Tag Archives: Megan Hardin

Features

Journalist reflects on memories made at FC

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By Megan Hardin

Leaving friends and family behind is something that every student going to college will have to do.  They will have to pack up and leave the things they love the most and that have shaped them into who they are today. For the average senior, after their four years of high school, they will be doing this in the summer. For me, though, the time to say goodbye is much sooner. After attending FC for the last three and a half years, my journey here is coming to an end.

On December 21, I will take my last steps down the hallways as a high school student and walk out the doors a graduate of FC. I will be graduating a semester early and heading off to Ball State University. Over the break while other students will be hanging out with friends and family, I will be packing up and leaving Floyd County behind to start my next chapter in life.

While I am excited to be moving on with my life, I am sad that I am leaving a place that has led me to discover who I am. Most students say that they can’t wait to get out of high school, and that is exactly how I felt, but as my final day is approaching it seems like everything has gone by so fast. It honestly doesn’t even feel like I should be graduating from high school tomorrow.

I can still remember my first day at FC when they were still doing construction, and I got lost numerous times, and couldn’t open my locker at all that day because my hands were shaking I was so nervous. A lot has changed since then, especially me, and that all has to do with high school.

I have had so many experiences, good and bad, that have impacted my life. I have gained and lost friends along the way. I have had heartbreaks and relationships. I have had things that I thought would last forever end. And I have seen those around my grow into the people that they are today.

I have also noticed myself being changed by high school. Before I came to FC I didn’t have a passion for anything. I didn’t have a particular class that I liked or extra circular activity that I wanted to do. Then in my sophomore year I realized how much I liked writing and wanted to do more with it. I signed up to take Journalism and I loved it. After all these years I had finally found that I had a passion for something. After that I joined the online Bagpiper staff, and have written stories and pieces on a weekly basis ever since.

High school is something that every teen experiences and I am glad that I got to have all of those experiences at FC. Even though I am leaving FC, the memories and experiences that I have gained will always be with me. I have had my ups and downs here, but FC will always have a special place in my heart.

Features

Students stress levels rise due to finals

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By Megan Hardin

With the last two weeks of school before Christmas break, comes a lot of pressure and stress on students. Most of the stress is due to finals, whether it is studying for them or taking them.

“Stress levels rise and I get really nervous because I know that I need to pass these [finals] and be properly prepared. It’s just so much to handle,” said junior Deja Jones.

With finals only a week away students and teachers are trying to stuff lessons in to get ready.

“Teachers are cramming things in last minute and then we have to go and try to cram them in and learn them,” said Jones.

Students are overwhelmed by attempting to learn new material as well as recall everything that they have learned within the past semester, intensifying stress.

“My stress level increases because you have to try and cram everything you have learned back into your brain,” said junior Kelsi Hardin.

Finals cause so much stress because of the impact they have on students’ grades.

“Finals are typically worth about twenty percent of our grade and a bad score could drop a better grade, so I do start to worry,” said sophomore Lauren Alexander.

With this impact, students are trying to figure out what grades they need to get in order to pass all of their classes.

“I get nervous and then I try to figure out what certain grades that I need to get and based on what that grade is, is how much I study,” said senior Ali Host.

Another item adding to the stress over finals is not always knowing what to study.

“Something that causes me a lot of stress is when the teachers don’t always tell you everything that is on the test. When that happens I just have to study everything instead of spending more time on the particular things that I know will be on the test,” said junior Jake Lammert.

With all of this multiplied stress students need to have ways to relieve the tension and get rid of it.

“I don’t study for long periods of time, I take breaks and I also break it up into sections, so that it won’t be so much,” said Alexander.

Along with taking study breaks students turn to friends to relieve their stress.

“I hang out and joke around with my friends to stay relaxed,” said Host.

Even with all the stress that is being caused by finals, students feel that they are ready to take them and begin their Christmas break.

“I feel like I am prepared finals. I think that I will do good with all of the studying that I have done. I’m ready to take the finals so that we can start our break,” said Lammert.

Features

Athletic trainers program offer new opportunities for students

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By Megan Hardin

Photo Illustration by Megan Hardin
Photo Illustration by Megan Hardin.

Every day as last bell rings students rush out the doors to get home as soon as possible, but for junior Kassie Leuthart and sophomores Jordyn Boling and Tylan Davis their day at school is far from over. Leuthart, Boling, and Davis are all student trainers at FC.

On an average day, they all stay after school until 6 p.m. to help the athletes with their injuries and anything else that they need. On game days they stay even later.

“We have to help out the people that are injured and then we also have to stay and watch the games to make sure that nothing happens and then if it does, then we are there to help,” said Leuthart.

