May's 8th grade student of the month is Trevor McConnell

by Adriana Lunsford

A big round of applause for Trevor McConnell, the 8th grade student of the month for May!

Trevor was chosen by Mrs. Yan. Mrs. Yan proclaimed,” For 8th grade student of the month, I would like to recommend Trevor McConnell! He is a hardworking young man, always finishes his work on time and is very friendly with either students!”

On a normal school day at FCMS, one can find him hanging around in the band room.

His goal here as a student is to succeed in school.

He proclaimed that one of his hobbies is to cut wood and play baseball.

Trevor states that he lives with his little sister, Grace; mother, Mary; and father, Kenneth.

After school he likes to cut wood, mess around with friends, and play baseball.

His favorite vacation spot is Florida because it’s nice and warm.

If he were able to choose to be any animal, he claimed he would like to be a fly. He stated, “I like to annoy people.”

He claimed his goal in life was to become an engineer.

Once again, congratulations to Trevor McConnell for 8th grade student of the month for May! Hope to see you build up your future to becoming an engineer.

May's student of the month for 8th grade is Natalee Lykins

by Evan Ralph

A pat on the back to May’s 8th-grade student of the month, Natalee Lykins! Natalee was chosen by Mrs. Beth Brown.

Mrs. Brown declared, “Natalee Lykins is a super person who exudes kindness and always gives 110%!

One of Natalee’s favorite things about being a student at FCMS are the teachers because of how supportive they are

Some of the ways her friends would describe her would be as an outgoing, talkative kind of girl.

If you were ever to go to Natalee’s house after a school day, you would most likely find her snacking on chips and working on her homework. But if you were to spend the night, you would see her getting ready for the next day, which for her starts at 7 a.m.

Natalee's favorite movie is The Village, and her favorite vacation spot is Tahiti, in the French Polynesian area.

Her favorite thing about being a Lykins is how supportive her family members are. Her family includes her mom, Melanie; dad, Matt Lykins; and her little sister, Audria.

One of Natalee's all-time goals in life is to graduate high school then go to college and study to be an architect

So the next time you see Natalee, make sure to congratulate her for being this month's amazing student. As a future architect, we know Natalee will design the life of her dreams.

May's 6th grade student of the month is Laynee Newell

by Madison Perleberg

Laynee Newell snags May’s 6th grade student of the month! Both Mrs. Janice Wade and Mrs. Bethany Bolser, her teachers who chose her, exclaimed, “What a wonderful student! She gets her work done on time and has a very positive attitude toward school. She is helpful to others and very conscientious about her work. She has been a delight to have in class.”

Laynee’s friends would describe her as funny, kind, and a little silly. They would also say her weaknesses are reading and language; however, they would state her strength is math!

At school you could catch her working on all her school work, along with giving her friends a helping hand, although she says it’s a challenge getting all the work done.

On a school night at about 7:00 p.m., Laynee’s probably doing her homework for the next day at school. The thing Laynee likes most about it here at FCMS is getting to do all sorts of fun and hands-on activities.

For fun, Laynee loves the Percy Jackson book series because of how interesting they can be. Loving the funny but gory plot, Laynee enjoys her favorite tv series, Riverdale.

Random things about Laynee: on the weekends she loves to go outside, but only if it’s warm, to play with her dog. She comes from a large family with her mom, Diane; step-mom, Sarah; dad, Brandon; older brothers, Hayden and Dawon; younger brothers, Jacon and Ashton; and Allyhia, her younger sister.

Her after-school snack would most likely consist of a bowl of Coco Puffs cereal. If she could be any animal for a day, she would choose to be a turtle so she could swim around all time! Her dream vacation place would be to go to Paris because she would love to see the Eiffel Tower and learn a lot about the history of the capital of France.

One of Laynee’s goals is to go to college and play basketball.

One thing we would be surprised to hear about Laynee would be that she loves to draw! Her motto for life is to always treat others the way you want to be treated.

Congratulations to Laynee. Her motto for life is a good one, as she states,”Treat others how you want to be treated.” We can’t wait to see where her college and basketball career takes her. We know she’ll always meet her goals no matter how high they’re set!

Sarah Kemp is May's 8th grade student of the month

by Jordon King

Congratulations to 7th grade student of the month, Sarah Kemp, who was chosen by Mrs. Misty Ferman. Mrs. Ferman remarked, “I cannot say enough about this student. Sarah is an extremely hard worker and strives for excellence everyday. Her patience and kindness shows each day and everyday, especially during math, when one student turns around each day to ask her to check his work or show him what he is doing wrong. I greatly appreciate her willingness to help others.”

“What I like most about being a student at FCMS is that it has really good teachers that help you learn a lot,” Sarah explained about her school days.

Sarah added, “The most challenging part of being a student is that you have all of these assignments to get done and if not, it leads to trouble.”

“My school day would be going to classes and talking to my friends. My favorite class is math because it’s easy,” Sarah proclaimed.

“On the weekends you can find me riding my horse. I’ve ridden horses for six years, and I started riding horses when I found a pony,” Sarah remarked.

Sarah’s friends would describe her as funny. They would say that her weakness is science, and her strength is horse riding.

While she recognizes her weakness, she doesn’t give up, as Sarah declared, “My motto for life is live life to the fullest.”

Sarah’s family consists of her mom, Saloma, and her dad, Jonas. She also has three brothers: Marcus, Isaiah, and Seth. She has one dog named Alaska, as well as three horses: Smoke, Mary, and Lisa.

When she’s not busy keeping up with homework, Sarah loves to relax at home with a good book or her latest Netflix binge.

Sarah’s favorite show on Netflix is Heartland because it has horses in it.

However, her real love is always spending time outdoors.

Sarah proposed, “If I were given a day away from school, I’d probably be horse riding or riding quads.”

Besides the outdoors, Sarah truly loves being around her family.

“Something you’d be surprised to hear about is that I like spending time with family more than friends,” Sarah replied.

Congratulations again to Sarah Kemp for being student of the month, and who knows? Maybe one day we’ll see her as a professional jockey or horse trainer!

April’s 8th grade student of the month is Alisandra Matias-Matias

by Adriana Lunsford

A big round of applause for Alisandra Matias, the 8th grade student of the month for April!

Alisandra was chosen by Mrs. Bev Yager.

Mrs. Yager commented, ”Ali works really hard to earn her grade in math. She not only completes her assignments, but if she doesn’t get a perfect score the first time, she will also redo the assignment to get a better grade. She also asks questions when she needs help. She has good attendance and is a good role model for the other students.”

On typical mornings here at FCMS, Alisandra is usually tired and doesn’t want to get out of bed, but she still does and completes homework if she has it.

Alisandra proclaimed some of the hardest part of being a student is there can be a lot of homework. It could be hard if one doesn’t really understand the material. She also stated it can be difficult to maintain her grades, pay attention in class, and not get any detentions. However, Alisandra has done an excellent job of meeting those goals so far.

On a normal school day at FCMS, one can find her hanging out with friends, going to class, and having fun.

Alisandra says she likes this school because she gets to see her friends.

After school she likes to do her homework and then just have free time to hang out with friends.

She proclaimed that something interesting about her is that she likes to sing, especially in Spanish. She also enjoys doing origami.

Alisandra states that she lives with her 1-year old sister, Sailyn; little sister, Magaly; mother, Sandra; father, Hector, and a soon-to-be baby brother.

Her favorite vacation spot is in Florida. Although she hasn’t been there yet, Alisandra said she would like to go to Florida to explore the pretty beaches.

Her favorite book is Wonderland, by Barbra O’Connor, because she likes reading about the adventures of a girl and her dog.

Once again, congratulations to Alisandra Matias, for 8th grade student of the month for April! Alisandra is a great role model, and we are all sure she will meet all of her goals, just as she has done so far!

David Voegele is May's 7th grade student of the month

by Madison Perleberg

Hardworking, kind, smart, and more–David Voegele is this month's 7th-grade student of the month, chosen by Mrs. Hollie Noah. Mrs. Noah remarked, “David is a contentious student who also goes out of his way every day to help others. He is a respectful, hardworking student.”

Seemingly very social along with being a dedicated student, David loves the people at FCMS, even though it’s challenging to get along with everyone and stay out of trouble here and there; nevertheless, David masters being a positive influence quite well.

At school we could catch him hanging out with friends and working on homework. On the weekends, he enjoys being outside and with his friends.

His after-school snack would most likely look like a peanut butter jelly sandwich. By 7 p.m., we could find him getting ready for school the next day.

In his free time, David enjoys playing football, his favorite team being the Bengals.

He also enjoys reading, stating the Diary of a WImpy Kid as his favorite book series.

David loves vacationing to the beach and having fun in South Carolina with his family of six: his mom, Kim; his dad, Chris; his sister, Kristen; and his two brothers, Austin and Gunter.

If he could be any animal, he would be a cheetah because of how fast they can run. His goals are to go to college and get good grades. He has a motivational motto for life: “Treat others how you want to be treated.”

Congratulations to David for this month's student of the month! David's motto for life will surely help him reach his goals. He's a hardworking and kind student, and we can't wait to see where the future takes him!

Parker Gillman is 6th grade student of the month for April

by Taylan Brewer

A big congrats to 6th grader Parker Gillman, as he was chosen for April’s student of the month! Parker was chosen by both Mrs. Janice Wade and Mrs. Bethany Bolser. They expressed these words about Parker: “He sets a good example for his classmates as far as work ethics, classroom behavior, and a great attitude goes. He has done a great job this entire school year of putting his best foot forward.”

Parker’s favorite thing about being a student here at FCMS is that he doesn’t have to wear a uniform but has the freedom to wear whatever he wants. So far Parker has lived up to his teacher’s expectations. He commented, “What challenges me most about being a student here at FCMS is keeping up with the homework assigned.”

Parker enjoys reading and working independently. Moreover, during the school day, one would find him reading a book or working hard on his work by himself. However, on the weekend, Parker loves being outside with his neighborhood friends and hunting for mushrooms.

Parker implied, “My friends would describe me as nice and determined. They would say my weakness is spiders, and my strength is getting my work done quickly and being ahead of the class.”

Parker’s motto for life is, “Live life to the fullest.”

Parker is part of a family of five, including his dad, Blake; his mom, Carrie; his older brother, Gavin; and his younger brother, Beckett.

If Parker were suddenly given a day off to do something he loved, he would ride quads or play basketball outside.

Something Parker does that we would be surprised to hear about is he plays video games.

About his snacking guilty pleasures, Parker stated, “My go-to after-school snack is Oreo cookies.”

Parker certainly seems to enjoy the beach, he remarked, “My favorite vacation spot is the Virgin Islands because it’s a small peaceful island with not a lot of people, and it also has clear pretty water.”

Parker’s main goal is to get into a good college, followed by a very good education and a job in which he can make a lot of money.

Parker’s favorite song is “Touch the Sky” by Kanye West. He explained, “This song is very motivational, and it gives-off good vibes.”

Parker must appreciate relaxation time because he chose one of the most laid-back creatures to admire. Parker commented, “I would want to be a sloth because they’re lazy and just sleep around all day.”

Another big congrats to Parker Gillman! We hope to see Parker in the future “touching the sky” and continuing to put his right foot forward and working hard!

April's 8th grade student of the month is Madalyn Wilson

by Anna Rotert

Congratulations to Madalyn Wilson, the 8th-grade student of the month for the second half of April!

She was chosen by Mrs. Bev Yager. Mrs. Yager remarked, “Mady Wilson is a great 8th-grade math student. She always does her work, participates in class, and is well-behaved.”

Not only does Madalyn always get her work done, she also strives to be an amazing FCMS student. Mady stated, “The most challenging part is trying to keep your grades up and have no missing assignments.”

Mady does lots of things not only during the school day but on the weekends as well! Mady expressed, “During the day I mostly do school work and try to keep straight A’s.”

She added, “On the weekends I go outside, take runs, and walk my dog.”

How would her friends describe her? “Outgoing, not afraid to say things, and Bubbly,” Mady answered.

She also admitted that being quiet is also what her friends would say is her weakness.

Speaking of being outgoing, Mady has a substantial goal as a student. She stated, “My goal is to get a 4.0 GPA or higher.”

Mady has a house full of people. Those people include her two brothers, Brandon and Aiden; her mother; Brandy; her father, Chad; and her dog, Bella.

Other than her amazing family, Mady has other things she loves, such as her favorite vacation spot–the beach–and a favorite book. She added, “My favorite book would be Abduction.”

Mady enjoys a snack after working all day. She declared, “My favorite snack would be pizza rolls and pickles, but ranch with the pizza rolls.”

Mady has lots of great qualities and lots of fun things about her, and we know for a fact, Mady Wilson will no doubt meet all her goals she sets for life! Once again, congratulations, Mady!

Maddie Baudendistel is April’s 7th grade student of the month

by Laila Cornett

Congratulations to 7th grader Maddie Baudendistel for the month of April! Maddie was chosen by none other than Mrs. Misty Ferman. What Mrs. Ferman had to say: “ Maddie has really been excelling in my classroom this semester. Her hard work and determination to understand the concepts show daily. She has gained so much confidence in herself. Today, Maddie volunteered to help a struggling student in math after her own assignment was complete. I am so proud of her.”

It is so obvious to see that Maddie is not only an excellent student but also a good person! Throughout the school day she can be found either doing homework or helping those who struggle with homework. Maddie’s favorite thing about being an FCMS student is learning, as well as making friends and sharing memories.

In addition to what she likes about school, what Maddie finds most challenging is, “Wondering if I'm doing things right or doing them wrong.” Doubting oneself is common among students, as most students often struggle with this concept.

On a night before the next school day, Maddie can be found either doing work, such as homework or watching Netflix.

On the weekend, Maddie is most likely to be found racing her father on quads. Maddie lives with her mother, Heather Bath, and her stepfather, Mike Bath. In addition, she also has a father, Cory Baudendistel, and a stepmother, Courtney Baudendistel.

Maddie's friends might describe her as a funny and kind person, while her only weakness is not sleeping. She is a confident person who likes to make jokes. Even on your darkest days, you are sure to shine when you hear one of Maddie’s jokes.

Maddie claims that she is a bit of a music fanatic. Her favorites are old songs, such as old rock songs. She cannot differ between preferring the many different kinds of rock songs from the past. Not surprisingly, her favorite motto is, “ Never stop believing”, which is from the song “Don’t Stop Believin”, by Journey. Her favorite book is Seconds Away.

Maddie’s Dream is to go to Las Vegas.“ For no specific reason,” She declared. Maddie just wants to go to see what it's like.

Her goal as a student is to have good grades.

Maddie is very bright and an excellent helper. By what we have seen so far, Maddie is sure to do great things in life. She has endless opportunities. Again, congratulations to Maddie Baudendistel, 7th grade student of the month for April!

Izaac Reese is April’s 7th grade student of the month

by Cheyenne Jenkins

Congratulations to Izaac Reese for getting April’s 7th grade student of the month! Izaac was chosen by Mrs. Kim Bradley. Mrs. Bradley declared, “Izaac has been my helper during 1st period for quite some time now. He is a wonderful help to me in the mornings. I’m also impressed with how much more mature he has become over the course of the school year. He should be proud of his accomplishments!”

Mrs. Danielle Osborne, his teacher in applied life skills, described Izaac as, “One of a kind, Izaac has a great sense of humor. He makes everybody around him laugh, without trying. He works hard, and I am proud of his work!”

Throughout the day, one can see Izaac helping Mrs. Bradley and walking around school. Izaacs’s favorite thing about going to FCMS is playing with yarn in his downtime.

After school, Izaac likes to have his favorite snack: granola bars. On the weekends one can see him playing with his rope with his friends and family. Izaac lives with his mom, Aimee, his dad, Mark, and his siblings.

If he could be an animal for a day, he would be a monkey so he could eat bananas.

Izaac’s favorite vacation place is the beach. “I like to play in the sand!” Isaac declared. His favorite movie is Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

Izaacs’s life goal is to take over his mom and dad’s business.

We know it will be hard taking over a business, but we know you can do it, if you keep up the hard work! Congratulations, Izaac!

April's 8th grade student of the month is Ruby Singer

by Taylan Brewer

Eighth grader Ruby Singer was chosen for our April student of the month by Mrs. Beverly Yager! Mrs. Yager proclaimed, “Ruby Singer has a good attitude, completes her homework every day, and asks questions when she doesn’t understand. She participates in class and is a good role model for the other students.”

Ruby’s favorite thing about being a student here at FCMS is being able to be involved in sports such as basketball. She remarked, “But the most challenging part of being a student and an athlete is having lots of homework every night.”

During the school day, we would find Ruby working hard in class and talking to her friends throughout the day, whereas on the weekends we could find her hanging out with her family or taking care of her goats.

Moreover, Ruby addressed, “My friends would describe me as crazy, outgoing, and the mom of the friend group, whereas my weakness would be standing up for myself.”

Ruby is a very talkative and friendly person, so her strengths are talking to people and being a leader.

“You can’t win unless you learn how to lose” is Ruby’s favorite quote.

Ruby has a big loving family that includes her mom, Sara; her dad, Travis; her sister, Gracie; and their foreign exchange student from Spain, Lola. Ruby also has two dogs and three cats.

At 7 p.m. on a school night, Ruby remarked, “You would find me at softball practice.”

Speaking of sports, if Ruby were suddenly given a day away from school to do something she loved, she would work on shooting basketball, hitting softballs, and working with her goats for 4H.

Ruby mentioned, “Something you would be surprised to hear about me is I win Grand Champion a lot in 4H for showing my goats.”

Ruby’s go-to afterschool snack is gold fish with sweet tea to drink along with her favorite movie, The Lion King, which gives a sad and happy vibe at the same time.

Ruby is a big beach person. Ruby exclaimed, “My dream vacation spot is the Bahamas because it’s a beautiful view and looks very relaxing!”

Not surprisingly, Ruby’s goal as a student is to maintain straight A’s and get into a good college.

If Ruby were to be any animal for one day, she knows exactly what she would choose to be. She explained, “I would be a lion because they’re the king of the jungle and get to do whatever they want.”

Congratulations to Ruby Singer for being rewarded with student of the month. We are looking forward to seeing Ruby continuing to be “the lion of the jungle” and succeeding in her academics, along with relaxing in the Bahamas. Keep being a great leader and becoming the best version of yourself!

April’s 8th grade student of the month is Kirstyn Caudill

by Adriana Lunsford

A big round of applause for Kirstyn Caudill, the 8th grade student of the month for April!

Kirstyn was chosen by Mrs. Stacey Nobbe. Mrs. Nobbe declared, “Kirstyn is compassionate, caring, and hardworking. She has been doing her best and is a deserving student of the month.”

About life at FCMS, Kirstyn stated that she really enjoys learning and likes going to school and seeing her friends.

On a normal school day at FCMS, one can find her hanging out with friends, going to class, and having fun.

Kirstyn says she likes this school because teachers are willing to help and she gets to see her friends.

Her goals here as a student is to keep good grades and succeed in school.

She proclaimed that one of her hobbies is dancing, which she enjoys.

Kirstin states that she lives with her sister, Ali, and her mother, Jennifier.

