Embedded Files
Sophomore Heather Clarkson is an upcoming artist here at Brunswick Early County High School. Take a look at the cat drawing she drew of Mrs. Lewis's 8 cats!
National Titanic Remembrance Day
National Titanic Remembrance Day
By Junior Gabby Okun
April 15 is a special day for those who love the Titanic. Not the movie version, the actual Titanic. It is National Titanic Remembrance Day, a day to celebrate the famous “unsinkable ship”. Every year on April 15, we remember the victims and survivors of the Titanic tragedy. A way people dedicate themselves to that day is watching the movie Titanic, watching the musical about it, reading books on it, or even watching documentaries on the ship.
The Titanic was known as “the unsinkable ship”, but its unfortunate end turned it into a legendary vessel in history. The Titanic was a British ship from the White Star line, but it was owned by a U.S. company where the famous American financier John Pierpont “JP” Morgan held a significant stake. The Titanic was built on March 31, 1909 in Belfast, Northern Ireland by Harland & Wolff for transatlantic passage between Southampton, England and New York City.
Launched in 1911, it was the biggest and most luxurious passenger liner ever created. The ship had set sail on its maiden voyage from Southampton on April 10, 1912, with 2,240 passengers and crew on board. People thought it was unsinkable, yet it met a tragic fate on its first journey when it struck an iceberg on April 14, 1912. Out of 2,240 people on board, over 1,500 perished. This catastrophe prompted significant updates to maritime safety rules, like ensuring lifeboats for every passenger and maintaining constant radio contact.
The Titanic wreck was found on September 1, 1985, by a team from the U.S. and France, led by Dr. Robert Ballard and Jean-Louis Michel. It was located about 350 nautical miles off Newfoundland in international waters, lying two and a half miles deep at 12,500 feet. After the discovery, Dr. Ballard spoke to Congress to push for a law to make the wreck a maritime memorial. In July 1986, a plaque was placed on the Titanic to mark its discovery and to ask that the site be left undisturbed in honor of those who lost their lives. Then in 1987, a U.S. company teamed up with IFREMER (French Research Institute for Exploration of the Sea) to go back to the wreck and start recovering artifacts.
After everything the Titanic went through, it is still one of the most memorable legacy of tragedy, innovation, and human resilience, making it one of the most enduring stories in history.
What Video Games do Firebirds Play?
What Video Games do Firebirds Play?
By Freshman Zoria Roberts
Video games have been essentially parts of many generations' childhoods and throughout their lives. Iconic games such as Mario Kart, GTA, and games throughout the Sonic franceses have been games that many kids grew up with and play daily. Looking into what games firebirds are playing these days, you can see some remnants of older games, and brand new ideas that they have been enjoying.
One of the games that comes up often is Marvel Rivals. Marvel Rivals is a third-person hero shooter centered around Marvel characters. This is a very popular game that many teenagers have played due their love for marvel, or their love for shooters.Another third person shooter is Overwatch. Overwatch is a very similar game to Marvel Rivals, except it's older and has its own unique cast. Both of these games have dedicated fan bases that have a love for the genre.
Another popular game going around is Cookie Run Kingdom. Cookie Run Kingdom is a children's game at its core, but it has an arising popularity within teens. When I had asked around most responses have stated that people enjoy it for the fighting aspect and the character design.
Many games from the company Hoyolive have had popularity within students. Genshin Impact, Honkai: Starrail, and Zenless Zone Zero are all games that are story-led and include massive amounts of combait. These games are filled with interesting characters and worlds that draws the players into it. Aiden Faircloths, a freshman at ECHS, had said “These games are very pretty and fun to play.”
Roblox is one of the most popular games within the student population. There are so many things a player can entertain themselves with on this application and many students do. This is a game that many students bond over and play together more often than others.
Night of Noir
Night of Noir
By Makayla Procter and Kat Totten
Above is prom King and Queen, Nathanial Brown and Rachel Danford!
