality production.

Marsh has been under lights since she herself was a student. “I was in chorus all through high school and at Clemson,” she says. “One of my favorite things at Clemson was singing pre-game and being on the field.”

Her present behind-curtain role as part of the tech crew is something Marsh stumbled upon in college. “My friend was like ‘I’m going to write this show, and I don’t trust anybody else, and you’re good at barking orders and being organized, so you’re going to be my stage manager,’” Marsh recalls. “I was like, ‘Mmm, okay,’ but then it turned out to be something I loved.”

Her love for theater is obvious as she laughs pushing the almost 12-foot-tall peach the tech crew made across the stage. The auditorium lights are dimmed now, but you don’t have to strain to see her joy -- it’s not only infectious, but an integral part of her personality.

“I am today who I was as a teenager, who I was in college -- that’s who I am,” Marsh says. “I’m just wired that way.”

Marsh’s spirit and gumption has been a part of the school’s DNA since the day the doors opened in 2007, and has been witnessed by tens of thousands of students, such as junior Makenzie Edwards.

“Her kindness helps motivate us,” says Edwards, who has worked alongside Marsh on tech crew for over a year. “She works with Mrs. Addison and Ms. Neff to make sure she gets everything right so that the rest of the show will be right.”

Theater Director Cheri Addison describes Marsh as her “best friend for life,” a title earned from years as coworkers.

“I wouldn’t be able to do the theater productions without her,” Addison says. “She has become such a close friend to me, and knowing that she is in the building always brings me peace of mind.”

Not only does Marsh prioritize the quality of NFHS’ theater productions, but also that of her Marketing and Management and Sports and Entertainment classes.

“For me, this is not just about teaching–it’s a lifestyle,” Marsh says. “That doesn’t work for everybody, and that’s okay. I guess you would say that I’m an odd little bug.”

With 17 years in the NFHS game, juggling so

many roles throughout the school’s history has not come without challenges.

This year, Marsh has had to come to terms with closing our Future Business Leaders of America chapter.

“I am learning that as I age, because I do like to be around a lot of things, I’ve needed to let some other things go so that I can be more present,” Marsh says.

“That’s why you see me at sports [events]. It’s not because I have to go, but it sets me in the right frame of mind. I love seeing my kids, and I love that they get so excited when I’m there. And when I’m not, they notice.”

Marsh makes a point of being a positive presence in her students’ lives, and the effects of doing so spans across all of the graduating classes.

“I’m going to a wedding in a couple of weeks for my kid that graduated and is now 27-years-old,” Marsh says.

“To know that he and his fiance found it important enough to put me on that invitation list–that’s the world. That means I did make an impact. Something I did was right.”

The question to include Marsh in his wedding was a no-brainer for 2014 NFHS graduate Blake Hill.

“Ms. Marsh was my must invite,” Hill says. “My now-wife and I had a few people that no matter what, they were going to get an invite. She was mine. I invited her over a lot of family and friends.”

Marsh’s and Hill’s friendship started with her decision to show up for her student.

“I took a few marketing classes with Ms. Marsh,” Hill says, “but ultimately it was her on the sidelines at all of our football games that brought us even closer. She was my mom on and off the field.”

Marsh attributes her own mother for her nurturing personality.

“She just had the ability to love on people,” Marsh smiles. “Good, bad, ugly, crazy, whatever it was, she just spoke very honestly. Even if it was harsh love. She was always there for people, and she made it known that she cared.”

For Hill, Marsh sure made it known.

“I went through a lot of personal stuff in high school from parents getting divorced and so on,” Hill explains. “Having Ms. Marsh to talk to about those problems and knowing it was confidential made her my rock to lean on at times when I couldn’t go to my mom to talk. I know I wouldn’t be the man I am today without one of my favorite teachers ever.”

Marsh has made her mark as an NFHS cornerstone and has entwined herself with the school’s legacy.

“[My mama] was built to serve,” Marsh says. “That’s what I tell people: I’m built to serve.”