After school she likes to make a quick snack, do her homework, and then just have free time to hang out with friends.

Her favorite vacation spot is in Hawaii. She hasn’t been there. It 's just a fun place and imagines it being calming.

If she were able to be any animal in the world, she choose to be a cat because they are really calm and not loud.

Kirstin’s favorite book is Wings of Fire because the dragons are really awesome.

She claimed her goal in life is to become a vet or a musician.

Once again, congratulations to Kirstin Caudill for 8th grade student of the month for April! Whether you become a vet or musician, we know you’ll be the most caring, helpful one ever!

April's 6th grade student of the month is Kayleen Thompson

by Jordon King

Congratulations to Kayleen Thompson, the 6th grade student of the month for April! Kayleen was chosen by Mrs. Bethany Bolser.

Mrs. Bolser declared, “Kayleen is a hardworking, devoted student who is eager to learn. Kayleen is polite, quiet and kind, and I appreciate her participation in class.”

Kayleen explained what she likes about being a student here: “What I like most about being a student at FCMS is that the teachers here are very cooperative and you get to have a little bit of fun.”

Most of the time Kayleen’s keeping busy at FCMS.

Kayleen also proclaimed, “The most challenging part of being a student is all the work you have to do.”

“You can either find me working on my work or talking to my friends at school!” Kayleen exclaimed.

In her free time, Kayleen likes to stay busy.

Kayleen stated, “On the weekends you can find me playing outside with my friends or riding my horse.”

Kayleen’s friends suggest she has some awesome traits and characteristics.

Kayleen declared, “My friends would describe me as quiet and caring.

My friends would say my weakness is social ability.”

Kayleen’s motto for life is, “It doesn’t matter what other people think, do what you want to do.”

Speaking of doing what she wants to do, Kayleen knows the things she likes to do in life, such as reading. “My favorite book is Diary of a Wimpy Kid because it has a lot of fun things that happen in it and it’s not very long to read,” she expressed.

Kayleen has two parents: her mom, Tamara, and her dad, Derren, she also has two sisters: Shayden Thompson and Olivia Gabbard. Kayleen also has three pets: a horse named Hippie and two dogs named Sally and Maci.

“My goal as a student and for life is to go to college at Purdue,” Kayleen explained.

Congratulations again to Kayleen Thompson for being 6th grade student of the month for April! If she keeps working hard, we know she’ll get into Purdue someday soon.

Social studies teacher and Marine join forces to surprise younger brother

by Tyler Bolser

On a seemingly ordinary day in March, 8th grader Nick Frazier was sitting in social studies class, when he heard a knock at the door. Who was it? Mr. Chad Gutzwiller, social studies teacher, answered the door, and the person who walked in was Nick’s 20-year-old brother Brandon, on leave from the service, as a Marine, and would be home for nearly a month’s time.

This special and memorable surprise was set up by Mr. Gutzwiller.

Nick remarked, “I didn’t expect it all, and I thought it was a random person for a couple seconds until Mr. Gutzwiller said his name.’’

Concerning the surprise reunion, Mr. Gutzwiller declared, ‘’I was incredibly honored to have Brandon come in and spend time talking to the students.’’

Brandon explained to the class who being in the service has taught him respect, the ability to listen to others, and toughness.

When asked why he chose to have Brandon come into the class, Mr. Gutzwiller proclaimed, ‘’It was an opportunity for other kids to give gratitude to the service members and learn about the service.’’

Brandon, thank you for your service and protecting this country that Americans call home. Nick, we hope you enjoyed spending time with your brother at FCMS!

Social studies teacher recognizes student's public-speaking skills

by Jordon King

Congratulations to Jasmine Boyer on how great she did on her recent great job on her social studies project! Mr. Clark Sherwood thought she did the best on her project out of her whole class and wanted to be recognized for her hard work.

Mr. Sherwood explained, “She did the best on her project because she has to work extremely hard to get the grades that she gets and had the best eye contact with her audience that I have ever witnessed. She was also very brave to tell us about her anxiety challenges, and she did not seem anxious at all during her speech.”

Her classmate, Alyssa Presley, declared, “Jasmine had really good eye contact. You could tell she really did her research and knew a lot about Ruby Bridges because she was able to share a lot of examples that were not even on her slides.”

So far it’s clear that people think Jasmine did a great job on her speech. Now what about Jasmine’s perspective? Jasmine proclaimed, “I was proud of my speech because I did a lot of research about her, and I think she’s a really amazing person. At the end I did a lot of stuff about me and told the class about my anxiety disorder.”

Congratulations again to Jasmine Boyer. Her classmates and teachers can’t wait to see what she presents next!

Carlie Doherty is March's 7th grade student of the month

by Madison Perleberg

Congratulations to 7th grader Carlie Doherty for being chosen for March’s student of the month!

She was chosen by Mrs. Hollie Noah, who commented, “Carlie is really smart, works really hard, and is a great example of how we would love to see all students behave. She does her work, is kind to others, and even after a rough class, smiles on her way out the door.”

The thing she loves here most about FCMS is all the teachers are willing to help and are always kind. But the most challenging part of being a student is the homework from all her classes.

A school day for Carlie here at FCMS consists of going to classes and making sure she gets all her work done.

On the weekends we could find her hanging out with her family: her mom,Tara; dad,Tim; her two siblings, Timmy and Lacy; and her two dogs and cat.

After school we could find her at home relaxing or doing homework, and her favorite after school snack is a bagel.

Her goals as a student are to get good grades and succeed in school.

Carlie’s favorite vacation spot is somewhere tropical because it’s warm.

If she could be an animal for a day, she says she would choose a bird because she would get to fly around all day and see the world from above.

She loves the color purple and the book Addie Larue.

Carlie wants to go to college, but she doesn't know where yet; however,we know she’ll do great, no matter where she goes! Congratulations, Carlie!

March's 8th grade student of the month is Isaac Johnson

by Laila Cornett

Congratulations to 8th grader Isaac Johnson for student of the month for March! Isaac was nominated by Mrs. Kim Bradley. Mrs. Bradley proclaimed, “Isaac is a true gentleman. One day I dropped some supplies, and he was the student who stopped to help me pick them up. Isaac is considerate and a leader to his classmates.”

Besides being a gentleman, Isaac also is an extraordinary student. During the school hours, we can find Isaac doing homework while in class, sometimes not even his own, as he often helps other students with work. Isaac had said that his favorite part about being an FCMS student was weights, whether it would be during gym or after school. Isaac also likes journalism, with Mrs. Wade.

In addition to what he likes about school, what he finds most challenging is homework, such as doing the homework and getting it in on time. Many students would be glad to simply get their homework in.

The night before school, we can find Isaac doing the one thing most people love, which is sleeping. At 7 p.m. on a school night, Isaac would be in bed, sleeping like a polar bear.

On the weekend, Isaac would be found either sleeping or gaming on his computer. For Isaac it's either a lot of sleep or no sleep. Isaac lives with his mother, Stacy Johnson; his father, David (Dink) Johnson; his brother, Eli Johnson; and his German shepherd-mastiff mix named Tank.

Isaac's friends would possibly describe him as a tryhard. Isaac says it can also be his weakness because it often leads to stress. By tryhard, what Isaac means is that sometimes he puts too much stress or worry into things that he does, such as homework, small jobs, and art.

Isaac claims that he is a huge nerd. His favorite quote is, “Do or do not. There is no try.”--Master Yoda. Isaac likes to read and watch movies. A movie he most often favors is Star Wars.

He's very outgoing and helpful. If you have a problem, go to Isaac. In fact, he might make a great teacher one day, since he declared that being a history teacher is something he could see himself doing.

Isaac is passionate about things he likes. He has a bright future because he's so smart and dedicated and can be anything he wants to be. He's just going with the flow for now. Again, congratulations to Isaac Johnson for 8th grade student of the month of March!

March's 7th grade student of the month is Luke Stenger

by Taylan Brewer

A big shoutout to Luke Stenger for being selected as March’s student of the month! Luke is an outstanding 7th grader, chosen by Mrs. Hollie Noah for his positive attitude.

She declared, “Luke is a great kid who comes in with a smile every day. He’s always kind to others, he works hard, and he does his work without ever whining or complaining. I also never have to get on Luke for talking when I’m talking or for being out of his seat when the bell starts ringing. This is because Luke is also doing what he is supposed to be doing.”

About his school day, Luke stated, “Being a student at FCMS benefits me because I get to attend basketball games.”

The most challenging part of being a student for Luke is having lots of homework.

During the day we would find Luke staying on task and chatting with a few friends.

Over the weekends Luke explains that we would find him “helping his dad work outside.”

Luke is known for being helpful to others. Luke declared, “A weakness would be talking to people and being social. But, my strength is being nice to people.”

His favorite quote is, “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.”

An interesting fact about Luke is he’s a great basketball player and plays here for the FCMS 8th Grade Boys Basketball Team!

Perhaps Luke gets his helpful nature from his family. He lives with his brother, Charlie; his mother, Chelsey; and his father, Jim.

On a school night, we could see Luke doing homework. “My goal as a student is to maintain straight A’s,” announced Luke.

However, on a snow day, we could see him playing in the snow with his brother.

Like many people, Luke knows what snack he likes best. Luke’s go-to after-school snack is Cheese-Itz.

Luke’s favorite vacation spot is Surf City, North Carolina because he gets to be on the beach.

If Luke were to be any animal for the day, he would choose to be a bird because he can fly high up into the sky and look at everything from a good view.

Congrats to Luke Stenger for being chosen as student of the month for the month of March. We hope to see you in the future with your positive attitude and hard-working skills. We know you’ll make all those shots you choose to take!

March's 6th grade student of the month is Brookelynn Young

by Laila Cornett

Congratulations to 6th grader Brookelynn Young, March’s student of the month! Brookelynn was nominated by Ms. Candice Murray. She exclaimed, “Brookelynn is very responsible and helpful in class. She also has been great at helping a new student get acquainted with the school.”

In addition to her success in the classroom, Brookelynn has many other school activities. While at school, one thing we can find her doing is walking to class or hanging out with friends or doing classwork. What Brookelynn likes most about FCMS is meeting new people and making new friends. However, what she finds most challenging is, “Getting all my work done in one class period.” Surely most of us can relate to that.

School nights Brookelynn can be found picking out her outfit for the next day. On the other hand, weekends are totally different. Brookelynn will most likely be hanging out with her family: her mother, Meagen; her father, Matt; her older sister, Chyanne; little sister, Madi; and her brother Owen. We can't forget her pets: Penny, the hedgehog; her two parakeets, Sky and Sunny; her cat, Oliver; and her two Australian shepherds, Molly and Clark.

Brookelynn can also be found hanging out with friends or riding quads.

Her friends would possibly describe her as a kind and caring person, whose strength is standing up for people. Her only weakness, she claims, would be when she gets upset by people talking about her family or friends negatively.

Brookelynn strives for greatness. Her favorite quote is, “Never let fear win”, from a book she read last year. Brookelynn has a few favorite books and movies. Nevertheless, one of her all time favorite books would have to be Where The Red Fern Grows.

Overall Brookelynn does a variety of activities with her free time, such as reading, listening to music, and spending time with family and friends. She's a very outspoken person when it comes to the things she's passionate about. Brookelynn had said that her life goal is to just get through school life. Brookelynn is an overall well-rounded person, with a bright personality.

Again, congratulations to Brookelynn Young for 6th grade student of the month for the month of March!

In the future Brookelynn has many options for what she can do. She's a bright girl with a wonderful personality, who has no limit to what she can accomplish, as long as she puts her mind to it!

Josh Wilson is February's 8th grade student of the month

by Jordon King

Congratulations to February’s 8th grade student of the month, Josh Wilson! He was chosen by Mrs. Beth Brown. Mrs. Brown remarked, “Josh has developed study and work habits that have helped him to greatly improve his academic performance. He is a great person who tries his best. I enjoy having him in my class.”

About his day at FCMS, Josh claimed, “What I like most about being a student at FCMS is that it is cool.”

“The most challenging part of being a student is the homework,” Josh explained. In fact, on a school night, Josh would be getting ready to do homework.

Josh spends some of his time at school but when he’s not at school, he’s usually playing football when it’s football season.

When he has any free time, he has definite plans. Josh declared, “I would be watching sports on the weekends.” Josh’s favorite sports team is the Bengals.

Speaking of football, Josh is known for his athletic ability on the football field. “My friends would say my strength is football,” Josh proclaimed.

On the weekends we would also see Josh playing video games with his friends. “My friends would describe me as funny,” Josh declared. However, Josh claimed, “My friends would say my weakness is school.”

Josh stated, “My motto for life is treat someone else how you wanna be treated.”

Many people know Josh as a friendly or kind person.

Josh’s parents’ names are Joy and Mike. He has five sisters: Shyla, Kenzie, Kyann, Ariel, and Olivia. He has one brother, whose name is Andrew. In addition, Josh has two dogs: one's name is Spork, and the other’s name is Chief.

About his future plans, Josh stated, “My goal in life is to become a police officer because I respect the law.”

Congratulations on your honor! Josh, with your athletic ability from football and your respect for the law, we bet you make your law enforcement dreams a reality.

February's student of the month for 8th grade is Halle George

by Tyler Bolser

Congratulations to Hallelujah George, the 8th grade student of the month for February! She was chosen by Mrs. April Issacs, who commented, ‘’She is upbeat and positive, and her smile is contagious. Halle participates daily and has great insights, and she is respectful and kind to others.’’

What she loves the most about FCMS is the people and the teachers. For her, the most challenging part of being a student is the homework and stress. In her average school day one could find her hanging out with friends.

On the weekends we can find her sleeping or hanging out with friends and family. She stated that her friends would describe her as ‘’Caring, funny, and determined.’’ She thinks her weakness is that she can never say ‘’no’’ to people. She thinks her strength is eating Froot Loops.

Hailie has two sisters, Faith and Abigail. She has one brother named Jesse, her mom’s name is Heather, and her dad’s name is Jeremiah.

At 7 p.m. on a school night we can find her doing homework and watching Swamp People with her parents.

Something she does that we would be surprised about is that she loves to hunt and fish with her family members.

Halle’s favorite book of all time is Once Upon A Time, by Patrick Fischler. Her favorite vacation spot is Florida because, she claimed, ‘’It’s really pretty and chill.’’ Halle’s goal as a student is to keep her grades up to ‘’A’s’’ and ‘’B’s.’’

If Hallie could be a animal for a day, she would be, ‘’An elephant because they are really tall.’’

Congratulations to Hallie George for FCMC 8th grade student of the month! Maybe you will make a magic potion to temporarily turn you into an elephant and you get to own a Froot Loops factory one day. We know you’ll succeed anywhere your dreams take you.

February’s 6th grade student of the month is Zane Littlefield

by Evan Ralph

Congratulations to Zane Littlefield, the 6th grade student of the month for February!

Zane was nominated student of the month by Mrs. Janice Wade.

Mrs. Wade remarked, “Zane is rather quiet and well behaved in class but yet attentive. He often will volunteer the answers to questions.

Zane remarked that the hardest part of being in 6th grade is tests and all of the keeping up with his classes.

He loves to talk to friends when he is allowed and do homework with them. But one of the best things about 6th grade, to Zane, is all of the new friends he gets to make and stay with all the way through middle school.

Zanes loves to make friends. Most of them would describe him as smart and fun to be around. He considers baseball and math as his strengths.

When he gets home from school, one will normally see him eating a PB&J for a snack and playing basketball.

Zane and his family are extremely close. His family includes his mom, Brittany; dad, Zack; and his two dogs, Lola, and Bean.

Not surprisingly, when Zane is alone, he likes to go out alone and throw a baseball for some extra practice.

Baseball is an amazing sport for Zane because he is really good at it, and it is a great way for him to clear his mind from school and all of the other things.

If Zane were turned into an animal, he would want to become a dog, due to the fact that he could sleep all day and play with his mom and dad.

Zane would like us to remember to follow our dreams and make sure not to listen to the people who drag us down.

Overall, Zane is a great student, with an amazing personality. So congratulations to Zane Littlefield for having the honor of being the 6th Grade FCMS student of the month for February!

January's 8th grade student of the month is John Glardon

by Brenna Houchin

A big congratulations to John Glardon for being chosen 8th grade student of the month for January!

John was chosen by Mrs. Amy Mitchum.

Mrs. Mitchum declared, “John has stepped up his game this year. He has all his assignments completed, he asks questions when he needs help--in class and through email--, and his behavior has been good. Great job to John and an excellent start to the second semester!”

Most likely everyone knows John, since he´s well-known, and some people would describe him as humorous.

Because of that, he was asked some fun questions. The first thing asked was about his favorite thing to do at FCMS. ¨Getting to socialize and hang out with friends, ¨ John replied.

John admitted the most challenging about school is, ¨The amount of homework.¨

But that didn’t stop John from getting his work turned in on time.

In his free time, John likes to hang out with family. The family member a person would see him with the most is his dad, Lee Glardon. But when it comes to bonding with movies, like the new GhostBusters: Afterlife, John would rather have movie time with his mom, Emily Glardon. And if he's not hanging out with his family, he's hanging out with one of his six siblings.

John's favorite ice cream cone is the classic chocolate! If he were an animal, he said he would be a dog because, as he claimed, ¨You just get to be free.¨

One of John's big hobbies includes playing video games, and one of his most liked video games is Zelda. John explained, ¨I enjoy playing Zelda with my uncle and competing in competitions with him.¨

So if you see John in the hallway, don't be shy but give him a big congratulations! Whether it's one of the best video game players known or if he takes a job in construction, we all know he will do great. Once again, congratulations, John!

Sarah Brimhall is 7th grade student of the month for February

by Jordon King

Congratulations to February's 7th grade student of the month, Sarah Brimhall! Sarah was chosen by Mrs. India Burris. Mrs. India declared, “Sarah Brimhall is an intelligent and charismatic 7th grader with an extraordinarily bright future. She exhibits a natural ability to resolve conflicts and is quite emotionally mature for her age. There isn’t a doubt in my mind that she will accomplish many things after her time here at Franklin County Middle School.¨ Sara enjoys her social life at FCMS.

Sarah explained, “What I like most about being an FCMS student is my friends.”

Sarah’s most challenging part of being a student is having multiple assignments and finding time to do them.

On the weekend, she would be seen hanging out with family and trying not to worry about school. In her family she has two sisters, Emily and Chelsie. She also has one brother, Derik, as well as her parents, Kendra and Darrel.

Her friends would describe her as loud, very loud. They’d say her strength is arguments.

Sarah stated, “My motto for life would be keep going forward.”

Her favorite song is, “Something for your Mind,” by SuperOrganism. Her favorite book is The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins, and her favorite movie is The Hunger Games. Her favorite vacation spot is Japan because her parents have friends who live there.

About her future plans, Sarah explained, “My goal in life is getting to a good college.”

Congratulations again to Sarah Brimhall. We're sure with your hard work and determination, you’ll get into the college of your dreams.