As the clock struck six on the night of April 25, the atmosphere was buzzing with excitement and anticipation. Our school’s annual prom, themed “Night of Noir”, set the stage for an unforgettable evening among students.
Planned and set up by our very own prom committee here at BCECHS, walking into the venue felt like stepping straight into a classic French film. Whether it be the dim lighting, or the meticulously placed decorations on all of the tables, the venue was magical.
Students were dressed in their finest attire, embodying the elegance and mystery behind the noir theme. Boys were suited up in sharp tuxedos and suits, while the girls stole the show with their dazzling dresses.
Junior Nila Collazo secured the ‘best dressed’ award of the night. She stated “When I was at prom and won best dressed, it felt like the movie moment I never thought I’d get, the one where the girl who never saw herself as the “pretty one” gets to feel like she belongs in the spotlight. For a second, I wasn’t invisible. I was radiant, like the side character who finally gets their montage scene”.
Photographers were able to capture the night in pictures which will be featured below. There was also a photo booth adorned with props that students utilized to capture memories with their friends that they can forever remember!
As far as prom court goes, Graduates Rachel Danford and Nathanial Brown secured their spots as our prom queen and king! They put up a strong campaign, putting up posters around the school exhibiting their partnership. “We don't run often, but when we do it's for prom king and queen” said one of the posters.
Brown, this year's prom king, as well as the president of the prom committee had many kind words to say about this magical night. “Prom 2025 took hard work from both the upperclassmen in our club and our two faculty advisors. The months of preparation plus the set up day off is exhausting but our team never failed to persist!”
Overall, this night served as a beautiful night for everyone involved. Whether it be their first prom, last prom, or something in between this night proved itself to be magically memorable for everyone involved.
TikTok Trends Come to ECHS
TikTok Trends Come to ECHS
Students in American History Teacher Katie Sanchez's class have brought a current TikTok trend to ECHS. Stop by to see for yourself at room C203.
New York/ DC Trip was a Success
New York/ DC Trip was a Success
Over spring break, Mrs. Sanchez and her husband took nine students to Washington DC, as well as New York. They visited various places, such as a broadway show, the American Museum of Natural History, and the capitol, among other places.
Junior Gabby Okun was on the trip. She says, “The trip was SO MUCH FUN, going to historical pieces of DC, and roaming around the city in NYC was beautiful but a little overwhelming at the same time. My favorite part of the trip was being able to go to the American Museum of Natural History in NYC. Mrs. Sanchez and I went to the Dinosaur exhibit mainly, since I wanted to see all of the dinosaur fossils. They were so cool and just being there made me happy. Also going to that broadway show “The Play That Goes Wrong” was so hilarious and just so fun to see the characters interact with each other as the play ironically goes wrong.
Overall, going on this trip was super fun, but tiring at the same time with walking. At least the sites and the things we got to do will be something to remember,” says junior Gabby Okun, one of the students on the trip.
What's Happening in Mr. Ford's Class
What's Happening in Mr. Ford's Class
Some of the pictures are of students using Pocket Lab G-force sensors to recreate Motion graphs and get a better understanding of different variables and ways motion can be graphed/analyzed. The others are Marine Organism inspired Balloon rocket competitions where students can choose from a list of Marine organisms and their structures templates to attach to a Balloon resembling the organism but compete against other students and Marine organisms for the furthest distance or fastest acceleration/speed through displaying their understanding of forces and newtons laws of motion.
Firebirds Compete in Basketball Competition
Firebirds Compete in Basketball Competition
By Sophomore Lydia Laux
On Saturday April 3rd our BCECHS basketball team will compete in the tournament, including a special performance by our breathtaking dance team. Each year our team has progressed and gotten stronger, more determined, and closer to each other. Our team along with three other schools will be competing against one another to determine the champion. The other schools are Duplin Early College , Early College East, and Wilmington Early College.
Last year our Junior Varsity placed second and our Varsity team placed third. Senior, Yamil Hartmann who is the assistant coach of the team says that he has faith in the team, “we have a lot more spirit in us…our hearts are in the right place this time. I feel like in the past we've been selfish and it's something we've been working on”. There are fourteen people on the team, and when asked they all said they feel excited and ready for this weekend.
