Class of 2023

Prom is Back at the Nest! 

By: Carmine Genovese, Ashton Johnson and Nick Korneluk

Prom is one of the biggest staples of the high school experience, and here at Hilton Head Island High School that is no different. Prom is a formal dance for high school students during their junior or senior year. Students can look forward to a very eventful evening that they will never forget.. Most of all though, have fun! 

The theme of this year’s prom was a  “Night of the Stars.” This theme was well received by students. Students had an eventful evening filled with fun, all under the starry lights. Principal Schridich also noted that “students got to pick the theme, at the request of student government.” Having multiple themes that students chose from improves the variety of experiences that students want. Overall, this years prom was a beautiful one.

The location that a prom took place at was one of the most important factors that created a great and memorable prom night for the students here at Hilton Head High. “It took place at Hilton Head Beach and Tennis Resort. On Saturday March 25th, from 8-11:30 PM.”

Prom  meetings are one of the most important things students need to do before going to prom. “Because a number of things, but safety is number one, we want students to have fun number two we want everyone to be safe, If you look at news around the United States during prom season, you'll see that in past years the number of accidents involving teenagers on prom night has gone up, a lot of them are because of alcohol and drugs involved, so what I want to do is I want students to be safe. In shorter terms, these prom meetings are very important in educating students who are attending prom about the risks involved with drugs and alcohol.

Prom is one of the quintessential high school experiences for students, especially following the last 3 years of isolation and covid. Mr. Schidrch said “It’s a good way to bring all students together and have them get together and have fun. A lot of the girls like to go out shopping for dresses and stuff. It's a big event for them as well with guys. It's a little simpler.” With music, food, and dancing, it’s sure to be a great way to have fun with your friends!

Overall, while prom can be a great experience, students should be aware of the dangers that can occur at prom. This years prom should be a great time for students and staff. Long lasting memories were made this Saturday night, here at the nest.

HHIHS Students to Heritage Scholars 

By: Celia Walter and Lizzy Markowitz 

Hilton Head Island High School had three students selected by the Heritage Classic Foundation to be Heritage Scholars this year. 

Laurel Hawkins, Cynthia Gudaitis, and Benjamin Lewis are three of the eleven students selected by the Heritage Scholar Foundation to be Heritage Scholars, all of them are seniors. 

Students gain many benefits from becoming a Heritage Scholar. Along with the support of the community and great addition to their college resume, Heritage Scholars are also given scholarships ranging from four thousand dollars to twenty thousands dollars depending on the type of award they are given. Heritage Scholars are able to use the scholarships awarded to them to reduce the cost of college tuition.

Recipients find out about their accomplishment through an email invitation to the Heritage Scholar Luncheon. Cynthia Gudaitis, a Heritage Scholar, stated, “I found out I was chosen as a scholar via an email invitation to the Heritage Scholars’ luncheon, where all eleven scholars were honored and informed about our award.”

In order to become a Heritage Scholar, students have to summarize their high school career in an application along with four essays about their high school involvement such as academics and extracurriculars. Students must also undergo an interview with members of the Heritage Classic Foundation. When asked about advice for future candidates Cynthia Gudaitis stated, “Future students aiming for the award, do not try to sell a falsified version of yourself to try and get the award. Be authentic and true to yourself - the members love a personable candidate.”

The Heritage Scholars program started thirty years ago and since then has granted over five million dollars in scholarships to students across Beaufort County and Jasper County. With a wide variety of scholarships awarded to students. Including four year scholarships ranging from sixteen thousand dollars to twenty thousand dollars, as well as an one year scholarship of four thousand dollars. 

Cynthia Gudaitis said, “The experience has been incredibly rewarding…knowing that I have community support not only financially, but holistically. At the luncheon, the members of the foundation were very kind, congratulatory, and uplifting - it was a very warmhearted atmosphere!”

College Decisions at HHIHS

By Jessica Staigar and Lexi Milbrandt

Here at HHIHS students are starting to make their decision on where they want to go to college. There are many factors that go into deciding where they would like to continue their education. According to Kendall Montes Corella, “I looked for a college that was closer to home, the community, and campus.” Kendall Montes Corella decided to go to USCB to continue his journey in Computer Sciences because “as we are going into the future there will be more job opportunities with technical things.”

When asked what she looked for in a college, Olivia Costello said “usually you look at location, price, what the school has to offer, and what majors it offers.” After taking all these factors into consideration Olivia Costello decided to continue her education at Clemson. Olivia Costello will be studying Biomedical Engineering because “I’ve always been interested in the role of new technology in medicine.”

According to Madison Hall, she “looks to get a good education, student life around the campus, and a good campus and make sure it fits for you.” Madison hasn’t made a decision yet but she is looking at Embry-Riddle or Daytona. Madison wants to major in Aeronautical Science because “it has always interested me and I love flying, it's peaceful. There was one time I flew a plane, it was so much fun.”