Jasmine Boyer is February's 6th grade's student of the month

by Jordon King

Congratulations to February's 6th grader student of the month, Jasmine Boyer! Jasmine was chosen by both Mr. Clark Sherwood and Mrs. Falisha Rosenberger. Mrs. Rosenberger declared, “Jasmine works really hard to complete her assignments on time, she puts maximum effort into every single assignment, she asks for extra help when she needs it, she spends time studying for tests and quizzes, and when she struggles with something, she looks for ways to improve.

Jasmine is very respectful to her teachers and peers. She is a pleasure to have in class, and I’m happy that I get to have her as a student.”

Jasmine explained, “What I like most about being an FCMS student is meeting new people. Jasmine’s most challenging part of being a student is keeping up with school work.

On the weekends she would either be on her phone or at her sister's house. She has two sisters, Jessia and Kerstyn. She also has one brother, Austin, as well as her parents, James and Mary.

Her friends would describe her as caring, honest, and compassionate.

They’d say her strength would be getting through difficult times.

Speaking of staying tough, Jasmine stated, “My motto for life is live by day and work hard.”

Her favorite book is Pretend She’s Here by Luanne Rice. Also, her favorite team is the Bengals. She does listen to music, but she prefers an artist by the name of Tate Mcgray. Her favorite vacation spot is the Bahamas.

About her future plans, Jasmine explained, “My goal in life is to get a nice job.”

Congratulations again to Jasmine Boyer. With your work ethic, we know you’ll get the job!

January's student of the month is Lilian Zuber

by Madison Perleberg

Congrats to Lilian Zuber, who is January's student of the month, chosen by Mrs. Hollie Noah. Mrs. Noah proclaimed, “Lilian is super sweet and a hard worker. She's very responsible and always does her work and is nice to everyone. Lilian is kind to all and is a deserving student of this honor.”

Lilian claims that her school day is nothing out of the ordinary. She goes to class, gets all her work done, and socializes with all her friends at lunch, as well as after school at basketball.

But what she struggles most with about being a student is staying organized and keeping track of all her homework.

On the weekends we could catch her spending time with her family: mom, Amy; stepdad, Ted; and her step-siblings, Nadine and Noah. At her dad Joe's house, you could find her just hanging out with her other step-siblings, Bretnie, and Taylor, and stepmom, Jackie. She also has a sister named Gabby.

Her friends would describe her as funny, loyal, and respectful. However, Lilian struggles with talking to new people. Nevertheless, she's very good at not worrying about herself but the others around her.

Some of her favorite things are songs by Kody Johnson because they have a good storyline and message behind them. Her favorite vacation place of all time is Michigan because it's a little family tradition on her mom's side of the family.

One of Lilian's goals in life is to succeed in school, get a good job, and raise a family. She says she can always have a smile on her face even when things have been rough. Her motto for life is, “If you don’t see someone who fits you, then don’t try to be them.”

We can’t wait to see where Lilian's life goes in the next few years. She's such an intelligent and kind student. Congratulations, Lilian!

January's 6th grade student of the month is Dylan Smith

by Anna Rotert

A big congratulations to Dylan Smith, the 6th grade student of the month for January!

Dylan was nominated for student of the month by Ms. Falisha Rosenberger. Ms. Rosenberger remarked, ”Dylan has been working really hard since coming back from Christmas break. He always comes in and gets started on work, participates, and gives me his best effort.”

Dylan commented that the best part of being an FCMS student is,”I like that you have time to get your work done, because at my old school, we had no time.”

“My goal is to prevent bullying because I know that it brings people down, and I don’t like seeing people like that” is what Dylan stated about his goal as a student.

Other than that goal, Dylan has an amazing support system, from teachers to his friends. Dylan seems to have an amazing family as his most reliable supporters. Dylan explained them by saying, “My dad, Ricky, comes to all my football games and cheers me on. I also have a sister, Serenity, and my Mom, Jamie, who support me in mostly everything I do.”

He also touched on what his dream vacation spot would be. Dylan said the Bahamas because he has heard very good things about it and thinks it would be a very beautiful place to visit.

Other than dreaming about the Bahamas, Dylan enjoys playing the sport football. His friends say his strength is football because he is tall so he can just go over everyone.

Dylan's favorites vary: from his favorite movie, IT, because it was the first screen movie he had ever seen, to enjoying listening to songs by Juice Wrld in his free time.

His future dream job is to work for the S.W.A.T. team because he wants to help this country.

Once again, Congratulations to Dylan Smith. With his dedication, and helpful nature, Dylan will be able to do whatever he sets his mind to do!

Mackenzie Broshear is January's 8th grade student of the month

by Cierra Perry

Congratulations to Mackenzie Broshear, the 8th grade student of the month for January!

Mackenzie was nominated as a student of the month by Mrs. Bev Yager. “Mackenzie does a great job in math! She is attentive, always does her best and participates in class,” stated Mrs. Yager.

Besides being a star student, one can see Mackenzie going from class to class and hanging out with friends during her day at school. The best thing about being a student at FCMS, Mackenzie stated, is, “The teachers are helpful.”

The most challenging thing for Mackenzie, however, is “Handling homework plus sports,” she proclaimed.

Her favorite quote that keeps her going during the day is, “Always think positive because you can receive positive outcomes.”

After a long day at school and basketball, one can see Mackenzie enjoying a delicious after school snack consisting of strawberries and apples, we can see Mackenzie doing her homework or relaxing watching her favorite movie, The Lion King.

Besides basketball, Mackenzie loves to hang out with her family during a free day away from school or even on the weekends. Mackenzie’s family consists of her mom and dad, Amanda and Brandon Broshear; her 2 sisters, Kylie and Crimson Broshear; and her dog, Veronica.

Besides hanging out with family, Mackenzie loves to hang out with friends. Her friends would describe her as kind, smart, and athletic. They would say her strengths are helping others when they need it. She says her weaknesses include public speaking.

Mackenzie’s dream vacation spot would be Apalachicola, Florida. “There is lots to do and it’s by the beach!” proclaimed Mackenzie.

If Mackenzie could be an animal for a day, she would like to be a scarlet macaw.

“I would like to be a scarlet macaw so I could have the ability to fly,” she stated.

Since Mackenzie is such a dedicated student, it's not surprising that her goal is to do her best and have a great career.

Overall Mackenzie is an amazing student with a unique personality. Again, congratulations to Mackenzie Broshear, for achieving 8th grade student of the month for January! We hope to see you with an amazing career and becoming a star basketball player one day!

January's 7th grade student of the month is Sophiea McCollum

by Cheyenne Jenkins

Great job, Sophiea McCollum, for getting 7th grade student of the month for January! Sophiea was chosen by Ms. Candice Murray. Ms. Murray declared, “Sophiea is always someone reliable in class. She is a hard worker, which has been evident, as she has been working on a snare drum solo to take to contest. She’s also really been a leader during pep band and helps keep the music sounding great!”

Sophie's favorite thing about being a FCMS student: “Taking part in after school activities and hanging out with my friends.” She feels the most challenging part is, “Having to keep good grades.”

Sophiea feels her friends would describe her as funny, “Because I have an awesome sense of humor,” she declared.

During the school day, one can find her talking and laughing with friends and walking to class and doing homework. On a school night, she watches Stranger Things with her mom and dad. “It is relaxing after a long day,” Sophie declared her favorite character is Eleven.

On the weekends Sophiea likes to play monopoly and other board games with friends.

When asked her motto for life, she exclaimed, “If you can dream it you can do it!”

Sophiea’s family consists of her mom, Micael; her dad, Brandon; and her two dogs, cat, and her ferret. Her favorite vacation spot is Florida because as Sophiea claimed, “I like to go to Disney World and spend time with my family.”

If she could be any animal for a day, she would be a cat so she could sleep all day.

When asked what Sophiea wanted to be when gets older, she stated, “A canine handler so I can train the dogs to save people.”

Congratulations on being student of the month for January! Keep up with the hard work and dedication. Maybe one day we'll be reading about one of Sophiea’s dogs saving the world!

Kayley Cox is December's 8th grade student of the month

by Mady Stone

Congratulations, Kayley Cox, for being 8th grade student of the month for December! Kayley was chosen by Mr. Derek Herbert. Mr. Herbert declared, “Kayley has been working really hard on her robotics project and helping at the end of class with cleaning up everyday. I have been really impressed with her work this month.”

On a normal school day, one can find Kayley doing homework, her most challenging part of being a student, or hanging out with friends.

Kayley’s favorite part of being a student at FCMS is interacting with the teachers. Her goal as a student is to have good grades, by following her motto for life: “Just keep swimming”-- Walt Disney.

What does Kayley like to do after school? On a school night we can find Kayley doing homework or playing Fortnite with her friends or eating her favorite after-school snack, a Danish pastry.

On the weekends, we can find Kayley hanging out with her best friends, and if she had a day away from school, she would also hangout with friends. Her friends would describe her as a fun person to be around. Kayley’s weakness would be getting ready for school, and her strength would be being unique and being herself.

Kayley has a large family: it consists of her mom, Tasha Cox; her stepdad, Dusty Cox; and her sisters, Candace, Gracie, Arie, and Jersey. Something that she knows would be shocking to hear about herself is, “I’m adopted, not many people know that,” she stated.

Kayley’s favorite vacation spot is simply Kentucky so that she can ride horses. If Kayley could be an animal for a day, she would be a horse. Her favorite song is “Rich and Blind”, by Juice World, because she likes to dance to it.

No matter if she is riding horses, playing Fortnite, or eating Danish pastries, Kayley has a bright future ahead of her.

Again, congratulations to Kayley Cox as the 8th grade student of the month for December. Keep on swimming!

Pearl Drake is December's 7th grade student of the month

by Aubrie Graham

Congrats to Pearl Drake for 7th grade student of the month for December! She was chosen by Mrs. Hollie Noah.

Mrs. Noah declared, ¨Pearl is a very hard worker, incredibly responsible, and always has her work done on time. If she misses school, you can count on her to make up the work, and the teachers don't have to track her down to get it done. She is a good example of what kids need to be like in the classroom.¨

The most challenging part of being a student for Pearl is all the homework she gets. However, she enjoys being here. On a school day we can see Pearl talking to her friends.

Her friends would describe her as loud and fun. Pearl's weakness would be asking for help. Her strength is being able to handle getting a vaccination.

Pearl loves being outside because it's pretty and it's an opportunity to run around and have fun.

On the weekend or given a day off of school, she would be at Haspin Acres, walking around or watching dirt bike and quad races.

Pearl is supported by her family, Jeff Drake, her dad; Lisa Drake, her mom; Piper and Lex Twiggs, her siblings. Her family is described as loud, funny, and always outside.

¨My goal for life is to pass school and become a photographer or vet,¨ remarked Pearl, on what she envisions for her future.

On a school night, Pearl would be eating dinner. Like after school if she just made a snack it would be peanut butter and honey with crackers.

When asked about her dream or favorite vacation, Pearl exclaimed, ¨I would love to go on a cruise to Alaska or the Bahamas because it's pretty and a chance to get away!¨

Her favorite book is anything about the Holocost because they're interesting.

If she could be any animal for a day, she would be a dog because she could always run around and play outside.

Congratulations to Pearl Drake for December student of the month. Keep up the good work and your positive attitude! Maybe one day we will see her at the vet, helping us with our animals or we might see her famous pictures somewhere. Who knows? Maybe even both!

December's 6th grade student of the month is Rubie Smith

by Dakoda Keith

Congratulations to Rubie Smith for being December’s 6th grade student of the month!

Rubie was chosen by Mrs. Janice Wade.

Mrs. Wade remarked, “Rubie is a very studious student who takes school work seriously, but she always has a smile on her face and a great attitude to her school and classmates. She is an excellent leader!”

When asked what she likes about FCMS, she responded, “The people because all the school needs are people.”

As for the most challenging part about being a student, she exclaimed, “Keeping up the good work and good grades.”

How would her friends describe her? Rubie responded with, “Kind, caring, and loving.”

Rubie considers math as her weakness and language as her strength.

She has a short-term goal of getting good grades for the whole year.

Coming from a supportive family, Rubie lives with her mother, April, her father, Tracy, and her sister, Bella.

Perhaps not surprisingly, in her free time, Rubie can be found doing her homework and reading. She loves to read, and her favorite novel is The Hunger Games.

It’s after school, and she has just made a snack. What would we find her eating? “I love peanut butter and jelly, “ she declared

Her favorite vacation spot is, “Florida because of the weather,” Rubie remarked.

Rubie’s long-term goal is to graduate with the Class of 2028 and go to college and become a successful author.

If Rubie could trade places with an animal for the day, she would choose to be a canine. “I would choose to be a dog because they are smart,“ she proclaimed.

Congratulations to Rubie for being a student of the month of December. We can’t wait to read one of your books one day!

December's 8th grade student of the month is Serena Silas

by Isaac Johnson

A truly hardworking student, Serena Silas has won the prestigious 8th grade student of the month for December. With her hardworking attitude and love for all her friends, she has not only won the award but the respect of her peers as well.

Being nominated by Mrs. Beth Brown, an honor in itself, Serena has shown her hard-working attitude is all she needs to make even Mrs. Brown happy. Mrs. Brown declared, ”Serena is a terrific young lady who is always on top of her work. She asks questions and is often a source of information about various topics. She has a positive mental attitude and treats others with kindness. Serena is a great example of the Wildcat Spirit.”

With help from her family, she has risen through the ranks to reach the prestigious student of the month. With her mother, Amanda, and her father, Don, she has all the support she needs to make it through the day. It doesn't hurt to have her dog Bandit by her side.

She finds the homework of the school day to be tough, but she will always manage to find a way to get it done and hang out with her friends.

After school, getting her work done is one of the first things she thinks about. Of course, she can’t forget her snack: chips and salsa. “I love this school, but the homework is quite difficult,” Serena declared.

With a variety of pets, she is truly an animal person. If she could be an animal for a day, she would choose a monkey, without a doubt. It is not surprising. Serena declared,” I would love to eat and swing for trees all day.” That is something on which most of us can agree.

With the confidence of her friends and love of the school, Serena has learned to enjoy school life. Good on you, Serena, and enjoy the school day. One day your Wildcat Spirit will help you rule the world. We just know it!

Anna Bryant is 6th grade's student of the month for November

by Liv Maddock

Congratulations to November’s 6th grade student of the month, Anna Bryant! Anna was chosen by Mrs. Janice Wade, who explained, “Anna is so intelligent, such a hard worker, very conscientious, organized, a leader in the classroom, and quite a good artist.”

Anna Bryant is a fun and outgoing girl who loves to hang out with friends and family, play with her pets, go outside, and do crafts. Anna believes many would describe her, such as funny, unique, caring, smart, creative, crafty, and energetic.

She truly proved her unique and caring characteristics when telling us that she used to have a pet dove that she rescued from her grandma’s farm.

Anna is the daughter of Rachael and Johnathan Bryant and the sister of Benjamin Bryant. Although she claims she sometimes struggles with the homework load and deadlines, Anna clarified, “It’s (FCMS) a good school, and I like that everyone is equal and treated well.”

After school Anna has her favorite snack of grilled cheese and a banana. Then we might find her reading her favorite book, Time of the Fireflies, or watching her favorite movie, The Greatest Showman, or even roller blading.

Anna Bryant feels that if she could be any animal for a day, she would be an otter. She explained, “Otters are super smart and really stealthy. They are also cute and good fighters.”

On school nights Anna can usually be found finishing homework or trying to get a goodnight’s rest. However, on the weekends Anna normally stays home with her mom to help on the farm.

Throughout her lifetime, Anna Bryant hopes to achieve good grades, be a very good soccer player, and also become a nurse. She also dreams of visiting the Bahamas and many other beachy and warm places.

Well wishes to Anna on her journey to achieve these goals, but for now, congratulations again to Anna Bryant, 6th grade student of the month for November!

December's 7th grade student of the month is Carter Fox

by Dakoda Keith

Congratulations to Carter Fox for being the student of the month for December! Carter was chosen by Mrs. Stacey Nobbe.

Mrs. Nobbe declared, "Carter's positive attitude is contagious. He is always ready to tackle challenges, and he reads more than any student I know right now!"

When asked what he likes best about FCMS, he exclaimed, “The people that you meet! “ The people are what makes our school special.

What’s the most challenging part about FCMS? He stated, “The people because you don’t know what they like and don’t like. “

A typical school day for Carter involves band. “Well, I get to have band first period. l love band!” Carter exclaimed.

In Carter’s free time he loves to read. What we could find him doing over the weekend is reading. “My favorite books are about anything involving Greek mythology and the Percy Jackson series, “ he declared.

Besides reading, Carter also enjoys video games. He claims that he enjoys every video out there. Funny, kind, and helpful--these words are how his friends describe him.

His close friends know that Carter is always helpful and just an all-around good friend and person.

For his strengths, Carter proclaimed, “My strength is in math because I have a 100% in that class.“

When asked his motto in life, Carter declared, “Don’t look in the past. Look into the future.”

As for his supportive family life, Carter lives at home with 14 other people.

He exclaimed, “I live with my grandpa, Leroy Dole, and grandma, Sarah Dole!”

Something that we would be surprised to hear about Carter is, as he remarked, “I eat a lot but don’t gain weight. “

Even though his favorite is ice cream or a popsicle, he doesn’t gain weight he can’t because he is always up and running around.

For this school, Carter wants to get good grades the whole year and hopes to be on the honor roll.

Although he is an excellent student, Carter admitted, “If I could be an animal for a day, I would be a monkey because they are smart, and I would not have to go to school.”

Again, congratulations to Carter Fox for being December’s student of the month. Whether he is a video game master, a famous musician, or a notable author, we know he’ll go far!

Luke Stenger is 7th grade student of the month for November

by Saegan Joseph

A big round of applause to Luke Stenger for making November’s 7th grade student of the month!

Luke Stenger was chosen by Mr. Wes Gillman. Mr Gillman declared, “Luke is a great student who does well in the classroom with both grades and behavior. Luke is always engaged and eager to learn. I love having Luke in class.“

What Luke likes most about being a student at FCMS is playing games.

Like many other students, Luke’s least favorite aspect of FCMS is homework.

On an average school day, we can find Luke playing his instrument for the band, the trumpet.

On his day off, we can find Luke watching football, as he is an avid fan of IU.

His friends would describe him as nice, caring, and respectful, and his weaknesses are talking to people.

Luke’s goal for life is to not get in any trouble that would tarnish his reputation. A positive person, his favorite quote is, “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take,“ by Wayne Gretzky.

He lives with his mom, Chelsea Stenger; father, Jim Stenger; and brother, Charlie Stenger. Luke believes people would be surprised to learn he feeds the animals on his farm.

His favorite snack is a grilled cheese sandwich, which he often makes after school. At 7 p.m. on a school night, we can find Luke doing homework.

Luke's favorite book is Land of Stories because of how constantly intriguing it is.

If he had the chance, Luke would go to North Carolina as a dream vacation spot.

We know Luke knows a lot about animals. If he could be any animal for a day, he’d be a bird because he would be able to fly anywhere without having to walk.

Luke is an amazing student at FCMS; moreover, he is an aspiring young boy with a bright future, and we know he won’t miss out on taking his best shots in life!