During half time there will be a performance by our FIREBIRD dance team. They are doing a rendition of the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders “Thunderstruck” performance. Junior, Summer Taylor who is captain of the dance team says, “we have nine girls on the team and our routine is really fun, exciting and it'll definitely get your heart flowing”. The team also performed at the Benefit Concert for NHS on April 3 so they have been practicing for this performance a lot.
Ultimately, our school teams have put in a lot of work to aim to be the best in preparation for each of their performances on April 5. Freshman Robby Overby who is currently on the team but not on the starting line up says “I’ve been playing around with the team and I think they will do better than last year, there's a big chance of getting first”.
UConn Huskies Victorious After Nine Year Drought
UConn Huskies Victorious After Nine Year Drought
By Junior Kat Totten
This past Sunday, the Uconn Huskies went face to face with one of their long time rivals South Carolina in the NCAA women's championship game. Beating them with a score of 82-59, UConn came out on top, ending a 9 year title drought.
There were three standouts of the night, Azzi Fudd, Sarah Strong, and of course, Paige Beuckers. Fudd scored a total of 24 points, equivalent to the freshman Sarah Strong who also scored 24, along with 15 rebounds. Paige Beuckers scored a total of 17 points that game.
“Well, it's amazing to have three players, three people like that on the same team” said head coach, Geno Auriemma. “All three of them complement each other so well. They all have such unique skill sets."
Sarah Strong is a renowned Freshman who received the NCAA freshman of the year award in Women's Basketball. "And Sarah, you would think Sarah was graduating the way she plays, right?” stated Coach Auriemma.
Paige Beuckers, a 5th year at UConn has officially ended her college career, and has stated that she plans to transition into the WNBA draft for the 25-26 season, The Dallas Wings currently holding the first overall pick.
Beuckers had faced several major injuries during her time at UConn, so some would say this is a perfect way to end her college career.
As for Azzi Fudd, she has stated that she plans to stay with the UConn Huskies for her 5th year. Fudd earned the title of most outstanding player this season, and with the absence of Beuckers next season, Fudd will become a key leader for the Huskies.
The Huskies have won 12 national championships in NCAA women's basketball, all of them under the guidance of Coach Auriemma. The first being in 1995, led by Rebecca Lobo, and many more in the coming decades led by UConn legends such as Sue Bird and Maya Moore.
The past couple of seasons have been hard for the Huskies considering their high injury rate, as well as the apparent strain that this has had on the rest of the team. However, this team that they have created, had made it a mission of theirs to dominate this season, which is exactly what they did.
“Anything less than a national championship is really a disappointment...the pressure is a privilege” stated Beuckers in a post-win interview.
It is apparent just by looking at this team that they have the grit that it takes to win, and what they did Sunday night perfectly exhibited that, ending the season in the most memorable way possible.
How Should You Capture Your World?
How Should You Capture Your World?
By Junior Cole Donohue
When asked about their photography, most like to mention maybe a photo they took of the sky, or maybe an old portrait where the building’s wallpaper slowly withers away, maybe even a humble selfie with all your friends. People usually think to look towards their surroundings for their perfect photo but most people don’t think about what their camera is truly capturing in that moment. Most people think about the lighting and detail of what they’re trying to capture, but that’s only half of the process you should be taking. Those two might make up the gist of the photo but it’s not the whole thing.
Taking a photo means those emotions captured and framed in one shot. The way we feel gets us to pull our Smartphones out and take a shot, but when we look back at that photo it can almost feel empty. When we take photos we want to remember those moments and how we felt in them.
Instead we should look towards tips and techniques that you should use to improve your photo quality and experience. Techniques like “the rule of thirds”, this technique brings lines and grids into the world of photography. The camera on our smartphones applies this system, all you need to do is press the grid button on our phone screen in the camera app, this gives you a better idea of where you are with your photo. Having equal sections can help you see your background and how you want it.