Not only do the student trainers help with injuries that have just occurred, they also help to heal the injuries that have already taken place.

“We tape their ankles, do STEM, [muscle stimulation,] and also help the athletes with rehab so that their injuries will heal up and they will be able perform the way that they used to,” said Davis.

With all of the medical things that they do, the trainers have to be well prepared to handle any situation.

“They go to camps over the summer to learn more about what to do when people get injured. They also have to know first aide and be CPR certified,” said athletic trainer Becky Clifton.

Clifton is in charge of the student trainers and she also gets to choose who will become a trainer.

“They have to come to me and tell me that they want to be a student trainer and why and then we will have a one-on-one interview. They have to meet the requirements of having a B average, good attendance, and they can’t have any discipline issues with FC. They also have to have the right personality to be a trainer,” said Clifton.

With these requirements and not many people knowing about the trainers program, only a select few will get to be trainers.

One of those few, Boling, became a trainer a little later than the others.

“I wanted to be able to be active in sports with out actually doing them and I also wanted to be able to keep in touch with all of the people that I met when I was a manager during football season, so I decided I wanted to be a trainer. I asked Becky [Clifton] if I could be one and then she asked the other trainers and they all said yes so I got to become one,” said Boling.

With the addition of Boling, the small, close-knit family environment that is brought about in the training room was complete.

“It is like we are all a family. We each bring something different about ourselves that helps everyone out. We have our own personalities, but we get along really well,” said Davis.

The other student trainers agree with Davis.

“This is where I met my best friends. We can all hang out and just have a great time together,” said Boling.

The trainers program has been a positive impact on the lives of all the trainers and will have a lasting impact on every one of them.

“If it wasn’t for training I would not have met a lot of the people that I am really close with,” said Leuthart.

News, Patrick Prifogle

Marching Highlanders place seventh at state

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By Megan Hardin and Patrick Prifogle

On Saturday, Nov. 3, the FC band marched their way to Lucas Oil Stadium, where they competed at state. “This was the most emotional performance for me, placement didn’t matter,” said senior Chloe Wassom. The emotional performance earned a seventh place finish.

Marching band performs on Saturday at the state finals at Lucas Oil Stadium. The band placed seventh in the state. This was the fourth consecutive year the marching band earned a trip to the finals. Photo by Sidney Reynolds.

“They did great, it was the best performance they have ever put together,” said band director Harold Yankey. Although they didn’t finish as well as they had hoped to they were all very pleased with their performance.

“I’m really happy about the performance. Our band improved greatly from last year, but so did everyone else’s,” said senior Christian Thomas.

“It was one of the best performances, everyone did really well,” said senior Maggie Staples. Many band members thought they deserved a higher place. “We couldn’t have done a show better than Saturday, we probably should have gotten sixth or fifth,” said Staples.

In the end, however, what really matters is the experience.

“It was a great ending to five years of band,” said Thomas.

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A&E, Patrick Prifogle

Seniors march to state finals four consecutive years

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By Megan Hardin and Patrick Prifogle

Doing what no other FC band has done before, the marching Highlanders have accomplished something remarkable as they compete in the state finals for the fourth consecutive year tomorrow.

“It’s the best feeling ever knowing that we accomplished something that no other FC graduating class has done,” said senior Shelby Reynolds.

“It’s very honoring to know that for the first time in 50 years. We came to a level of success to go to state all four years. Our goal has been to be the first band to go to state four times and we did it. I’m glad the class of 2013 made history,” said senior Craig Keibler.

Going to state for the last four years has raised the band’s expectations.

“Our goal this year isn’t just going to state; it’s doing well at state,” said senior Christian Thomas.

After finishing no higher than sixth place their last three years, the band is really trying to step up their game even more.

“This band has the potential to do better than sixth,” said Thomas.

“I think we have stepped it up this year; we need to perform well to be the best,” said senior Ryan Marksbury.

“I hope we get better than sixth, because getting sixth is getting old,” added senior Matt Drescher.

The band’s high expectations throughout the season have led them to this weekend’s honor.

“We expected to go to state this year. I think we can get fourth or fifth,” said senior Will Fancher.

In order to stop the trend of sixth place finishes, a lot of preparation has been done.

“We are working harder and are more focused, cleaning up a lot more than we have before,” said senior Andrew Frieberger

“We are working on keeping the visuals and music together,” added senior Parker Lyons.

“We need to do better on music; marching is improving,” said senior Amber Sprigler.

With all the stress of state it can be easy to forget that this is the senior’s last attempt at greatness.

“It’s kind of sad because this is the last competition I’m ever going to do at this school with this group of people,” said senior Kayla Sumner.

“This year has been stressful; it’s amazing to know I get to do it one last time,” said Sprigler.