November's 8th grade student of the month is Alice Lin

by Samantha Reams

Congratulations to Alice Lin, who was chosen for November’s 8th grade student of the month by Mrs. Doris Yan for being motivated and working hard! Mrs. Yan complimented her by commenting, “Alice works really hard and is very motivated to learn new things. Every time we do teamwork, other classmates would love to be in her group because she always loves to help them!”

Alice is the person she is now because of her mother and father, Yuee and Jixin Lin. She also has a little brother named Brian.

Alice is enjoying being a student at FCMS. She exclaimed, “All the people are supportive. I love my friends.” The most challenging part about being a student at FCMS is keeping a good spirit and staying on the honor roll. Alice explained, “I struggle with keeping my grades up.”

It’s a normal day at school. What can we find her doing? Alice responded, “I will most likely be learning and hanging out with my friends.” About her free time on the weekend, Alice explained, “I will most likely be working and reading.”

Alice’s friends describe her as “outgoing”, meaning she is friendly and socially confident.

Alice imagines her weaknesses as, “Knowing what to say and when to say it.” Her friends describe her strengths as, “Being confident and nice.”

Alice’s motto for life is a Bible verse: John 3:16, “For God so loved the world he gave his only begotten Son, for who should love the world shall not perish but have everlasting life.” She described the verse as, “Being grateful for what you have in life.”

On a school night, Alice explained that she would be, “In band, and some days I would be at my concerts.”

If Alice were to make a snack after school, she would call it, “Egg tart,” while describing it as, “A snack most people wouldn’t know existed.”

Alice’s favorite vacation spot is New York. “It’s just a beautiful place,” she expressed.

Alice’s goals as a student are to go to college and become a doctor. “I can make a lot of money and do what I love,” she declared

“If I could be an animal for the day, I would be a horse.” Alice describes the horse as, “Fast and free.”

Alice added, “My mother is a fashion designer, and I would like to honor her.”

Again great job, Alice Lin! Becoming smarter and smarter, Alice Lin is also keeping up at school while being a good student with great confidence. Someday we may find Alice behind a hospital bed, performing a major procedure!

November’s student of the month for 6th grade is Andrew Ruf

by Dakoda Keith

Congratulations to Andrew Ruf for being 6th grade for November!

Andrew was selected by Mr. Clark Sherwood. Mr. Sherwood declared, ¨Andrew is very quick to help others. His passion and enthusiasm are very much appreciated.¨

When asked what his favorite part about being a student at FCMS is, he exclaimed, “The people and the energy in the classes.”

He proclaimed that the most challenging part is “working with others.”

Andrew also declared that on a normal school day, we could find him, “Reading and getting my work done!” he exclaimed.

Andrew says his friends consider him kind, caring, and helpful. When others pass Andrew in the hallway, they always receive a ¨hi¨ because he is such a friendly person.

Andrew remarked about his weakness, “I may not be the best speller, but spelling is the most important and challenging for me.”

Andrew considers his math ability a strength. “Math is one of the not easiest, but I like a little challenge,“ he stated.

He lives with his loving family, which includes his mom, Andrea; his father, Tyler; and his three sisters, Rachel, Kirstin, and Megan.

In his free time, Andrew enjoys riding go-carts and farming, taking care of his farm animals, reading, and hanging out with friends. Speaking of reading, his favorite book is Never Say Die, by William Hobbs.

What would we find him doing at 7 p.m. on a school night? Surprisingly, Andrew declared, “I would be practicing martial arts. “

It’s after school, and Andrew has just made a snack. What is it? He replied, “Cheese! “

If he could be an animal for a day, Andrew declared, “I would be a cow for what they do on a day-to-day basis.“

Andrew has clear-cut goals in life. He explained, "After high school, I want to go to college and go for a degree in mechanical engineering."

Congratulations again to Andrew for being ‘November‘s student of the month. With hard work and determination, he is surely well on his way to reaching his dream of becoming a mechanical engineer!

November’s 7th grade student of the month is Alex Ford

by Saegan Joseph

A big round of applause to Alex Ford for being chosen as 7th grade student of the month for November!

Alex Ford was recommended by Mrs. Hollie Noah as the student of the month.

Mrs. Noah remarked, “Alex works hard every day, on every assignment, and is respectful of others. He also always looks at his teacher when we are speaking (which seems to be an obvious skill, but it isn’t anymore).”

Alex would say ‘The Library” when asked what he likes most about being a student at FCMS. Alex is a big fan of reading, but one would be surprised to know he hated reading when he was younger. His librarians are so happy he has become an avid reader.

Alex’ favorite book franchise is the Hunger Games trilogy because he is a big fan of the future, as well as of tournaments.

Alex acknowledged, “The most challenging part about being a student here is the homework.“

Perhaps not surprisingly, on an average day in school one could find Alex reading or doing school work.

On the weekends, one can find Alex outside on his farm playing with animals. Alex lives with his uncle, Donald O’ Neal; his mom, Megan; his dad, Jason Ford. He also has a stepdad, Fred Neeley.

When asked, Alex says his friends would describe him as “funny and weird.” His weakness would be “taking things too seriously.” Moreover, his strengths would be “reading and English.”

After school, Alex would typically make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich as a snack.

He dreams of going to the sandy beaches of Florida for an amazing vacation.

His years on the farm may have led to his career choice. Alex grows up, his dream job is becoming a veterinarian.

If Alex could become an animal for a day, it’d be a duck because they live a simple life of eating, drinking, and sleeping, with no school work.

All of this ust goes to show how much of a hardworking yet unique boy Alex Ford is. Congratulations, Alex. We know with your dedication, big things are in store for your future!

November's student of the month for 8th grade is Bailey Harrison

by Aubrie Graham

Smart, funny, and kind--Bailey Harrison is the 8th grade student of the month for November!

Bailey was chosen by Mrs. Bev Yager. “Bailey participates in class, completes her homework, and has a very good attitude,¨ proclaimed Mrs. Yager.

Bailey Harrison was nominated because she is an active participant, which is what we would find her doing during her normal school day.

There are a lot of things Bailey enjoys, including being a student here at FCMS. Bailey exclaimed, ¨I like being a student here because there are good friends and you can learn a lot!¨

Bailey's friends would describe her as intelligent, compassionate, and humorous.

On the weekends we could find Bailey playing Fortnite, and, similarly, at 7 p.m. on a school night, we could also see Bailey playing video games or doing homework.

Bailey has a secret talent of singing, and she's also in cheer! In fact, if given a whole day off of school, she would be practicing cheer, as she is currently on the 8th grade cheerleading squad.

Like everyone, Bailey would love some time off. ¨My dream vacation spot is Gatlinburg, Tennessee because I love the mountains.¨ remarked Bailey.

If she could be any animal for a day, Bailey would be a dog because they are great emotional support animals.

A challenging part of being a student is never having the motivation to do work; however, Bailey is up to the task.

Bailey has big plans in life. ¨My life goal is to become a surgeon,¨ committed Bailey.

Bailey's family includes her brother, Wyatt, her sisters, Bridgett and Mattie, her mom Ashley, and her stepfather, Jonathon.

Bailey's motto for life is, ¨Try your best in everything you do and have fun.¨

Let's give a big congratulations to Bailey Harrison for 8th grade student of the month. Maybe one day we will see Bailey becoming a surgeon. Hopefully the surgery is not for you, but at least you would know Bailey Harrison achieved her life goal!

Kaylee Marshall is October's 7th grade student of the month

by Samantha Reams

We’re sending a huge pat on the back to Kaylee Marshall! Kaylee was chosen as the 7th grade student of the month for the month of October. She was nominated by Mrs. Stacey Nobbe. Mrs. Stacey Nobbe exclaimed, “Kaylee is positive, respectful, and works very hard to get good grades.”

When Kaylee is asked what it is that she likes most about being a student at FCMS, she remarked, “All the students and staff are very welcoming.”

“The most challenging part of being a student at FCMS is trying to get along with everyone,” Kaylee added.

On a successful day during school, Kaylee declared, “During my school day I will most likely be learning and doing my homework.”

On the weekends Kaylee enjoys hanging out with her friends, reading a book on the sofa, and going to church with her family.

Kaylee imagines that her friends describe her as outgoing and funny. Kaylee’s friends describe her weaknesses as getting along with people. “It’s sometimes challenging for Kaylee because she is so nice it hurts her.”

Kaylee’s friends describe her strength of being a talented basketball player, while being graceful with her dribbling and smooth with her shots.

Kaylee’s motto for life is, “Be yourself and treat others how you want to be treated.”

Kaylee lives with her supportive parents, Mike and Melissa Hanna.

Kaylee has three sisters: a twin sister named Cristie Marshall, a 14-year-old sister named Summer Hoyt, and an older sister named Amanda Hanna. She also has three brothers: Tristan Hanna, Trenton Hanna, and Chad Hanna.

Not surprisingly, Kaylee would be working hard on a typical school night. “I’m usually doing my homework or relaxing with family,” she proclaimed.

Kaylee likes to play basketball. In fact, she states that if she were given a day off school, she would be outside practicing her shots.

Kaylee thinks some might be surprised to hear that she also competes in gymnastics.

Kaylee will always go with a healthy fruit for her snack of choice.

Kaylee and her family’s favorite vacation spot is Mexico because they appreciate how they can all get together as a family.

If you could be an animal for the day, what would it be? Kaylee answered, “I’d be a horse because they’re my favorite animal and they run fast.”

Kaylee’s goals in life are to graduate with an A/B honor roll and to go to college to become a doctor.

She wants to thank her best friend Ellie Robenstein for helping her and always being there for her!

Again, a huge pat on the back is sent to Kaylee Marshall for being a great October student of the month. Someday we may find Kaylee to be a successful basketball player and maybe even a doctor!

Alexis DeMoss is October's 6th grade student of the month

by Saegan Joseph

Congratulations to Alexis Demoss for being chosen as the 6th grade student of the month for October!

Alexis was chosen by both Mrs. Bethany Bolser and Mr. Clark Sherwood.

Both Mr. Sherwood and Mrs. Bolser Both declared, “Alexis is a quiet leader and a well-deserved candidate for October’s student of the month. She participates regularly and is respectful and dependable.”

Alexis would say “all of the friendly people” when asked what she enjoys most from FCMS.

Alexis says the most challenging part about being a student is, “All of the work, quizzes, and assignments.”

Perhaps not surprisingly, on a regular school day, you’ll find Alexis working and giving it her all.

On a school night, one will typically find Alexis doing homework.

On the weekends, you can find Alexis watching TV, playing video games, playing with her cats, or sleeping.

Her favorite after school snack is cheese crackers, which her mom fixes for her after a long day of work.

When asked to describe her strengths, she replied “I’m pretty kind.” However, if you would ask her friends her strengths, they would declare, “Alexis is very motivated.” She lives by the motto of never giving up.

Something to note is Alexis has quite the supportive family. Alexis has a mother and father, Samantha and Kenneth Demoss; two brothers, Caleb and Cody; and an aunt and two nieces, Faith and Eve. One interesting fact is that her dad served in the Army.

Alexis’ favorite novels are the Harry Potter franchise because it involves one of her favorite subjects, magic, and it relates to other kids with issues going on, as all teens can relate.

If Alexis could, her choice of vacation would be the boardwalks and beaches of Florida for the scenery and the shops.

As a student, her goal is to get good grades and make it to a prestigious college.

There is a lot to know about Alexis, more than just student of the month. She is a hard working individual with big dreams. She also knows how to have fun, proving her to be a well-rounded person, not a superficial working machine. Congratulations again to go-getter Alexis Demoss!

Laila Cornett is October’s 8th grade student of the month

by Samantha Reams

Congratulations to our 8th grade student of the month for the month of October: Lalia Cornett! Laila was nominated student of the month by Mrs. Candice Murray. “Laila Cornett has been working really hard in class this year for me. She’s made great improvements on her percussion playing since last year and has been sort of a leader in her section this year,” Mrs. Murray proclaimed.

Laila is very talented in art. If you were to ask Laila what she would do on a day off from school, she would inform you, “Probably in my room finishing a drawing or sketching in a new project.”

What would we find her doing on the weekends? “I like to hang out with my friends and family,” she declared.

Laila has two moms, named Sarah and Amy, a little sister named Addy, and two dogs.

Laila’s motto for life is, “Be yourself and don’t let others define who you are.”

If she could be an animal for a day, Laila has definite ideas. “I would be a white lion. They’re rare and enthusiastic animals,” Laila confirmed.

Laila is a very strong and confident reader. Her favorite book is A Dog’s Purpose because she enjoys how it shows life from a dog’s perspective.

About her goals in life, Laila exclaimed, “A goal as a student is ‘Always be yourself. Don’t let people deceive who you really are because you’re amazing.’”

Laila is a very strong and confident person and a great role model. Laila received student of the month for helping others and leading the way with her percussion.

Who knows? Someday we may find Laila in our school teaching art in this school or in our library, getting our students excited about reading!

Jordan Brzezinski is October's student of the month for 6th grade

by Isaac Johnson

One of, if not, the most ambitious and bright students the school has ever seen, Jordan Brzezinski has been climbing up the totem pole. She has received the well-earned reward of 6th grade’s student of the month for October.

Chosen by both Mr.Clark Sherwood and Mrs. Bethany Bolser, Jordan was an apparent choice. They had this to say about her: ”Jordan is a quiet leader and a well-deserved candidate for October's student of the month. She participates regularly, and she is always extremely reliable!”

Born to Zachary and Jennifer Brzezinski, Jordan has two loving parents who have made her what she is today, with some help from her dogs, Loki and Nyx.

Loving to hang out by her locker and talk to her friends, she has proven herself to be a great person for her friends to spend time with. “I love hanging out with my friends,” she commented. It seems she would like to spend that time with her friends in the Hawaii sun. Jordan really enjoys the warm weather.

She considers herself funny, with which everyone can agree. She believes she says sorry way too much though. During the school day, one can find Jordan doing her best to get all A’s and helping her fellow students: a noble goal to the outside eye.

She enjoys watching movies, especially Marvel movies. Her favorite is The Avengers. Before she can watch her movies, she must do her chores and eat her afternoon snack. That snack consists of an apple with peanut butter.

At home we may find her doing homework, the most difficult part of school in her eyes, or scrolling through Tik-Tok. She may also be hanging out with her friends. She exclaimed,” I am just doing my best.” She may not know it, but Jordan’s best is on top.

Congratulations to Jordan! Whether it’s hanging out with your friends and scrolling through Tik-Tok, we know you’ll give it your all.

October's 7th grade student of the month is Brady Brunemann

by Dakoda Keith

Congrats to the 7th grade student of the month for October: Brady Brunemann!

Brunemann was picked by Mrs. Becky Klusman. ¨Brady is always very willing to help classmates and make everyone feel important,” she declared.

What does he like about FCMS? Brady replied, ¨The people.¨

I also asked him what the most challenging thing about being a student is, he exclaimed, “Managing your time and getting all your work done!”

On the weekends, Brady can be found going to football practice. His number is 30. He plays wide receiver, safety, or kicker.

On a school night, we could see Brady working hard to stay caught up. ¨I’ve got football practices most of every day and being caught up on school work is a priority.”

He also stated how his friends would describe him: ¨Kind, overprotective, and a very caring friend.”

Describing his motto for life, he exclaimed, “Work hard every day. Work hard to be the best you can be.''

Brady lives with his mom, Amiee; his dad, Brad; sister, Alyssa; and finally, his dogs Ellie and Mae.

On a sudden day off, what could we find him doing? ¨Playing video games and most of all fishing,¨ Brady eagerly replied.

Perhaps not surprisingly, Brady is an avid reader. ¨I love to read and feel as if it’s good to read,” he remarked. He also stated his favorite book is Stormbreaker, by Anthony Horowitz.

Favorite snack? ¨It would be a sandwich with turkey and cheese, ¨ stated Brady.

Brady’s favorite vacation spot is Siesta Keys in Florida . “They have very very good beaches and good food,” he explained. He also enjoys seeing the family members he has family down there.

If he could be an animal for a day, Brady readily remarked, “I would be a fish so that I could explore. ¨

¨I want to have good grades in life, ¨ Brady commented on his current goals.

Again, congratulations to Brady Brunemann for being October student of the month! With his dedication to his goals, he is sure to succeed in anything!

October's 8th grade student of the month is Lillian Solzsmon

by Aubrie Graham

Lillian Solzsmon is the 8th grade student of the month for September. Lillian was chosen by Mr. Derek Herbert. Mr. Herbert, technology teacher, commented, “Lillian Solzman is such a respectful student, as well as a great leader and motivator to her peers.”

Lillian's friends would describe her as nice, honest, and loyal. When asked about her favorite thing about being a student here, she remarked, “Being able to make friends.”

Lillian is the only child of Rachel Solzman, mom, and Boris Salazar, dad.

Lillian has two dogs: Cleo, a pitbull, and Chopper, a Brittany spaniel.

At 7 p.m. on a school night, we could find Lillian watching television after finishing her homework. She doesn’t have a favorite television show, but she likes Grey’s Anatomy.

Lillian's dream vacation spot is on a cruise. “I want to go on a cruise because of all the beautiful things you can see!” exclaimed Lillian.

Lillian is also in FFA. She stated, “I love the opportunities it gives you.”

A student goal for Lillian is to make it to college. Her dream job is to become a wedding planner. Lillian commetend, “I want to go to a business school and get into wedding planning, along with owning my own business one day.”

Lillian’s favorite book is The Selection. “The Selection is like you know what’s going to happen and then… it surprises you!” exclaimed Lillian.

Let’s congratulate Lillian Solzman for being student of the month! Let’s give her some faith and make sure she meets her goals. Maybe one day we can see Lillian planning a wedding for someone we know. Keep up the good work!

September's 8th grade student of the month is Dorothy Wendel

by Josh Wilson

Congratulations to Dorothy Wendel for being chosen for September’s 8th grade student of the month by Mrs. Doris Yan!

Ms. Yan remarked, “Dorothy is in my Chinese 1 class in high school, and she is a wonderful leader and very helpful! I accidentally knocked off my marker box, and she helped me pick up all of them!”

Dorothy Wendel likes all of the different, new options at FCMS. Dorothy explained, “I like different options for activities and classes.”

Staying on top of the homework is hard. According to Dorothy, it is the most challenging part of being a student.

Dorothy Wendel likes the library because she told me during the day at school, she enjoys the friendly atmosphere and getting to check out her favorite books.

When it comes to self reflection, according to Dorothy, her weakness is that she is bad at sports. Her strength is that she is very smart.

About the weekends, Dorothy stated, “I’m always hanging out with my family.”

Dorothy declared, “My friends would describe me as funny and smart.”

Dorothy comes from a supportive family. Her mother’s name is Marlene Wendel, and her father is David Wendel. Her sisters are Maggie, Emily, and Liz. Her brother is Nick Wendel, and Dorothy’s dog’s name is Annie.

Like lots of students, we can find Dorothy doing homework at 7 p.m.

If she were given a day away from school, she would find a quiet place to read. Dorothy’s favorite book is Unbroken because it is very motivational.

Dorothy’s ideal snack is chocolate and cheese.

