Senior of the Month
December’s Senior of the Month is Lilli Doll. Lilli is the daughter of Chris and Amy Doll of Irwin. She is the president of National Honor Society and FCCLA. They are also the vice president of Friends of Dorothy. Outside of school, you can find her doing anything creative, or musical. Lilli plays guitar and participates in musical theatre across Columbus and is currently doing an internship with Short North Stage. Lilli will be performing in Cinderella in March with The Butterfly Guild at the Palace Theatre and Spring Awakening with Short North Stage in May. She is employed at Rollies and Paulette’s Princess Parties as a character performer, and just started her own business called TheDrippieHippie selling handmade candles and jewelry. After graduation they plan to go to college to pursue a BFA in musical theatre, and participate in the Disney College Program. When asked what advice she has for the underclassmen, she replied, “Find people and activities that fuel your soul, and find ways to implement that into your everyday life- it makes life so much more beautiful and joyful.”
FHS welcomes Miss Long
By Ally Gerty
The final staff spotlight for the 2021-2022 was saved for Miss Ashley Long. Before joining the Fairbanks team, she worked for Clark County Educational Service Center as an elementary intervention specialist. Now, she teaches the cross categorical high school unit. Those classes include math, social studies, reading, writing, and life skills. FHS is lucky enough to welcome a Fairbanks Alumni to the staff! Miss Long graduated from Fairbanks in 2015 and always admired how much the staff cared and the impact they had on her. She expressed that she desires to make a similar impact in her students’ lives. While here, she hopes to aid her students in growing academically and personally, while simultaneously establishing a love of learning. Miss Long has been a teacher for three years, and although the transition to any new job can be challenging, she is grateful for all the support, encouragement, and help from her coworkers she’s received. In her message to the community, she expresses her gratitude for being able to return to Fairbanks and teach others and she’s looking forward to helping her community grow.
NHS gives goodie bags
By Kate Ruff
Exam week is finally over and winter break has arrived! The students at Fairbanks High School have been hard at work for the past month studying for and taking their semester exams. The members of the National Honor Society recognized students’ and staff’s commitment to finishing out the year on a good note and were very impressed. As a result, the members planned a treat for staff and students to reward their dedication this semester and prepare them for end-of-semester exams. The Fairbanks’s chapter of the National Honor Society created goodie bags for all members of the High School staff and student body and distributed them during the students’ lunches. The goodie bags included study tips, assorted treats, and the requirements that hopeful National Honor Society inductees must meet to be admitted. The members of the National Honor Society assembled and shared these items on the morning of Tuesday, December 7th.
Color Guard to be added during upcoming school year
By Grace Koenig
Fairbanks will be adding a new activity in the school year of 2022-2023. New band director, Mr. Austin Alhborn, will be starting a Color Guard that will join the band in cheering on the football team.
At the moment there are 23 students interested and many of them attended the “Try Guard” clinic previously held this year.
In February there is a plan to have another clinic to help prepare those interested future in practicing their skills and becoming more confident in their abilities.
This colorful idea was brought about by the popularity of Color Guards in most other schools.
“It’s something I think is an important, fun, and enriching experience and it also allows more students to get involved with the music program,” says Mr. Ahlborn.
In the creation of this new activity there will be preparations that will need to be made. An extra coaching and leadership position will be added. This person will work very closely with the Fairbanks Marching Band. Uniforms will also be purchased and try-outs will be held as the season grows closer.
Students are highly encouraged to join Color Guard. It is a new and exciting experience that requires no past knowledge. Though a history of music or gymnastics can be helpful, all skills needed can be taught.
Sign-ups can be expected to finalize by mid to late March as well as some practices in April and May.
High School to add girls wrestling
By Callie Kitchen
Fairbanks High School has introduced Girls Wrestling into its sports program.
This 2021-2022 year there are 7 girls participating in wrestling.
Most of these girls are first time participants except for one or two who have had experience during their early childhood years. Practices are held every day except for Sunday and the girls practice with the boys in the same building.
There they can wrestle with the opposite gender when learning new techniques but it’s preferred to practice with the same gender and size for an adequate level of training.
There aren’t any major differences in rules other than uniforms and how the girls wear their hair in tournaments. This is a great opportunity for girls from freshmen to senior year to test the waters and take the chance of participating in a new sport.
In interviewing some of the female wrestlers, most of them are delighted to be able to seize this opportunity. One of the girls said joining was a great decision, even with no prior experience.
Science Club breaks geodes
By Ivan Graber-Nofziger
On November 7th, the Science Club organized an activity where members came to the school with their hammers to break geodes! So what is a geode and why would students break one? A geode is a hollow rock lined on the inside with various types of crystals or minerals; the ones used had quartz on the insides. When rocks are formed, there may be air pockets, like bubbles when liquid rock is solidifying or sedimentary rock is being formed.
As the rock around the cavity hardens, bits of carbonates and silicates are deposited within.
Over time, with the help of water that can seep in, crystals are formed.
The club members broke them open to see what it looks like.
Participants found the activity interesting to see the different ways the quartz crystals had formed in each geode.