It’s 2014 and clouds hover over Baghdad, Iraq, as 7-year-old Mustafa Alameri prepares himself to go to Al Rahibat Elementary School. He grabs his lunch–rice with spinach stew. He walks his younger sisters to the bus and realizes he needs an umbrella in case it rains. He runs back into his house and sees his mother crying and holding onto her jewelry box. The gold jewelry that once filled the box had disappeared. They had just been robbed.

However, the theft wasn’t the reason they left Iraq when he was 8-years-old.

“We weren’t fleeing a war, but we decided to move here because we felt that there was trouble in the Middle East, and my parents wanted us to grow up in an environment where we can have better opportunities than they did,” said Alameri, now a junior at Nation Ford.

Moving to the U.S. to begin a new life meant leaving his entire family in the Middle East. “I remember the depressed looks on their faces as we drove to the airport with my grandma,” said Alameri.

His father worked with the U.S. air force, so it helped them get into the country.

Moving to America came with many challenges for Alameri and his family. “We were only allowed to bring $500,“ he explained.

In addition to the struggles with money, and being in an entirely new place with a different language, he also continues to face Islamophobia: the discrimination against Islam or those who practice it.

“There have been many instances where people were Islamophobic towards me, but the Islamophobia towards my family is what I despise the most,” he says. “Sometimes when we are out in public, people stare at us like we’re aliens that don’t belong, simply because we are Muslim and Arab.”

Learning English was a challenge, “but I didn’t want people to make fun of my accent, so I learned it as quickly as I could,” said Alameri.

He still speaks Arabic at home with his family, but uses English for everything else, including writing.

Currently, Alameri still returns to Iraq to visit family.

“Although the government in Iraq is very corrupt, it’s nowhere near how bad it was before, and it’s gotten a lot safer,” he says. “This is largely due to the fact that ISIS is not occupying the area anymore.”

Alameri says he spends most of his time doing schoolwork, working out, or hanging out with his friends.

His determination to get into medical school helps him take on challenging classes.

“He’s an ambitious person that never gives up,” says junior Maya Somani.

In addition to his determination, his friends say he is kind: “kindness is his number one quality–he has never been known to be mean,” says junior Dhanvi Gude, another junior at Nation Ford High School.

Alameri says he is grateful for the opportunity to pursue a career in medicine.

“My favorite thing to do in the world is to help people, it’s my life’s purpose and why I want to be a doctor,” he said. “I feel that it’s the best way I can give people hope in times where it feels like there is none.”

The Grand Mosque of Kufa in Baghdad, Iraq

Helping build the set for the Nation Ford High School musical production of “James and The Giant Peach,” teacher Lynn Marsh adds finishing touches April 8 for senior theater student’s last performance of their career. Photo by Addie Rae Allen

It takes determination to lift weights Strength training can be beneficial for student athletes, all teens

by Colin Small

The chilling temperature surrounds your shoulders when you open the gym door with a bang, and the oppressive heat disappears from outside. The pounding thump of music grows louder as you enter, and the clashing of metal on metal peaks with every step you take For many high school students, lifting in the gym is a welcome investment of time, a show of strength, and a mental break from the taxing days of being a teenager.

The reasons behind lifting can be different for each teenager–some say that it's for confidence and mental benefits.

“Lifting with friends is fun, and I want to be able to be stronger and live a healthy lifestyle,” senior Kevin Do said. “Lifting helps me concentrate, and that can be applied in ways outside of the gym.”

In many ways, pushing your body to perform in an athletic situation gives your mind the mental break you need to make it through the day. In fact, according to a recent study by the Institute of Medicine, high school student athletes typically perform better on standardized tests and have faster cognitive processing speed than their less active classmates. Add the lifting to hanging out with friends, being productive in a healthy environment, and building stronger relationships with your peers, and it seems like a winning combination.

These advantages can be true for students of every grade level since there are so many different reasons to lift, which could be from a student’s overall health to their physical appearance and confidence.

Lifting is often seen as a release from stress, shown by studies and by experienced lifters.

“It keeps me busy and not always in my head,” freshman Marisol Garcia said.