When it comes to traveling, Dorothy likes the beach because, as she proclaimed, “It is relaxing, and I like water.” Dorothy would like to be an eagle so she can fly and have an eagle’s freedom.

Dorothy’s goal for school is to graduate high school early.

Congratulations, Dorothy! You can do it, Dorothy. I hope you fly high like an eagle in whatever you do.

Ezra Kolb is 7th grade student of the month for September

by Livia Maddock

Smart, athletic, and plays two instruments--Ezra Kolb is the 7th grade student of the month for September!

Ezra Kolb is a successful student and athlete who was nominated as student of the month by Mr. Wes Gillman, who claimed, “Ezra Kolb is always engaged, respectful, and makes --rare these days--eye contact with the teacher.”

So far Ezra enjoys FCMS, mostly because all of the students and staff are kind. This makes the school day a little easier, even though it can be a struggle to be on time to classes and finish work on time while achieving good grades.

Usually at school Ezra can be found walking to classes with a few of his friends. Ezra believes that his friends find him as kind and athletic. His friends also believe Ezra is very strong in sports and school. This is Ezra’s main goal as a student and it is easy for him to accomplish, as he is following the motto of, “Always try and never give up.”

After school Ezra will sometimes have a bowl of cereal, but then he can be found doing homework, studying, or playing basketball. Not only does Ezra play basketball after school, but it is also one of his favorite weekend activities.

Among Ezra’s favorite things is reading the book Summer Ball. Ezra shared, “It’s about a small kid who was very good at basketball and learned how to win, even if he was the smallest on the court.”

Another one of Ezra’s favorite things is to go to Gatlinburg. Ezra commented, “You can do a lot of fun things there and spend time with family.”

Speaking of family, Ezra’s family includes his mom, Hannah, and his dad, Matt. Ezra also has a younger sister, Moriah, and two dogs, Riley and Katie.

Although Ezra is very invested in basketball, he also enjoys playing both the drums and bass guitar. If Ezra could be any animal for a day he says he would be a dog because they are smart. These interests show Ezra is a successful person in both school and in extracurricular activities.

Congratulations again to the 7th grade student of the month for September, Ezra Kolb! Don’t forget to congratulate him the next time you see him in the halls or maybe even on the basketball court. He is sure to give his best effort to all of his endeavors.

August's 7th grade student of the month is Mason Allen

by Liv Maddock

Congratulations to Mason Allen, the 7th grade student of the month for August!

Mason was nominated as student of the month by Mr. Herbert. Mr. Herbert proclaimed, “Mason is paving the way as a leader. He is already building a 3D model rocket. I can’t wait to see Mason’s accomplishments and innovations this semester.”

Not only does Mason participate in Mr.Herbert’s tech class, he also participates in many other activities day to day. At school one could see Mason walking from class to class with friends or doing work to stay caught up. Mason shared, “The teachers are helpful,” which is what he liked most about FCMS. Mason went on to say, “To keep going and never give up,” which is a phrase that keeps him motivated.

On a school night, after eating his sandwich for an after-school snack, we would find Mason getting his school stuff ready for the next day or maybe hanging out with his family. Mason’s family consists of his mom, Amanda; his dad, Matt; and his dog, Travis. In his freetime, Mason likes to hunt, fish, go outside, or work on the farm. Mason believes that working on a farm at such a young age could be surprising to some people.

Besides spending time with his family, Mason also loves hanging out with his friends. Mason’s friends would most likely describe him as hard-headed but fun. They would say his strengths are being athletic and also being fast. These qualities are good for Mason because he enjoys playing sports. “It lets me hang out with my friends and learn to work together and communicate,” explained Mason.

Mason would love the ability to travel anywhere and see the ocean. That is why if he could be any animal, he would want to be a fish. Despite the fact he can’t travel anywhere he wants, Mason would enjoy visiting Florida to see family, or he’d take a trip to Iowa just for a fun getaway.

Overall, Mason is a good student with a unique personality. Again, congratulations, Mason Allen, for achieving 7th grade student of the month for August. Mason would like you all to remember, “To keep going because life never stops.” With his positive attitude, Mason is sure to have great things in store for his future!

Alyssa Richardson is August's 6th grade student of the month

by Joshua Wilson

Congratulations to the 6th grade student of the month: Alyssa Richardson! She was chosen by Mr. Clark Sherwood.

Mr Sherwood declared, “I love how Alyssa is such an enthusiastic learner. She has already proven herself to be a positive leader in her class.”

On her favorite aspects of FCMS, Alyssa Richardson likes having lockers, and she likes the teachers in the school.

When she was asked what was the hardest part of being a student, she replied, “Being on time for class and getting assignments turned in on time.”

What could someone find her doing during a school day? Alyssa stated, “I would be reading or listening to music.” Speaking of reading, Alyssa is an avid reader and

considers this her biggest strength.

When asked what can we find you doing during the weekend, she stated, “I’m usually hanging out with my nieces or nephews.”

Alyssa seems to have a good sense of humor. In fact, she believes her friends think of her as silly.

Alyssa declared, “My motto for life is believe in yourself.”

Alyssa’s family consists of her mom, Mary; her dad, Sal; her brothers, J.T and Ryan; and her sisters, Makhay and Erika. Her dogs' names are Halo and Diesel. Her puppy Diesel is only 7 months old.

Fun facts about Alyssa are she loves to play volleyball, and her favorite snack is bread with Nutella spread over it. She wants to be a panda to climb really high.

Alyssa’s dream vacation is to go to Tennessee because she wants to see animals. Alyssa’s goal in life is to graduate college as a profiler.

Great job,Alyssa Richardson, you deserve it! I hope you have a great time being the student of the month. With your dedication, you would make a great profiler.

Blake Stephenson is August's 8th grade student of the month

by Isaac Johnson

Blake Stephenson--star athlete, star student, and now 8th grade student of the month for August--is there anything he can’t do?

Blake was chosen for this honor by Mrs. Bev Yager. Mrs.Yager remarked, “Blake has completed all of his homework to the best of his ability. If he doesn’t get a question correct, he asks me what he needs to do differently to improve.”

Born to Marci and Matt Stephenson, he has one brother, Carter, and two dogs, Maggie and Leia.

Being a star athlete isn’t easy for Blake, as he has to keep up with grades and sports. He says the teachers help him keep up.

On an average school day, one can find Blake studying for classes and practicing his sporting capability. His friends will comment that although he is athletic, he could not make a joke to save his life.

One can find him saying, “Practice does not mean perfect; not everybody can be perfect.”

Another quote to live by from Blake is, “I can accept failure. Everyone fails at some point, but I can’t accept not trying.”

Later at night, after football practice, one can find him doing homework to keep his grades up. One may also find him watching Chicago PD since he does not find this show boring.

Always wanting to keep his grades up, Blake’s goal is to have a good GPA and never stop moving.

Wanting to visit Australia has been a goal of Blake’s, as he wants to see a kangaroo.

Congratulations, Blake, on 8th grade student of the month! Who knows, maybe we’ll see you on Chicago PD someday, using that athletic ability in your role as a crime fighter!

Kiley Robinson is May's 8th grade student of the month

by Paige Ripberger

Congrats to Kiley Robinson for being chosen for student of the month for May by Mrs. Noah! “Kiley Robinson is a very sweet and respectful student who works really hard, is always responsible, and is never anything but kind to others. She is very deserving of being named student of the month,” declared Mrs. Noah.

Kiley is the kind of student teachers can count on. “Being at this school I have come to enjoy the teachers, staff, and students,” Kiley commented.

Olivia Clark, an 8th grader here at FCMS, also had a couple of things to say about Kiley: “Kiley is a hard worker, she is kind, and a great singer.”

She usually hangs out with her friends and family on the weekends. Kiley lives with her mom, Laura Robinson; her dad, Joe Robinson; and her sister, Emily Robinson. She recently started a new sport called “tomahawks”. It is when someone throws a hatchet, she throws them for fun with her family.

After school Kiley usually picks chocolate cookies for an afternoon snack, she would also pick up one of her favorite books, The Hunger Games. It is her top pick because it's very detailed and full of surprises.

Kiley’s favorite vacation spot is Disney World because it's really fun and she gets to spend time with the family.

What are her goals for this year? “Take school seriously and to try my best,” she explained. Kiley is a little shy when it comes to a big group of people. “I would definitely say that giving presentations is the most challenging part of being a student here,” she declared.

Have you ever thought about what animal you would be for a day if you could? Kiley has. “If I had to choose one animal, I would definitely choose a giraffe. They are very peaceful and calm, ” explained Kiley. She also has very good advice: “Try your best and try not to get worked up over the little things.”

Another congrats to Kiley for being nominated to be student of the month! Anyone can see why you deserved this reward so keep up the good work. Keep throwing your hatches and keep singing! We would all love to hear you one day!

Justin Weaver is May's 7th grade student of the month

by Olivia Clark

Congratulations to Justin Weaver for being the 7th grade student of the month for May! Justin was chosen by Mrs. Ferman. Mrs. Ferman proclaimed, ”Justin has a great work ethic! He is self-motivated and always striving to do his best!”

We can find Justin working with his friends on homework during the weekdays and with animals during the weekends.

Justin Weaver believes that the most challenging part of being a student is doing homework. One of the best things about being a student at FCMS, he admits, is, “Everyone treats people with respect, kindness, and everyone is treated the same way!”

One of Justin’s hobbies is working with his animals, such as his dogs and goats! Justin also enjoys going to the beach because it’s a nice, calming place to go to.

He also enjoys reading the Magic Tree House series while eating chocolate chip cookie dough!

Justin’s loving family members are his mom and dad, Jenny and Greg Weaver, and his siblings: Sara, Erica, and Jonathan. Justin also has two dogs named Coco and Coal.

Justin’s friends would describe him as having a very energetic and funny personality. Justin also admits that his weakness is reading, but his strength is working with his animals.

Justin Weaver’s goal as a student is to get a degree in math. Justin Weaver is overall a great student who makes sure he gets his work done and strives to do his best every day! Mrs. Ferman believes that Justin will become a successful person in the near future and many other teachers and students have as well!

Great job, Justin Weaver, for being student of the month for May 2021! Who knows? Maybe we’ll see Justin being a world-renowned mathematician!

May's 7th grade student of the month is Taylan Brewer

by Madesyn Sunderhaus

Congratulations to May’s 7th grade student of the month, Taylan Brewer! Taylan was chosen by her 1st period teacher, Mrs. April Isaacs.

Mrs. Isaacs proclaimed, “Taylan is a dedicated student. She’s respectful, positive, and such a hard worker!”

During the school day we could find Taylan quietly working on her school work or studying. She always gets her work done, but even she faces challenges. Taylan declared, “Sometimes the hardest part about being a student is the other students. If you're different, sometimes they will give you a hard time.”

Talyan is a very dedicated student and really likes FCMS. She stated, “I like being able to interact with the students and teachers.” She really enjoys the friendly atmosphere and hanging out with her friends.

If we were to see Taylan on the weekends, when she wasn’t in school, we would most likely see her playing basketball. Taylan played basketball for our school team, and she also plays on a team outside of school. Taylan announced, “If I got a free day away from school, I would probably play basketball or hang out with my friends.” We can most likely assume that basketball is Taylan’s favorite sport.

“You missed 100% of the shots you don’t take,” remarked Taylan. Even Taylan’s life motto still applies to basketball.

Determined, quiet, and smart—these are just a few words that Taylan’s friends would use to describe her. Taylan exclaimed, “I think my friends would say my strength is helping other students and cheering them up! But my weakness is talking in front of other people.” Even if she is afraid to talk in a big crowd, she can still help brighten up other students’ days with her one-on-one friendliness.

Taylan lives with her parents, her brother Landon, and two sisters: Camryn and Addi. She also has two dogs--Harper and Sadie--as well as one hamster, Gizmo. Taylan stated, “I’m really thankful for all of the things my parents do for me and I’m also grateful for my wonderful family.”

One thing that Taylan does that we’d be surprised to hear about would be that she really enjoys playing golf. Obviously, Taylan is a multi-talented athlete!

“My after-school snack would be either chips or ice cream,” Taylan professed. Maybe after she finishes eating dinner, she can eat ice cream for dessert too. Taylan also stated that her least favorite food is pizza, which is surprising, considering most people love pizza.

Taylan’s favorite movie is Instant Family, and her favorite book is, After the Shot Goes Up.

Taylan stated, “I like this movie and book because they both have happy endings.”

Taylan’s dream vacation is to go to The Bahamas. She declared, “I want to go to The Bahamas because of the nice, hot weather and because I think it would be a fun adventure.” The Bahamas seems like a great place for Taylan and her family to go on vacation.

“If I could be an animal for a day, I would be a bird because then I could go anywhere and do whatever I want,” professed Taylan. Being a bird appears to have a lot of freedoms that people don’t get all the time.

One of Taylan’s many goals as a student is to get straight A’s. However, she also wants to get “wildcat of the year” next year as an 8th grader. If she stays on the track that she’s on, then she’ll most likely have a chance to win.

Congratulations to Taylan Brewer, May’s student of the month! We hope you continue to work hard and reach your goal of winning “wildcat of the year” next year. We know you’ll swish your shot!

Daniel Owens is May's 8th grade student of the month

by Lacy Davis

Congratulations to Daniel Owens for being an amazing kid and an even better student. The 8th grade student of the month for May goes out to Daniel Owens! Daniel was chosen by Mrs. Beverly Yager and Mr. Dylan Huber.

Mrs. Yager explained, “Daniel always completes his work, participates in class, and asks questions when he doesn’t understand. He is also very well behaved.” From what Mrs. Yager says, it’s easy to tell Daniel is a good student and doesn’t fail to impress a teacher.

Mr. Huber remarked, “Daniel comes to school everyday ready to work hard and complete everything that needs to be done for class. He has a great personality, is very respectful towards adults, and has a very positive attitude about everything.”

The thing Daniel likes most about being a student here at FCMS is that, “It’s fun”, but the not-so-fun part for Daniel is the homework; however, during Daniel’s day, one can find him doing his homework so that he doesn’t have to worry about failing.

On Daniel’s few days off during the weekend, we may see him going fishing or hunting.

If you were to ask Daniels friends to describe him, a good thing they would say is that he is loyal and kind. They would say something negative about Daniel is that he has a bad habit of telling white lies to people. However, a strength he has is being kind to others no matter what.

A few things about Daniel’s personal life is that his favorite song is “Knockin’ Boots” by Luke Bryan.

Another interesting thing about him is that there are four people in his house, including him.

He lives with his mother, Amber; his father, Ray; and his brother, Adam. Daniel also has quite a bit of animals. He has 5 rabbits, 4 dogs, 8 chickens, and 4 pigs.

We all are a little hungry after school, so Daniel says his go to snack after school is, “McNuggets.”

Something Daniel likes to do at 7 p.m. on a school night is play around.

Something you probably wouldn’t know about Daniel unless you're close with him or he told you is that he shows pigs.

Daniel explained that his favorite book is Alabama Moon.

About his favorite vacation spot, Daniel replied, “My favorite vacation place would probably have to be Gatlinburg, Tennessee."

Daniel's goals for life are kind of simple: he says his goal as a student or for life is, “Just to graduate.”

The last thing Daniel was asked was, “If you could be any animal, what would you be?” Daniel eagerly remarked, “I would be a rabbit because you can just hang out in a den all day.”

Daniel is definitely a great student, and he seems like a cool person to be around. Congratulations, Daniel, continue to work hard and do your best!

Loria Patton is May's 8th grade student of the month

by Landon Gabbard

Good wishes to Loria Patton, for earning the 8th grade student of the month! Loria was chosen by Mrs. Hollie Noah. Mrs. Noah declared, “Loria works really hard, does a great job on her work, and has jumped right into classes and participates even though she is new to our school. She has already become a big part of our class and our class discussions.”

Loria appreciates her days here at FCMS. She stated,” There are so many opportunities.”

Loria lives with her supportive aunt, Samantha, and uncle, Brandon, and has four sisters. In fact, her favorite thing to do on the weekends is to visit her sisters.

Loria’s favorite book series is Harry Potter. Loria remarked, “The reason why I like Harry Potter is that it shows how the friends manage a good friendship with all the drama and everything that happens.”

In fact, her favorite thing to do at school on her own time is read.

Also, Lori’s favorite vacation spot is Tennessee. She explained, “I like Tennessee because there is so much to do there.”

Loria has a lot of new friends, and when asked how they would describe her, she explained, “Honestly, I think they would describe me as crazy.”

Also, she stated,” My friends would say my weakness is drama, but my strength is handling all the stress.”

Loria’s motto for life is, “Life is 20% of what happens to you and 80% how you react to it.”

If you were to see her on the weekends with her friends, she would be skateboarding.

Cool fact: she knows three different languages!

Again, congrats to Loria for being awarded student of the month! Keep up the good work, never give up, and continue to react positively!

Lily Isaac's is May's 6th grade student of the month

by Colin Troyer

Congratulations to Lily Issacs for being chosen as the 6th grade student of the month for May!

Her teacher, Mrs. Janice Wade, proclaimed, “Lily is a good kiddo who gets her work done and is always doing the right thing.”

When asked about her favorite thing about being a student at FCMS, she replied, “I like to learn new things a lot.”

When asked what the most challenging part of being a middle school student, she replied, ”The drama.”

On a daily basis, Lily says she, “Tries to get work done and get good grades in school.”

On the weekend, Lilly likes to hang out with her family. Lily’s parents' names are Chad and April. Her older sister, Lacey Issacs, is in 8th grade.

She also has two dogs, Lila and Junior. Their family also consists of a cat and her kittens!

Her favorite book is Storm Runner. She likes it because it is full of action,and it’s easy to get into.

Lily likes to listen to music, but she doesn’t care what genre she listens to.

If Lily could trade spots with an animal, she would choose to be a dolphin because they are smart and playful.

When asked how her friends described her, she replied, “Not sure. Kind and loving?”

We can all agree that Lily is a good, hard-working person and someone that we can all admire.

She might be a little shy, but her friends know that she can be outgoing once we get to know her. So congratulations to Lily Issacs for working hard and doing her work to achieve this goal!

We wish her good luck for the rest of her year as a 6th grader and success in the years to come.

Kendall Cox is April's student of the month

by Kiley Robinson

The 7th grade student of the month for April is Kendall Cox! She was nominated by Mrs. Isaacs. Mrs. Isaacs declared, “Kendall won the ballad writing contest in my room. She is a hardworking student with a great attitude. I love her positivity!”

Kendall’s favorite part about being a student at FCMS is the other students and how kind they are. The most challenging part for her about school is juggling both homework and sports.

During the school day one can find her in the classroom or hallway, and on the weekends she can be found playing basketball or working with her show calves.

Kendall loves playing on the FCMS 7th Grade Blue Basketball Team. When not at school, she plays on a travel team.

Kendall’s friends would describe her as, “Kind and intelligent.”

Always looking on the bright side, Kendall stated her motto for life is, “Do your best no matter the situation.”

Kendall enjoys spending time with her mom, Aimee; dad, Wess; and sister; Kodie.

Something one would be surprised to hear about Kendall is that she shoes calves for 4-H. Her favorite after school snack is a granola bar.