Putting more focus to the background can improve the main subject. The background makes up most of the photo, manipulating the background can make the photo's theme, and improve the impact of an image. For example when we take a photo of a pretty blue flower, we want to look towards everything else you're capturing. The green grass, leaves fallen from the trees, the flowers blooming throughout, include elements you think will enhance the theme and feeling of your subject.
Taking a good photo doesn't require a lot, all you need is a camera and the knowledge to wield it.
Veterans Day: Mr. Decker's Story
Veterans Day: Mr. Decker's Story
November 11th is so much more than just a day off from work or school. It is so much more than just another holiday that is recognized by the federal government. November 11 is a day on which we honor those who have served our country in the armed forces, a day on which it is most important to say “Thank you for your service,” to all veterans. Veterans are so much more than just people who go off and fight. They fight for a cause, a cause that so many of us take for granted every day. The cause…our freedom. So, for that, it is essential that we honor those who have helped to shape this country as we know it.
This Veterans Day, we would like to spotlight Mr. Gerald Decker, founder and president of Cape Fear Voices, founder of VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars) Post 12196, and Quartermaster 2nd Class Petty Officer in the United States Navy serving in Vietnam. In a time when the United States was drafting young men into the Armed Forces, Decker volunteered to go fight.
He enlisted in the Navy to go to Vietnam, a war met with horrible backlash from home. While interviewing Mr. Decker, I asked him the question, “Did you see any backlash when you got home from Vietnam?” His answer was shocking, even though I already knew of the lack of appreciation for Vietnam Veterans upon their return home. Decker says that when he got back to San Diego, his homebase, he and the other soldiers were spit on, there were signs displayed that were against the immeasurable bravery that they had shown in a time of war, and, above that, they were forced to wear civilian clothes in order to avoid potential violence.
His response is something I think that we must all take into consideration when thinking of who should take accountability for certain actions. His response was “Separate the warrior from the war.” When a soldier leaves home and goes to fight, we should appreciate the sacrifices they made and the courage they showed, not display violence towards them because we don’t agree with the mission of a war. Soldiers are still soldiers, no matter what.
Mr. Decker spoke of the most rewarding part of his service - his travels. He said that he got to go to Japan, China, Vietnam, Guam, and the Philippines. He said that the best part was that he got to go to these places for free. But, in addition to that, Mr. Decker said that his travels broadened his worldview. He expressed his shock to see how others lived and that after seeing that, he felt, as he said, “lucky to live in the U.S.”
Additionally, I asked Mr. Decker what he considered to be the most challenging part of his military service. He said that one of the most challenging parts was, “surviving with someone screaming in your face.” But, above that, he said that the long hours and homesickness was the most difficult part.
I later asked him what advice he would give young people considering joining the military. He has eye-opening advice for young people considering joining the military. He said that we all should join as soon as we can and that, “Nothing else makes you more appreciated.” I told him of my fears of leaving home to join the military.
This is when his response changed my perspective. He then turned the question to me and asked me if I was planning to go to college. I answered with an affirmative. He immediately drew the similarity that if I was planning to go to college, then I’m still planning to leave home, so why not leave home to go into the military.
What does Veterans Day mean to Mr. Decker? Mr. Decker responded that it is a day to “let the public remember the sacrifice.” Veterans Day is a day to honor all veterans. It is a day to show our appreciation for all men and women who have served. So, no matter how Veterans Day affects you or your family, whether your mother, father, grandparents, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, or anyone that you know that has served in the military, take time, especially on Veterans Day, to just say “Thank you for your service.” This simple phrase can mean so much to those who have served, so always remember to show your appreciation.
What is International Dance Day?
What is International Dance Day?
By Junior Natasha Rivera
International Dance Day is celebrated every year on April 29. This holiday was started in 1982 by the Dance Committee of the International Theatre Institute. With their efforts to express the importance of dance they show the cultural diversity and celebrate the history of dance traditions worldwide.