Without a physical outlet, gym-goers could be in a worse place than they are today. In this way, the gym has become a remarkable outlet for teenage students to get their stress and worries out, in a healthy way. Through lifting, students can find new friends, skills,

and new found strengths that benefit them outside of school.

For those teens who workout for their own enjoyment and physical benefits, the fun is in the progress, not the process.

“The reason I lift is to get big,” freshman Joshua Assaad said.

For those with this mindset, it's about what you get out of the work you put in, not just the effort you apply to that goal. Unfortunately, this attitude means you can also see a negative effect on high school students.

”What makes me not want to lift is the weight size,” Assaad said. This drop in confidence allows many teens to start the slippery slope of comparing themselves to others working out at the

gym due to the intimidation of others or the fear of being looked down on for the lighter weights they are using.

Furthermore, athletes may set unrealistic expectations that set them up for injury. However, with proper coaching and realistic goal-setting, a progress-focused teen could reap the benefits of a lifting plan.

Students who want more information on lifting can talk to older adults or research the muscle groups and how to hit them. Tech-savvy teenagers have access to a variety of information about the human body.

“I research on Youtube and websites to train in every muscle-building approach rather than strength,” Do said.

However, access to a multitude of

experts–some more experienced than others– can lead to teens getting inaccurate information.

“I would argue that the only true disadvantages to weight lifting are centered around misinformation and lack of education on proper technique, timing, and moderation,” Physician’s Assistant at Atrium Health Zachary Betters said.

Although many students who lift have been doing it for a short period of time, their parents play a role in advising them in their extracurricular activities, including lifting. Some have a positive idea.

“The benefits of lifting are tenfold,” one parent said. “In a world where teens are expected to handle a lot of mental stress, emotional stress, and ever changing societal rules, it could really benefit them.”

While some parents encourage this productive use of downtime, others are concerned about teens' lack of expertise, knowledge, and know-how.

“I believe that anyone young or old should learn how to do it safely before pushing themselves to injury,” he said. In times like this, a professional may be the best resource.

In weightlifting, health benefits can be determined by intensity, but in school lifting programs, the weightlifting is meant for the safety of the students.

“Regimens of weightlifting need not be restricted to the stereotypical Arnold Schwarzenegger days of pounding heavy weights into the ground,” Betters said. “Weightlifting programs should highlight and encourage a variety of programs that can fit the diverse world we live in to include ‘old school’ movements, as well as more age metabolic resistance training.”

Tried and true lifting motions that are safe and offer benefits could be with a mix of body weight training, to truly benefit from years of experience in healthcare research.

As students continue to lift, their view will likely change, especially when you have a difficult regime to stick to. You may modify your weight lifting regimen along the way to fit your daily schedule and to fit into the comfortable routine.

Seniors leave their passions

Student athletes say goodbye to Falcon sports

Continued from page one

For many, it is the sport they grew up with but is also their passion. What most student-athletes will miss not just the game itself, but the time spent together with their teammates.

“The thing I'll miss most is my teammates and coaches. The bond we created is unbreakable,” says Parker.

The thing I'll miss most is my teammates and coaches. The bond we created is unbreakable, ”

show the last time athletes take off cleats, jerseys, and helmets. The act of doing something that athletes do every game can be so emotional and significant to the player is quite enthralling to those watching.

“I’ll miss the practices, they were always filled with a lot of hard work and laughs,” says varsity swimmer and lacrosse player Hayden Templeton.

–Varsity lacrosse midfielder Ryan Parker ('23)

It’s a very emotional experience for a student-athlete to cope with. TikToks posted around the nation

Everyone takes their shoes off inside the locker room, but for the seniors, it's a bigger deal.

They grab the loose end of their shoelaces and pull. They pack their bags and talk with their coach. They leave the locker room, still in shock that this was their final time playing as a Falcon. But they can take their memories with them.

To strengthen for college football at North Carolina Wesleyan in the fall, senior Isaiah Hauser lifts 135 lbs. during practice April 21. Photo by Colin Small