Her favorite author is Gary Paulsen. She stated, “I like reading his books because they are really interesting.”

Kendall’s favorite vacation spot is Florida because she enjoys the warm and sunny weather at the beach. She says if she could be an animal for a day, it would be an easy choice: “I would want to be a bird so I could fly anywhere to see the world.”

She proudly stated, “My goal, as a student, is to excel in all subjects and to always do my best.”

Congratulations, Kendall, on being April’s student of the month! FCMS also wishes you good luck on your show calves and sports! With Kendalls positivity and good attitude, we are sure she can succeed at anything she will set her mind to!

April's 8th grade student of the month is Savannah Nelson

by Paige Ripberger

Congratulations to Savannah Nelson for being chosen by both Mrs. Kaiser and Mrs. Noah for April's 8th grade student of the month!

Mrs. Kaiser declared, “Savannah has a great work ethic. She is self-motivated and is a positive leader in the classroom.”

Mrs. Noah proclaimed, “Savannah is a hardworking and kind individual. She is patient with others and always strives to do her best!”

Savannah’s favorite thing about FCMS is that the teachers are very friendly. One thing she finds challenging is that there is a lot of homework.

What would we find Savannah doing over the weekend, one may ask? “Over the weekend I would be hanging out with friends and baking!” Savannah exclaimed.

Savannah just recently started her own business called Savannah’s Sweet Express. She founded this business at the beginning of March and as of now, the business is going very well. Savannah bakes desserts and sells them to customers. Hopefully one day we all can get the chance to try one of her “famous” desserts.

Her family is very supportive and is very proud of what Savannah has become today. Her mother’s name is Hannah Burkhart, and her step-father’s name is Keem Morris. Savannah also has half-siblings. Her sister, Ackelah, is eight years old, and her other sister, Ackerah, is 3. Savannah also has two half-brothers: Isaiah, age 7; and Josiah, a 1-year old.

Savannah's favorite movie is the original Beauty and the Beast, “I love that movie because it shows you shouldn't judge a book by its cover.” she declared. Her favorite vacation spot is Tennessee. “I like going to Tennessee because it's really fun and there is a lot to do and a lot of places to explore there,” Savannah explained. She also has a motto that she tries to follow every day. “Always put others before yourself,” she declared. As anyone can see, Savannah is a very kind individual.

If she could be any animal in the world, what would she choose? “I would be a bird because I could fly anywhere in the world,” Savannah proclaimed.

The teachers and students of FCMS can definitely see why Savannah was picked to represent 8th grade for student of the month. We all hope that you will keep succeeding in your baking business, Savannah, and we also hope to read about you again in the future.

Spring break adventures: swimming with the manatees

by Colin Troyer

Over spring break, I went on an adventurous vacation to Crystal Springs in Florida, where I had the had the chance to swim with manatees!

Our adventure started at Crystal Isles RV resort. Crystal Springs is located about ten minutes from our campsite and one hour north of Tampa Bay. While it is not on the ocean, Kings Bay, a brackish bay, is located one mile inland from the coast.

On our trip, we went to Hunter Springs and Three Sisters Springs. House Springs and Jurrasic Springs are also locations tourists can visit.

The first day we were there, the weather was overcast and cold (70 degrees is cold in Florida), which is the perfect weather to see the manatees.

Manatees need warm water to survive. Year-round, the springs stay the same temperature and when it gets too cold for the manatees, they retreat to the springs, where the water is warmer. I saw more manatees the first day than I did on all the other days combined.

Manatees are giant, docile creatures. Manatees can grow up to 15 feet long and weigh around 1,000 pounds but get as big as 1,500 pounds. That’s more than a grand piano! I think that they resemble a mix of a dolphin and a walrus.

They are herbivores, and all they do is eat and sleep all day long. My mom said that a manatee would be her choice of spirit animal. Their diet mostly consists of seagrass and moss. This is one factor that gave them the nickname of the sea cow. They are slow, bulky, and they eat a type of grass, which is why they have been given that name.

Manatees love to be in the warmest water possible throughout the day. When temperatures get colder, manatees go to the springs. When temperatures are warmer, manatees go out into Kings Bay.

When we were there, we saw so many manatees. The best place to see them is in the crystal clear springs, but one may also see them in Kings Bay. One of the days we were there, we went kayaking in the bay (I had a cast, and it was windy, so that was fun).

There were manatees everywhere. There was one spot where we went to see the manatees in the bay. While we were traveling there, we even saw some dolphins.

The water where the manatees hung out was really murky, and I couldn’t see to the bottom. I was just swimming around looking for some manatees, when I saw a giant fin. Manatee fins are flat like a beaver paddle, but the fin I saw went up and down, and it was huge!

I thought it was a shark; consequently, I calmly, not-so-calmly swam back to my kayak. I told my mom, but my loudmouthed 7-year-old sister heard.

When my dad came back from swimming with the manatees, she blurted out as loud as she could, “DAD, COLIN SAW A SHARK IN THE WATER!”

Both my mom and I screamed at her to be quiet, and then we left. Turns out, the fin that I saw belonged to an Atlantic Tarpon (pronounced, taar-pn). It is a massive, 8-foot long fish that weighs up to 300 pounds. Their back fin is elongated and thin, which explains why I thought it was a shark. However, they are vegetarians, which are good.

All in all, my trip was great. I shot some awesome videos with our Go-Pro. I also had a very unique tan line from my cast, but that is beside the point. I had to kayak with my cast, and I couldn’t feel my arm from the shoulder down the next morning.

One of my favorite memories from the trip was when I got to swim with the manatees and there was a mamma manatee with her baby and they were swimming together and making little clicky and squeaky noises, which was so cool! If you ever go to Florida over spring break, I would strongly recommend that you go to Hunter Springs on the Crystal River.

April’s 7th grade student of the month is James Rowland

by Madesyn Sunderhaus

Compliments to James Rowland, April’s 7th grade student of the month! James was nominated by two different teachers: Mrs. Beth Brown and Mrs. April Issacs.

Mrs. Brown exclaimed, “James is a super creative young man who created a mini-writers’ corner in the library and has become an awesome student and terrific young man!”

Additionally, Mrs. Issacs proclaimed, “What a fine young man! He loves to write, is so creative, and has worked hard to get a student writing section in the library. He pays attention in class and has brilliant ideas in class discussions.”

James claims that even though being a student is challenging, he can still excel if he works hard. He stated, “We have a great community and staff that is very supportive of the students here at FCMS.”

During the school day, one could see James not only going to his classes but also helping run the Young Author Program in the library, which he created. James announced, “I don’t really do anything special during my school day; however, I still try to make the most out of my time at school.”

When James is not excelling in his classes at school, he is working on graphic design and writing on the weekends. “I love graphic design and writing because I enjoy being creative and getting to express myself through writing,” James declared.

“Be proud to be different,” is James’ motto for life. James believes that it’s okay to be different or to stand out because it makes him his own person and not like everyone else.

Aside from being very intelligent, James also has a huge family that consists of six siblings. James is the son of Shatana Pohlman and James Rowland. He has three brothers--Jacob, Landon, and Carter--as well as three sisters: Jayla, Brayley, and Izzie.

James stated, “My friends would probably say that my weakness is socializing. I have trouble talking to new people and making new friends.”

Though James has trouble socializing, he is still very smart and excels in academics. He believes that academics and learning are his strengths, and he really enjoys advanced classes.

If James were given a day away from school to do something that he loved, he would travel. James declared, “I would most likely travel to London, England, so I can enjoy new experiences outside of the US.”

It’s surprising to hear that James has been to Florida at least nine times! James proclaimed, “Me and my family pretty much go to Florida every year. It’s really fun and I enjoy spending time with my family.”

If James could go on vacation anywhere in the world, he would go to Bora Bora. James claimed, “I would love to go to Bora Bora. There is beautiful weather and a friend recommended it to me!”

“One snack that I eat a lot of is almonds. I grew up eating them and used to eat them with my grandpa,” James stated. So, of course almonds would be James’s favorite after-school snack.

If James could be an animal for a day, he would be a bird. He declared, “I would be a bird so I can travel around the world and be free.”

The Giver, The Westing Game, and The City of Embers are just a few of James’s favorite books. James loves to read and added, “I like reading more than I do movies. I don’t really watch many movies because I’d rather be reading or working on graphic design.”

Although James doesn’t really watch many movies, he does listen to music. James proclaimed, “My favorite song is “Fluorescent Adolescent.” It’s really hard to spell, but it’s still a good song.”

James' goal as a student is to excel in his classes and eventually become a graphic designer. He really enjoys graphic design and hopes that it will be in his future.

Congratulations to James Rowland for being April’s student of the month! We hope James continues to do well in his classes and keeps up the good work. You never know: maybe in the future we’ll see some of James graphic design work!

April's 8th grade student of the month is Emma Ludwig

by Kylie Welke

Congratulations to Emma Ludwig for being 8th grade student of the month for April! Emma Ludwig is 8th grade and was notified by Mrs. Yager. Her teacher thinks Emma has an outstanding attitude and always tries to achieve.

Mrs. Yager declared, “Emma completes all her homework, is well-behaved, and always strives to do her best.”

Emma mentioned, “As a student at FCMS, I like the people because you can meet new people that you haven’t met before and make new friends.”

The challenging part of being a student, for Emma, is maintaining her grades.

During the day we can find Emma in the hallways during passing periods, asking teachers questions, or going to the bathroom. We also can find Emma during the day in the classroom learning.

Emma announced, “My friends would describe me as outgoing and very smart. A weakness is I try too hard to make a good impression. A strength is pushing myself to do my best.”

Emma’s motto for life is “working hard never give up.”

She has three brothers: Tim, Sam, and Josh. She lives with her mom and dad, Leslie and Doug. Emma has two pugs, ten calves, two dogs, and two cats.

On school nights we could see Emma doing her homework or helping with her animals. On the weekends we see her working with cattle, hanging out with her friends, or spending time with her family.

A surprising thing about Emma is she likes to read a lot of books. Emma announced, ”My favorite book is the Peace of the Practical County because the author tells us to never give up, and we will always get something out of it.”

After school Emma would make some type of fruit snack. Emma’s dream vacation is to go to Germany because it’s full of alt culture and new people.

“My goal as a student or for life is working harder and to push myself as much as I can,” she declared.

If Emma can be any animal that she wishes, she would be a dog because they can run free and have the best time of their life.

Good job to Emma for being the student of the month for March! Keep up the great work you have done. We all hope to see you on the Wildcat Way for the student of the month again!

Alexis Cowan is April's student of the month

by Andrew Morgan

April’s student of the month for 6th grade is Alexis Cowan. Alexis was chosen by Mrs. Bethany Bolser. Mrs. Bolser remarked, “Alexis is a hardworking, driven, and goal-oriented student.”

Alexis answered the question of what she likes most about FCMS simply, stating that seeing the teachers, especially Mr. Sherwood, is her favorite part of the day.

When asked about the most challenging part of school, she answered, “The hardest part of it is all the new work. Also, it was kind of hard to catch up, as I was homeschooled for the first half of school.”

In the school day, Alexis can be found first in math class with Mrs. Bolser, where she says that there is “a lot of math.” Next, she walks to Mr. Sherwood’s class, where he teaches social studies. Then, she can be found at Mrs. Wade’s science class, where they are learning about plants.

On school nights, she may be found doing homework or talking to friends.

On the weekends, Alexis may catch up on homework or be found playing with her eight dogs. Occasionally, she may ride horses or go camping.

Her friends would describe her as funny, outgoing, and never boring. She didn’t feel inclined to tell about her weakness, but her strength would be the desire to get good grades in school.

Alexis doesn’t have a particular motto in life, but she does want to be the best person that she can be.

Her family members are her dad, Rick; her mom, Erica; two sisters, Devyn, in the 8th grade, and Elaina, in the 3rd.

Alexis can be found making her favorite snack: quesadillas. Her favorite movie is Safe Haven, about which she remarked, “It is a mystery, and it has a lot of thought and passion in it.”

Alexis’ first choice for a vacation spot would be Panama City, Florida. She likes the beaches and shopping. If she could be an animal for a day, she would be a dog, as she would be carefree and could play all day.

Alexis seems to be a hard worker, and she strives to be so. Congratulations, Alexis, on this honor! Keep going, and you’ll reach whatever goals you strive to achieve!

March's 8th grade student of the month is Haisley Helms

by Kate Fain

We’re so glad to announce that the 8th grade student of the month for March is Haisley Helms! Haisley Helms was nominated by Mrs. Hornberger. Mrs. Hornberger declared, “Haisley has stepped up to the challenge of participating in FFA. She has given up personal time and also juggled sports, life, and school to participate in the FFA competitions and also be a FFA Middle School Ambassador.”

Haisley notes that one of the biggest challenges she faces at school would be all the school work the teachers hand out but that doesn’t stop her from going over and above.

Haisley is the daughter of Michael and Ashley Helms. She has one brother, Heston.

Some interesting facts about Haisley is that she is a hard worker, plays softball, listens to Morgan Wallen because he sings about real life, loves eating ramen noodles, and she enjoys hanging out with her friends.

On the weekend we could find Haisley working with her pigs, at softball practice, or working on her school work. With all the accomplishments, a motto that Haisley follows is “Trust yourself that you can do it and get it.”-Baz Luhrmann. What an inspiring quote to live by! Haisley says that her goal as a student is to get better grades in school.

On a school night you could find Haisley getting home from a long diligent practice. We could also find her sleeping after having a long day at school.

A huge congrats to Haisley Helms for achieving student of the month for March! Keep working hard and achieving your goals. Take your own advice: go out and get whatever your heart desires.

Brady Brunemann is 6th grade student of the month

by Lexi Boggs

Kudos to Brady Brunemann for being student of the month for the early spring days of March! Brady Bruneman is a former 6th grade student who has been chosen because of his astonishing worth ethic and amazing sense of humor towards things.

Brady was nominated by Mr. Clark Sherwood. He described, “Brady is intelligent, kind, and has a great work ethic. I know these traits will enable him to accomplish anything in his bright future!”

Brady remarked, “As a student at FCMS, I feel very welcomed when I come to school, and the teachers are very nice.” The most challenging part about being a student at FCMS is the homework and the big projects that are assigned.

Brady considers his strength is being good at math. He considers reading his current weakness.

Nevertheless, Brady stated, “How my friends would describe me is smart and unique!”

During the school day one can often find Brady working hard on work and engaging with other students.

Over the weekends one could find Brady taking long walks outside and playing his video games.

Brady’s motto for life is, “Work hard and never give up.”

Brady has grown up with a supportive family. Brady’s family consists of his mom, Aimee; his dad, Brad; and his two sisters, Alissa and Kaitlynn; and his dog, Ellie Mae.

On a school night one could see Brady listening to music and working on work from school or playing video games. Brady’s favorite movie is Forrest Gump. He cited, “I like how the movie is detailed and tells a good story.”

His favorite vacation spot is Tennessee. Brady explained, “In Tennessee there are a lot of fun activities and very beautiful scenery.”

Brady’s goal in life is to grow up and be a precision mechanical worker, but for now his goal is to get good grades and focus on his school work!

Brady loves to explore the world. In fact, he stated, “If I could be an animal for life, I would definitely be a fish because I could explore the vast underwater sea and see things I've never experienced.”

Congratulations to Brady for making the student of the month for the month of March! We hope to hear a lot more about your extraordinary attitude and hope to see you reach your potential. Continue to be an amazing student at FCMS!

Allyson Icenogle is March's 7th grade student of the month

by Landon Gabbard

Congratulations to Allyson Icenogle for being 7th-grade student of the month for March at FCMS! Allyson was chosen by Mrs. Misty Ferman.

Mrs. Ferman declared, “Ally has a great work ethic, turns assignments in on time, and is always more than willing to help others.”

About her life at FCMS, Allyson declared, “I enjoy coming to school and getting to see all of the teachers and my friends.” In addition, Allyson explained, “My main goal is to get through 7th grade.” Allyson has just recently moved to Laurel from Rushville.

Allyson added,” My favorite thing about being a student at FCMS is that there are a lot of nice people and teachers.”

Besides being a great student, Allyson also enjoys sports. Allyson explained, ”I played soccer for Rushville for around five years.”

When asked, at 7 p.m. on a school night, what we might see her doing, she stated, “What you would most likely see me doing around that time is checking for any missing assignments.”

Allyson’s friends would describe her as funny, kind-hearted, and easy to talk to. They would also say one of her strengths is that she is good at math, and one of her weaknesses is, she sometimes has trouble talking to boys.

Allyson lives with her supportive family: her dad, Jeremy Icenogle; her mom, Judy Icenogle; and her sister, Aubrie Graham.

She has definite favorites. Allyson declared, “My favorite book is Wonder because it tells a very unique story.” “My favorite song is “IDK You Yet” because it has a lot to say in just three minutes,” remarked Allyson. Allyson also stated, ”My favorite vacation spot is Florida because it’s the last place I went with my brother.”

Allyson likes to keep busy on the weekends. She remarked, "Either you would see me hanging out with my neighbors, or I would be swimming if the

weather is really nice.”

Finally, she stated,” If I could be an animal, I would be my dog Miracle, because she is so sweet and loving, and she has to be beside you 24/7.”

Congratulations to Allyson for being 7th-grade student of the month. We hope to see Ally in class working hard.

Tiffany Billman is student of the month for March

by Kiley Robinson

Our 8th grade student of the month for March is Tiffany Billman. She was nominated by Mrs. Hornberger. Mrs. Hornberger remarked, “Tiffany has stepped up to the challenge of participating in FFA. She has given up personal time and also juggled sports, life, and school to participate in FFA competitions and also be a FFA Middle School Ambassador. She has made great strides in making our FFA program what it is today. Her leadership skills come naturally, and I cannot wait to see what Tiffany does in the future.”

TIffany says her favorite part of being a student at FCMS is, “Hanging out with my friends.” She considers the most challenging part of being a student is the homework.

During the school day, we can find her in class or at the high school, where she takes Algebra 1. On a school night you can find her at softball practice.

Softball is her favorite sport! Tiffany declared, “I love softball because it gives me a chance to be with my friends as well as my family!”

On the weekends Tiffany plays basketball, softball, and spends time with friends. TIffany’s friends would describe her as kind and caring.

When asked her motto for life, she exclaimed, “Be positive and never get myself down.”

Tiffany’s family consists of her sisters, Stephanie and Brooklyn; brother, Matthew; her father, John; and her mother, Carrie.

She enjoys listening to country music. Her favorite artist is Luke Combs. Tiffany’s favorite subject is math.

Tiffany’s favorite vacation spot is Holiday World. She exclaimed, “I love Holiday World because it reminds me of great times with my friends from softball!”

If she could be an animal for a day, Tiffany would be a dolphin, because she loves to swim.

When asked what career she would like to pursue in the future she confidently stated, “I would like to be an athletic trainer, because I love sports and being around people.” It’s not surprising Tiffany wants to become an athletic trainer because she enjoys watching sports games on the weekends.

Congratulations, Tiffany, on being student of the month for March! We hope to see her in a gym one day, training a client!