This holiday was chosen to be on the birthday of ballet master Jean Georges Noverre, an important figure in French ballet and is commonly thought of as the creator of modern ballet. Altho his ideas were seen as controversial at times his way of storytelling through dance quickly spread on an international level changing ballet.
International Dance Day is celebrated by many, some dance studios set up performances and activities in a variety of styles and genres. These events not only give dancers a place to showcase their talents and be recognized by sponsors and enthusiasts but also help inspire their younger audience to participate in dance.
This holiday also brings awareness to the importance of a creative outlet by either choreographing, dancing, or participating in dance in other ways.
How will you celebrate this day?
Mrs. Handy: The Counselor Of Our Future
Mrs. Handy: The Counselor Of Our Future
By Sadie Chapman
Mrs. Handy the “Wonder Woman” of Brunswick County Early College High School works diligently as our school’s counselor every day. She helps us Firebirds arrange our schedules, find our direction for the future, and help us through any type of struggle. This can be overwhelming, but Mrs. Handy clarified that she loves her career and stated “If a student needs me I’m always going to stop [my other work] to help that student.” From meeting with Mrs. Handy and hearing students share their stories of her, it is logical to say she has been radiating positivity, kindness, and comfortability throughout her first year at the Early College. A senior named Kaleigh Aull described Mrs. Handy as “...very friendly and she makes sure you are comfortable when talking to her.” This was stated again by freshman Ethan Brossean who sees her as a safe adult he can speak to when he has any personal or educational problems he needs solved. Besides spreading altruism and warmth to others, Mrs. Handy enjoys reading, cooking, going to the beach, and spending time with her husband during her free time. Lately, she has been listening to many different audiobooks and she would say her favorite book is Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult. However, one of her favorite things is watching a student grow and become the best version of themselves, which she is excited to see here as she pushes us forward. Students of all grade levels have been positively impacted by Mrs. Handy’s determination to help us prepare for the future. For example, a junior named Talia Sawchuk said that they had their classes perfectly scheduled for her, and sophomore Steven Sebastian had discovered his career and college from speaking with Mrs. Handy. In conclusion, Brunswick County Early College High School should be eternally grateful for Mrs. Handy and her dedication to guiding students on their best pathway to success.
Lunar New Year & Tradition
By: Gabby Okun
Lunar New Year, also known as Spring Festival or Chinese New Year is an annual 15-day festival holiday that is celebrated in China and in Chinese communities around the world that begins with the new moon that occurs sometime between January 21 and February 20.
“Lunar” New Year celebrations align with moon phases. Since the mid-1990s, China grants seven days off work, termed Spring Festival for relaxation. The origin of Chinese New Year started with a legend.
The legend starts with a monster named Nian (“Year”) that would attack villagers at the beginning of each new year. The monster was afraid of loud noises, bright lights, and the color red, so the villagers used those things to chase the beast away. Now, Chinese New Year celebrations involve firecrackers, fireworks, and red decorations, featuring red envelopes with money for youth. It's a time for feasting, family visits, and honoring deceased relatives.
Throughout the Lunar New Year, home cleaning eliminates lingering bad luck. During celebrations, special foods are enjoyed. The Lantern Festival marks the end, featuring glowing lanterns and nighttime parades. A dragon dance, symbolizing good fortune, also celebrates, with dancers carrying a vibrant dragon through the streets.
Traditions are a huge part of everyone’s culture, traditions are beliefs, practices, or customs that are passed down from generation to generation, often within a particular culture or society. Lunar New Year is a special tradition of the Chinese community. Millions of people across the world even celebrate this Chinese tradition.
Parades, carnivals and gatherings featuring fireworks, dances and other cultural performances are often staples of Lunar New Year celebrations, as individual residences, shops and markets will decorate with lanterns or dragons made from red paper in honor of the holiday.
Lunar New Year is a special holiday that is celebrated within the Chinese community and is shared with millions of people around the world, demonstrating how cultural diversity is spreaded around the world for people to enjoy for themselves.
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