Luke Halpin is 8th grade student of the month for March

by Madesyn Sunderhaus

Congratulations to March’s student of the month, Luke Halpin! Chosen by Mrs. Hollie Noah, Luke is an 8th grade student at FCMS.

Mrs. Noah stated, “Luke Halpin is a very conscientious student who works hard, is kind to others, and is very responsible as well. Luke is a perfect blend of the three R’s and all they represent. Even when Luke gets frustrated or is struggling with something, he never gives up, but always keeps on trying--that is probably a big part of why he’s so successful in school and academics.”

Luke enjoys coming to school everyday and learning new things and declared, “I really like my classes and my teachers.” Luke thinks that the FCMS teachers are very welcoming and helpful.

As a student at FCMS, Luke works very hard in his classes so he can go to college and pursue his dream job. Luke stated, “My goal as a student is to get good grades, so I can go to college and become an engineer.” Luke enjoys being creative and coming up with new ideas, which he thinks will help him in the engineering field of work.

On a normal school day, one can find Luke doing his school work for his classes or playing pickleball in gym class. Luke proclaimed, “I like to get my work done early, so I don’t have homework to do. When Luke does get his work done, he has his afternoons and weekends free to do whatever he feels like doing. “I like playing sports, playing outside, or playing on my playstation,” Luke replied.

If Luke could be an animal for a day, he would be a bird. Luke exclaimed, “I would be a bird, so I can fly wherever I want, when I want!”

Luke proclaimed, “My favorite vacation spot is Florida because it’s warm and there’s an ocean.” While Luke is in Florida, he’s really fond of going to the beach and hanging out with his family: his mom, Krystle Halpin; his dad, Justin Halpin; and his brother, Leyton Halpin.

“I’d say my strength is that I’m smart and always try to work hard,” Luke declared. Luke thinks that school is not very challenging, except for all of the homework assignments. Even if he does struggle, Luke alway manages to get all of his work done on time.

“What’s his after school snack look like?” Luke replied, “Well, if I had to choose one snack, then I would choose a sandwich and chips because it tastes good, and it also isn’t very filling, which makes it the perfect snack.”

Luke doesn’t have a favorite song or movie, but his favorite book is Hatchet. He announced, “I like the book Hatchet because I really like reading survival books.”

Congratulations, Luke! We know you’ve worked very hard and will continue to do so. Hopefully you’ll grow up, fly off to college, and become an amazing engineer.

March's 6th grade student of the month is Riviera Godar

by Kenadie Powell

The 6th grade student of the month for March is awarded to Riviera Godar, from Mr. Clark Sherwood. Mr. Sherwood, her social studies teacher, stated, “Riviera has been an AMAZING addition to FCMS. She is a GO GETTER and strives only for the best! Her effort has been unmatched from day 1!”

Riviera likes being a student at FCMS because, she says, ”It's a step up from my old school, which I like because it's challenging.” Riviera also loves the people here at FCMS. A goal in Rivieras LIfe is, “ Getting good grades, and I really want to do my best.”

Change can be a good thing, and Riviera has discovered that this year. Riviera is a new student at FCMS and has only been here for about one month. Riviera stated, “The change is very different, and getting used to it is probably one of the most challenging things about being a student here.”

On a normal school day Riviera is normally working on her homework and talking with her friends. RIviera commented, “My friends think I’m weird, but honestly that's okay.”

Speaking of friends, if Riviera suddenly had a day off from school and did something she wants to do, she would go to abandoned buildings and sit there with her friends.

After school Riviera is most likely eating Cheetos and reading her favorite book series, The Chronicles of Narnia. She loves this series she claimed, “It has a lot of good adventure, and I liked Book #2, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.”

Around 7 p.m. on a school night Riviera is watching some of her favorite movies. She is normally listening to music and working on homework she didn't get done on the school day.

However, whenever she isn't listening to music or playing with her siblings, August and Brooklyn, she is doing Cosplay. One might be thinking, what is cosplay? It's basically dressing up in a costume as a character that one would like.

“The farm my Dad owns is a place I like to go to on the weekends. It's really fun,” remarked Riviera. John and Dianna Godar are Riviera’s parents. John owns a business and works there a lot, while Dianna is a stay-at-home mom watching August.

A dream vacation spot Riviera would like to go to is Greece because, she claimed, “It's in another continent, and I think it would be cool to maybe go there someday, but I don't know!” mentioned Riviera.

Speaking of dreams, Riviera would someday love to become a forensic psychologist. This is one of the many jobs that is hard work, but on the other hand, if Riviera were an animal for a day, she would be a Sloth! “I would like to just be lazy and slow because I think it would be pretty radical,” she claimed.

Congratulations to Riviera Godar for being picked student of the month! Maybe someday we will see her in a lab, working on a case. We are now analyzing the results of Riviera, who is a TERRIFIC student at FCMS. Great job, Riviera!

Willa Bruns is 7th grade student of the month for February

by Lacy Davis

Congratulations to Willa Bruns for being the 7th grade student of the month here at FCMS!

Willa was elected by Mrs. Beth Brown. She elected Willa because, as she declared, “Willa is a hard worker who always gives 100% effort. She always participates in class and strives for excellence. She is another terrific Wildcat student!”

Something that Willa says really enjoys about being a student here at FCMS is, “I have a lot of friends, and I like my classes,” she remarked.

Willa says that the most challenging part is “the amount of homework.” Something we may find her doing during her day at school is seeing her being a hard worker in her classes and watching her communicate with her friends during lunch.

Some of the things Willa does on the weekends away from school is she enjoys being out with her goat, and she likes to play piano. Willa also likes to play on her Nintendo Switch.

Many people may not know this about Willa, but something very interesting about her is that she does Taekwondo in her free time.

Willa thinks that her friends would describe her as “nice and smart.” Willa’s friends would say her weakness in school is art and her strength is in math.

Willa doesn't really have a motto for life; however, she does say she likes to just go with the flow.

Willa lives with sister, Stella; her mom, Emily; and lastly, her dad, Dustin.

After Willa’s day at school, she may be seen eating dinner with her family and or doing her homework.

After a long day at school everyone likes to sit down, watch a movie, and eat a snack. Willa’s preferred snack is ice cream.

When asked what her favorite books are, she responded, “My favorite books are the Book Scavenger series.” Willa’s favorite song to listen to is “Lonely” by Justin Bieber.

Congratulations, Willa! With your helpful and kind nature, your sure to be a success in any of your pursuits!

Halle George is 7th grade student of the month for March

by Paige Ripberger

Congrats to Halle George, the 7th-grade student of the month for March!

She was chosen by Mrs. Amy Mitchum. Mrs. Mitchum declared, “Halle always has her work done on time and does well on it. When she has been out in quarantine, she has made an effort to make contact with me and make sure that she is doing the work that she needs to do. Great student!”

Halle explained that the reason she likes to be a student here at FCMS is due to the students. She stated, “They are fun to hang out with.”

Halle has many friends. For instance, one of her friends,Taylon Brewer, had kind things to say about Halle. “She is very nice, smart, and determined. Halle would say her weakness is public speaking, since she is sometimes nervous in front of crowds.

Halle is cut out to be a leader, as she is very determined and focused.

Halle stated, “My friends would probably say that I am funny and encouraging. I would say my strengths would be helping and encouraging others.”

Obviously, her friends agree. Halle likes to hang out with her mom because she does a lot for their family She enjoys living with her supportive parents, Heather and Jeremiah. Halle also has three siblings: Abigail, Faith, and Jesse George.

Halle also plays basketball and volleyball. If you didn’t already know, her basketball number is “7”, and her volleyball number is “11”.

She also finds interest in playing any type of video game. Halle’s favorite snack is popcorn; in fact, she picks this snack to eat after she gets home from school.

What is Halle doing late at night, you may ask? She is either texting her friends or getting her backpack ready for school the next day. Florida is Halle’s favorite vacation spot because of the beaches. “I can just relax and get away from Indiana. It’s sometimes so bland,” Halle declared.

Halle also has a favorite song. It is called “Springsteen”, and it is by Eric Church. She enjoys many different types of music.

What animal do you think Halle wants to be? She wants to be an elephant. “Elephants are so tall and fascinating. I want to see what they see,” she remarked. Halle also wants to be a teacher when she gets older.

Congrats to Halle for being the 7th-grade student of the month! With your great attitude, the students of FCMS can understand why you received this award!

Students become experts: How to Spend a Quarantine 101

by Kate Fain

FCMS students are back full-time finally! It feels like it’s been forever since everyone could be back in the classroom together. Covid-19 has made things very difficult this past year.

Starting with wearing masks daily, then to contact tracing, this led to the quarantining of many students. Also is the horrible fact that many students have been ill from this virus. Have you been in quarantine at all? What would you do if you had to be stuck inside for a week or two?

When asked FCMS students Cayden Perleberg, Ryan Mace, and Jaxon Shaw what they did during their quarantine, they stated that they played video games for most of their quarantine time.

They also said they enjoyed being in quarantine for most of the time. Meanwhile 8th graders Ella Flannery and Lucy Lautz slept for most of their time. It is hard to imagine sleeping that much, Can you?

7th grader Evan Ralph actually tested positive for Covid-19. Evan stated, “The covid test hurt a little.” It for sure looks scary! Evan was quarantined for quite some time. Gladly, he is okay now and taking safety precautions to stay safe.

Covid-19 has made this past year very difficult, and it is so great that there is finally a vaccine to help everyone.

Everyone stay safe! Take care of yourself and wear your mask! Let's all work together to keep every student at FC healthy!

Ella Flannery is February's 8th grade student of the month

by Madesyn Sundernaus

Congratulations to February’s student of the month, Ella Flannery! Ella Flannery is an 8th grade student at FCMS, who has been chosen by Mrs. Amy Mitchum.

Mrs. Mitchum stated, “I’m choosing Ella this time because not only has she done a nice job on all of her in-class/remote work, but when she was in quarantine, she finished everything as well. When she returned it was as though she had not missed a day. If she had a question about an assignment, she emailed me and completed the work. I don’t think being out of school was an issue for Ella because she made the effort to stay caught up, and my class is one in which alterations had to be made to everyday assignments. Keeping a very nice agenda may also contribute to her success. Great job to Ella for her effort!”

Obviously Ella is a very hardworking student here at FCMS. Ella announced, “My favorite subject in school is math because it’s always come easy to me. I like it because there’s always a set answer.” Ella thinks that it’s hard to stay interested when doing homework and school work. Ella explained, “The most challenging part about being a student would probably be staying motivated.”

During the day one can find Ella working hard in her classes to get good grades so that she can go to college. Ella declared, “I would like to get a scholarship to IUPUI, but if that doesn’t happen, then I want to go to the military.”

When asked what she wants to be when she grows up, Ella replied, “At the moment, I want to be a dentist. But I change my mind all the time.”

Ella seems to love her FCMS family. Ella exclaimed, “My favorite part about FCMS is being able to hang out with my friends and how welcoming the teachers are!”

Not only could we see Ella hanging out with her friends at school, but on the weekends too, and maybe even at the beach. She declared, “On the weekends I love to hang out with my friends, and if I had the day off, I would most likely go to the beach with them.”

A surprising fact about Ella is that she enjoys scuba diving. “I love scuba diving, and I’ve been many times!” she proclaimed.

When Ella’s not getting good grades in school, we could hear her listening to her favorite song, see her reading her favorite book, or even see her watching her favorite movie. “My favorite movie is Spider Man Far From Home and I like the song, “Walking on Sunshine”,” Ella declared.

When asked what her motto was for her life, Ella replied, “Good, better, best. Never let it rest, until your good is better and your better is best.” Ella applies this to her everyday life, such as when she is doing school work or even when she’s cheering at sports games. “I like to bring up the spirit and stay positive!” Ella exclaimed.

Staying positive helps Ella fight her biggest weakness: the thought of failing. “My friends would say my biggest weakness is thinking that I’m going to fail,” Ella stated.

If Ella could be any animal for a day, she would be a bird. “I want to be a bird because they’re free and can do anything they want,” Ella declared.

Ella’s favorite vacation spot is Bora Bora because of the tropical weather and beautiful beaches they have there. Maybe one day Ella will get to go there with either her mom, Judy Walton; her dad, Josh Flannery; and even her brother, Mason Flannery.

Congratulations to Ella Flannery for being student of the month for February! Maybe one day we'll see Ella as a dentist in a local office--you never know. We hope she stays positive and has a bright future ahead of her.

Ava Doerflein is 6th grade's student of the month for February

by Kenadie Powell

Congratulations to Ava Doerflein for being selected as February’s student of the month by Mr. Clark Sherwood!

Ava likes being a student at FCMS because, as she says, ”The teachers are really nice, and they help you.” Ava thinks that trying to keep up with homework is one of the most challenging things at FCMS.

She loves math, and that is her favorite subject. Ava stated,”I like math the best. It's easier to enjoy, and it's easier than all the other classes.”

Whenever one gives Ava a project to create a presentation, she will be right on the job. She explained,”Presentations are really one of my favorites. You get to go in front of people and tell them what you learned.”

In her free time, Ava loves to draw. She remarked, ”I mostly like to draw whatever I can think of.” Characters are the easiest for her. Moreover, she likes drawing people, such as her friends.

On the weekends Ava likes to sit inside, watch tv, and play with her siblings, Vivian and Levi. She also lives with her mom and dad, Emma and Rob.

She loves the movie Forrest Gump and likes to read the series Red Queen because, she exclaimed, ”It's an adventurous series!”

Around 7 p.m. on a school night Ava is normally getting ready for bed, since she doesn't really like staying up late. Perhaps Ava does so well in school because she gets plenty of rest.

Speaking of sleeping, Ava is dreaming of a more historical place. Instead of going to Jamaica or the Bahamas, a dream place she would like to go would be the Capitol. Ava explained,”It has a lot of history, and I think it would be fun.”

Ava’s friends would describe her as intelligent. Similarly, Mr Sherwood remarked, “Ava is a great friend to others. She is smart, witty, and extremely intelligent! This girl will be able to accomplish anything in life!”

About her future plans, Ava declared, ”I want to be able to do the best in life.”

She wants to work hard and do well in all her classes. “I honestly still don't know what I want to do when I grow up. There are so many options to choose from. I have thought about it in the past though.”

Great job to Ava for being an excellent student at FCMS! Hopefully she can continue to work her finest job in the future. With her work ethic, she is sure to succeed in whatever career she chooses!

December's 6th grade student of the month is Jaxen Gay

by Esther George

Good wishes to Jaxen Gay for being the student of the month for the cold days of December!

Jaxen Gay is a 6th-grade student who was chosen for his outstanding attitude and dedication to his homework. He was nominated by Mrs. Janice Wade.

She declared, “Jaxen is so responsible! He is respectful, positive, and doesn’t hesitate to help out others. He is a deserving student of the month!”

Jaxen explains, “As a student at FCMS, I like math class because it is the easiest thing I know how to do, and the staff here is very kind.”

The most challenging part of being a student for Jaxen is the homework.

During the day we can find Jaxen in the hallways between passing periods. “It’s nice being able to walk from one class to another because I am able to socialize with my friends,” asserts Jaxen.

Over the weekends we can find Jaxen watching YouTube at home or hanging out with his family.

Furthermore, Jaxon responds, “My friends would describe me as nice and fun. A weakness would be running. But, my strength is participating in each class, so they would say I am smart.”

His motto for life is no matter how hard life is, “Just keep trying.”

Similarly, Jaxen’s family consists of one brother, Caleb, and his sister, Kylie, and also includes his mother and father, Stefani and Eddie.

On school nights we could see Jaxen at home doing homework. Over the weekends we could find him watching YouTube, helping around the house, and hanging out with his family members.

A surprising factor about Jaxen is that he enjoys writing.

In the evening, after school, the snack we could find Jaxen with would be pretzels or pizza rolls.

As for other favorites in life, Jaxen has definite opinions. Jaxen declared, “My favorite book is Wonder, considering the way the book is portrayed, where the author explains many of the characters as nice and kind. My favorite song is “Holy, by Florida Georgia Line, because it is very calming.

Jaxen’s favorite vacation spot is Florida because of the beautiful beaches and tropical weather.

“My goal as a student is to get all my homework done and never stop trying,” announced Jaxen.

If Jaxen could be an animal for a day, he would choose to be a lion. With their fierce spirits and swift movements, lions are very good hunters and are very beautiful animals.

Congratulations to Jaxen Gay for becoming the student of the month for December. We hope to have the pleasure of seeing you in the near future with your bright spirit and honorable skills in daily classes!

Sami Volk is December's 8th grade student of the month

by Carsyn Patterson

Congratulations to Sami Volk, our 8th grade student of the month!

Mrs. Bev Yager remarked, “Sami always does her homework, participates in class and asks for help when needed. She is a great helper in the classroom.” Hardworking, caring, outgoing, and willing to help--these would be the best ways to describe this wonderful student Sami Volk.

Sami’s parents, brother, and sister are very proud of her, and they are Sharon, her mom; Steve, her dad; her sister, Tori; and her brother, Austin. She has three dogs named Izzey, Spike, and Zoey. Also, she has lots of goats and rabbits but too many to name.

Sami is always striving to be the best she can be, and that's why her motto is, “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” Her friends would describe her as hardworking, caring. Her strength is easy to identify. Sami works well with any animal and just knows the outdoors.

During the school hours she has a packed schedule: some of her big classes are language, 3rd period; math, 4th period; social studies, 6th period; and science, 8th period. She says that out of all the challenges at FCMS, homework is the most challenging because now with all the Covid-19, we don't know what is going to happen.

On a school night she does the same thing, she says, and that is a shower, homework, and dinner.

On the other hand, we can see her doing lots of fun activities on the weekends.

Sami says that she goes to be pretty early and doesn't like staying up late, unless she isn't with friends. Sami enjoys working with animals, such as her goats and rabbits for 4H.

Some other fun things you might want to know about Sami is she loves to eat Reese Cups, and that is usually her snack.

Also, she says if she could be any animal for a day, she would be a giraffe because they are really tall and cool looking.

Last but not least, Sami is making the best grades she can to work her way up to being an orthodontist.

Sami is just a wonderful student and friend. Let’s hope she gets her dream job one day as an orthodontist, or maybe she will end up being a teacher in 4H or FFA. Sami will surely be a success in whatever career she chooses!

Kailey Edmundson is December's 7th grade student of the month

by Esther George

Congratulations to Kailey Edmundson for being chosen as student of the month for December!

Kailey was chosen by Mrs. Mitchum, who remarked, “Kailey is a very self-motivated student. She works diligently to complete her work regardless if she is “in class” or virtual. Using her time wisely is key for her in being such a great student!”

About her status as a student at FCMS, Kailey exclaimed, “The most challenging part of being a student is remembering where your classes are. There are so many rooms here in FCMS.”

We can find Kailey hanging out in the library in search of a new book on school days.

Over the weekend, Kailey would be found playing softball or spending time with her two little sisters.

Kailey acknowledged, “My friends would describe me as smart and kind, and they would describe my weakness as public speaking.” A strength of Kailey’s would be reading or getting school work done on time.

Kailey’s favorite quote is, “If you can dream it, you can do it!” -- Walt Disney.

Kailey’s family consists of two sisters, Kenzie and Emily, along with her mother, Megan, and her father, Bob and including her two dogs, Zeus and Maezie.

On school nights we could find Kailey sitting and watching a movie with her family.

Kailey loves to read. “On the weekends I will usually go to the library to find an interesting book,” Kailey explained.

A favorite book of Kailey’s is Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. She has chosen this book because it’s very exciting, and a lot of things happen that make her want to keep reading.

A surprising thing about Kailey is she loves to bake.

After school, Kailey’s snack would be apple slices with a side of peanut butter.

Kailey’s favorite vacation spot is Myrtle Beach because as a kid her parents would always take her there.

“A goal for me as a student is to get straight A’s and try my best on everything I do,” declared Kailey.

If Kailey could ever be an animal for a day she would want to be one of her dogs because she would love to see their perspective of the world.

“If I could choose an imaginary friend I would choose Auggie from Wonder because he was so kind and smart,” added Kailey.

Kailey, keep up the good work! We hope to hear about some of your fascinating traits and would love to see where your interest in literature takes you in life!

Seventh grader enjoys success and benefits of Taekwondo

by Esther George

Do you know what Taekwondo really is? Taekwondo is a modern Korean martial art that is similar to karate. Our very own Willa Bruns, a 7th-grade student at FCMS, has taken an interest in this sport!

Willa declared, “I became interested in this hobby because I had needed something to do, and as I was searching, I found this. I tried it, and I ended up liking it!”

Willa Bruns was only 6 when she first stumbled upon this fascinating sport/martial art. Willa loved it from the beginning, giving her a chance to meet new friends and to be able to defend herself.

“I enjoy Taekwondo because I have a lot of friends in my taekwondo class, and I love learning the different forms,” explained Willa.

She had first learned of Taekwondo when exploring on Google with her parents in search of something new for her to try out. They soon found that there was a place in which Taekwondo was taught in Oxford.

Willa is most proud of her achievement on a black striped belt, which is a ranking of 1st gup!

What she considers challenging is learning new techniques after each belt.

Willa, as a Taekwondo fighter, wants to earn a black belt before the age of 13 and continue throughout high school.Advice Willa has for beginning Taekwondo lessons is, “If you don’t like it at first, stick with it. It gets a lot more fun and challenging.”

Best wishes, Willa! Maybe in the future we will see Willa participating as an instructor in the intriguing art of Taekwondo!

Student views art talent as more than a future hobby

by Rianna Gegner

Here at FCMS, we have students with a lot of amazing talents, hobbies, and sports. Levi Cregar has a great hobby and is very talented. His hobby is drawing art!

Levi first became interested in this hobby because he had nothing to do in his freetime. Consequently, he started drawing.

Levi was 11 and in the 5th grade when he first started drawing.

He enjoys this hobby because it is relaxing and stress-relieving.

Levi's favorite thing to draw is animals and sometimes people.

¨What I am most proud of is my drawing of my dog Bear," Levi remarked.

At just 6 years old, Levi won 1st place in a watercolor contest. He had painted a sunset.

With any hobby, there are bound to be challenges. ¨The most challenging part of art is drawing hands,¨ Levi acknowledged.

Some goals Levi has is to eventually sell art or do commission-requested art. He would also like to have a degree in animation.

Some advice Levi would give to someone else thinking about getting involved or starting art is to practice a lot, use reference pictures, and not to give up: just keep trying.

Levi reminds us, if you really want to get into something just do it, don´t give up, and keep trying. With Levi´s incredible work ethic, Levi is sure to be a successful animator some day!

November's 6th grade student of the month is Logan Troyer

by Callie Ward

Kudos to the 6th grade student month for November: Logan Troyer!

Logan was chosen by Mrs. Bethany Bolser, his language arts teacher. Mrs. Bolser exclaimed, “Logan is a model student. He engages in lessons, adds to class discussions, and is always eager to learn. He is a pleasure to have in class!”

Logan’s supportive family includes his dad, Randy; his mom, Karis; his brother, Colin; his sisters, Cora and Darcy; his dog, Bon Bon; his cat, Monster; his three fish; and his eight chickens.

Logan remarked, “FCMS is fun because you get to learn new things, and FCMS is very different from BES.”

School will always have a challenge. For Logan, it's managing the assignments with his busy schedule.

“One thing I don’t like about FCMS is the fact that there is a lot of homework and a limited time to do it,” Logan explained.

At school one can find Logan reading, doing homework, or playing trumpet in band class. After school Logan has football or basketball practice until 7:00 pm.

After school before Logan goes to practices, he likes to make a snack that consists of bread, turkey, pepperoni, and cheese.

“I don’t have a favorite book or movie because I have read/watched too many, but my favorite food is steak, and my favorite song is “Believer,”” Logan explained.

Logan's plans for the future are to go to Alabama for college to play college football. Then after graduation he will strive for the NFL to play for the Seahawks or the Packers.

Logan likes Harry Potter and commented on his favorite Harry Potter creature: “I like the hippogriffs because they are really cool.”

His favorite thing to do is go to his cousins and swim or play video games. Similarly, his favorite vacation spot is the Florida Keys.

Logan stated, “Something that people might be surprised to hear about is that I go outside a lot, and I enjoy playing with Legos.”

On the weekends we can find Logan playing video games, reading, or playing outside.

Logan said, “I think my friends would describe me as funny and crazy. I would also think they would say my strength is that I am pretty strong.”

Once again, Logan, congratulations! Who knows? With his strong work ethic and athletic ability, maybe one day we will see Logan Troyer accepting the award for top football player in the nation!

November's 7th grade student of the month is Liv Maddock

by Rianna Gegner

Confident, athletic, positive, and caring--these words and more describe Liv Maddock. This fantastic individual is our 7th grade student of the month!

Liv Maddock was chosen by Mrs. Beth Brown.

Mrs. Brown declared, ¨Liv came from Mt. Carmel, and despite the struggles with getting to know some of her new classmates due to COVID, she has made new friends and is excelling in her classes at FCMS. She is a positive influence inside and outside of the classroom. She participates and asks questions in the classroom. She is involved at FCMS as an athlete. She will often be seen at other events supporting her fellow classmates. She is a fantastic Wildcat student! Way to go, Liv!¨

Liv does enjoy the fact that there are lots of people at our school that one can get to know.

Some of Liv's favorite classes here are tech, math, and language.

Liv stated,¨The most challenging part of being a student is instead of one class a day you have multiple.¨

Some of Liv´s favorite after-school snacks are Flamin Hot Cheetos and Goldfish.

On the weekends, we can find Liv playing basketball with her travel team.

Liv´s supportive family consists of her mom, Leslie, and her dad, Craig. She has a 15-year-old sister named Gwen and a 7-year-old brother named Russ. Liv also has two dogs, Theodore and Cece, and two cats, Ryko and Penelope.

Liv says her friend would describe her as confident and caring. She says her strengths are basketball, and her weakness is dealing with big crowds of people.

At 7 p.m. on a school night, not surprisingly, we can most likely see Liv at basketball practice.

In fact, a goal for Liv as a student and an athlete is to continue to excel in both school and basketball.

If Liv could be an animal for a day, she would be a dog. She would be a canine because they get a lot of attention from their owners.

Some fun facts about Liv: her favorite book is the Giver because they have a different world than our world. In addition her favorite vacation spot is Hawaii because it is very sunny, and she had the opportunity to go there with her family.

Finally, one last huge congratulations to Liv Maddock for being our 7th grade student of the month! Keep up the great work! Hopefully we will see Liv playing in the WNBA in the future!

Pearl Drake is November's student of the month for 6th grade

by Chloe Wilson

Friendly, funny, hard working and outgoing--these words sum up Pearl Drake, our 6th grade student of the month!

Mrs. Janice Wade was the teacher to nominate Pearl. “Pearl is such a go getter. She gets her work done early and checks to make sure it’s done correctly. She’s an avid reader, a positive leader, and a respectful person!” Mrs. Wade remarked.

Pearl feels honored by the fact that she was chosen to be student of the month. “It feels good to have people recognize these traits about me, as I strive to be exactly as Mrs. Wade said!” she commented.

Pearl also believes that her family of four--Jeffrey Drake, Lisa Drake, Piper Twiggs, and Lex twiggs--will be happy and proud for her.

While she is at school here, a person could usually find her doing her homework or reading a new book or her old favorite, Salt to the Sea, “It's just a fun book to read, it has different perspectives with each chapter, and I’m pretty sure it’s historical fiction too!” Pearl added.

But when she gets home, she likes to forget about school for a little bit. Instead she helps her dad or just hangs around outside with her family and takes it slowly.

But when it’s the weekend, Pearl likes to help her step-mother around the house and keep it in its amazing shape. She also likes to share a bowl of popcorn with her family and either watch a movie or just hang out.

Pearl is also learning how to ride dirt bikes and some quads. “They are a lot harder to handle than a person thinks!” she exclaimed “There’s always something wrong with one of them!”

When she isn’t relaxing or learning how to ride, Pearl likes to practice her volleyball skills so that she can help her team get another win.

If Pearl could be an animal for one day, she would be a dog. “I love dogs, and it would be amazing to get to see from their perspective!” Pearl commented.

So again, congratulations to our 6th grade student of the month. Who knows? Maybe next time we see Pearl, she will be a professional photographer, with a loving family and a couple of dogs greeting her as she arrives home!

Avery Crouch is November's 8th grade student of the month

by Esther George

During the chilled days of October, another thrilling student has been chosen for student of the month: Avery Crouch. He is a caring FCMS student who loves to help others and his family members.

Moreover, this student was nominated as the student of the month by Mr. Bundy. He proclaimed, “Avery had volunteered to distribute the boxes of grab-and-go breakfasts to classrooms each morning. When Avery returns from delivering the breakfasts, he counts out all of the cartons and fruit packets for upstairs classrooms. I’m impressed with Avery’s positive attitude and his willingness to help others.”

Avery explained, “As an FCMS student I love being able to learn new things and do wrestling. Many challenging bits as a student, though, are keeping my grades at an even level.”

When at home on the weekends, Avery can be found helping with chores at his grandma’s house or off riding his quad in the woods.

When Avery’s friends describe him, he says they would describe him as humorous. Avery explained his biggest weakness as, “Spiders.” However, his specialty is being funny and kind around others.

Avery’s motto for life is, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians: 4:13”

Avery’s adoring family helps to encourage him to be kind and support others are his two brothers, Alex and Adam; his sister, Autumn; as well as his mother and father, April and Kris.

After school when Avery is home with his family, we could find him eating dinner or helping his mom put away animals for the night.

Like many students, his favorite snacks include peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, with a side of Doritos.

One surprising factor of Avery’s interests would be his enjoyment of playing with goats on his family’s farm.

Star Wars, a series of movies filled with adventure and action, and Diary of a Wimpy Kid are favorites of Avery’s.

If Avery were able to travel to his dream vacation spot, he would go to Hawaii for its tropical plants and warm weather.

To help out people in need is a goal in life for which Avery has been striving, showing kindness and caring for those around him wherever he may be.

If Avery could be an animal for a day, he would be a black panther. With their strong build, quick motion, and black fur, the black panther has inspiring stealth that is fascinating to Avery.

Congratulations, Avery! We support you in your goals and can’t wait to see what you might do next. We hope you will always fulfill your goal as a kind student and a helpful son!

Garrett Kuntz is November's co- student of the month for 8th grade

by Carsyn Patterson

Congrats to Garrett Kuntz on also being November’s 8th grade student of the month! Being a student with wonderful talents both physically and mentally, it’s easy to see why he was picked.

Along with Avery, Garrett was chosen for this prestigious award by Mr. Bundy, for Garrett's exemplary work with breakfast program. Mr. Bundy commented, “Garrett always is volunteering for different things like taking the grab and going to breakfast to take to his class.

In addition, Mr. Bundy declared, "I appreciate Garrett's positive attitude and his willingness to help others.”

Garrett is the son of Karin and Jeremy Kuntz. Garrett is an only child but has two dogs named Boss and Moose.

Some hobbies that Garrett was raised on were baseball and hunting. Consequently, later on he started playing basketball in his school life.

Garrett’s goal for life is to go pro in the MLB. His life motto is, "It’s best to try your hardest in all things you do."

One of Garrett’s favorite things to do is go outside and play and just have lots of fun. Hanging out with friends and his dogs is something that he really enjoys. Moreover, hunting is an activity he does often and that he enjoys doing with his dad! Garrett remarked,”I love to sit outside in the stand and just listen.”

One thing that Garrett loves to do inside is play video games. He loves to play The Show 19, which is a baseball game, but he also loves to read and watch movies with his family. Some of his favorite movies and books are Hidden Figures and Where the Red Fern Grows.

Many of Garret's personal friends would say that Garrett is very funny, kind, smart, and quirky. Many of his other friends would say that too. He displays his smarts with his A’s in all classes by being in two honors classes: math at the high school and advanced science! His reputation for being funny is just in his personality, and sometimes it's not even on purpose.

So congrats to Garret Kuntz for student of the month. Maybe one day he will be going pro with baseball...and maybe he’ll even be the smartest person that we know!

November's 7th grade student of the month is Anaka Johnson

by Kaiden Maxie

Whose name starts with an A and ends with and A? Whose last name starts with a J and ends with an N? Well, here’s the answer for you: Anaka Johnson, November's student of the month! Congrats, Anaka!

Mrs. Mitchum chose Anaka for this honor. She had this to say: “Anaka Johnson was out for quarantine but stayed caught up with her work the entire time by checking Canvas daily and doing the assignments. Now she is caught up with the rest of the class, even though she missed some days. This effort is needed by all students to make this unfortunate situation work for our educational process. Great job to Anaka for working hard to be successful!” Great job indeed, Anaka.

The list of reasons to love being a student at FCMS absolutely goes on! Anakas declared she likes the “learning and the teachers”.

Life is full of challenges, and so is school. That's a fact of life. “The most challenging part of being a student are the assignments,” Anaka announced. Throughout the school day, reading is what we can find Anaka doing.

What does Anaka do on her weekends? “I like to watch TV and draw!” she proclaimed. If friends were to describe Anaka, she claims they would call her nice, energetic, and hyper.

What would her friends say her weaknesses are? “They would say running,” Anaka acknowledged. What would Anakas friends say her strength is? “Being happy!” I think we can all agree this is a most excellent quality to have.

This world is full of mottos and quotes to live by. Anakas favorite one is, “Keep calm and enjoy life.” Anaka lives in a household with three people, including herself. “I live with my grandpa and grandma; my grandpa's name is Terri Harmon, my grandma's name is Donna Harmon,” she explained.

At 7 p.m. on a school night, some people are asleep,and some are eating dinner. “I’m sitting around watching TV if I’m not doing homework,” remarked Anaka. If she were given the opportunity to go anywhere she picked for a whole day, she knew exactly what she would do: ”I’d go to Kings Island!” Anaka declared.

A surprising fact that people who do not know Anaka may have not known is that she can draw anime. Many people are inspired by the pop culture of anime, and many people make sketches inspired by anime.

Many people love snacking after school, and Anaka is one of those many people! “It’s ice cream!” she remarked.

What’s a favorite book, song, and movie? These are Anakas: “My favorite movie is Descendants 3, my favorite book is Diary of a Wimpy Kid, and “Family Portrait” is my favorite song,” she eagerly acknowledged.

What's Anakas favorite vacation spot? “Gatlinburg is my favorite vacation spot!”

It’s true that one has to set goals in life to get anywhere. Not surprisingly, “get all A’s” is Anaka’s goal as a student.

If Anaka could be any animal for a day, she would be, ”A kitten because I could play around and be free!” Anaka readily commented.

Congrats, Anaka! Keep up the good work and stay happy as a kitten. Keep drawing that anime. Maybe one day you could be a cartoon editor. With a mind like yours, it couldn't be so hard!

October's 8th grade student of the month is Paigelynn Hoskins

by Kaiden Maxie

Smart, funny, talented, fast, and stunning are perfect words to describe this thrilling individual. You've heard the name, seen the skills. But have you gotten to know her? Paigelynn Hoskins is student of the month for this chilly cold month of October!

Stay tuned to read firsthand, word-for-word responses from Ms. Paigelynn Hoskins!

Paigelynn Hoskins was chosen by Mrs. Hollie Noah.

Mrs. Noah proclaimed, “Paigelynn is a hardworking student who always tries her best. She is a great kid who is always ready to try something new, get her work done, and/or help someone who needs help.”

FCMS is a great place to be a student and a great place partake in afterschool sports!

Paigelynn certainly agreed, when she stated, ”The after school programs are my favorite part of being a student at FCMS.

Some would say waking up for school is challenging, but challenging to our student of the month is, ”Keeping up with homework.”

What could we find Paigelynn doing on a school day (other than working hard)?

Paigelynn, ”Talking to my friends in the hallways.”

Some people go out on weekends and hang out with friends. Similarly, Paigelynn can be found, “Going out or staying at a friends house!” she said.

How would her friends describe her? “They would describe me as a, um, athletic, kind, and kind of mean.”

Everyone has weaknesses, that's the truth, but what does Paigelynn say her weakness is? “Being interviewed,” she ironically admitted.

Strong. This Is a word normally to describe one’s abilities or strength. When asked about a strength, Paigelynn proclaimed, ”Giving up, I don’t really give up.”

Now the world is full of quotes and phrases, and Ms. Paigelynn’s life mottos were quite interesting. “If you're not first, you're last” was one example given.

Another favorite quote was,”No one ever drowned from sweat.” Amazing quotes and a good couple to remember!

Family is also an amazing thing and makes life a much better experience when we have family to enjoy. Paigelynn has a rather large family with a whole seven people, including herself! “My dad's name is Kevin (Mike) Hoskins. My stepmom's name is Raejean Hoskins, and I have two sisters, named Libby and Rissa. I also have a brother named Michael,” she remarked.

Half way through the interview, Paigelynn was asked the question of what she would be doing at 7 p.m. on a school night. “I’d be down stairs on my phone!” Paigelynn made clear.

After school it's common for people to grab a snack. Paigelynn’s ‘go to’ snack is crackers. Most eighth graders can say the same.

Would we be surprised to hear Paigelynn is good at math? Paigelynn considered it an unexpected talent. Books are amazing things and are good for killing time. Forget Me Not is Paigelynn’s favorite book. “I like it because it's not boring,” she remarked.

Everyone loves to listen to music, including Paigelynn. “My favorite song is “No Rain” because I love Blind Melon! Big is my favorite movie because it has Tom Hanks, my favorite actor!” she added.

Who doesn't love a good vacation? What about a vacation in Kentucky? “Cumberland, Kentucky is my favorite spot to vacation. It has mountains, and my grandma lives there!”

People often wish they could be animals for just one day, and some strange people even think they are animals (darned furries). If given the opportunity to be an animal for a day, Paigelynn explained, ”I’d be a giraffe because I wanna know how long it takes to throw up!”

Life is filled with goals and personal achievements and self made challenges. Likewise, Paigelynn proclaimed, “I want to always have above C’s on all report cards ‘til I graduate.”

Good job, Paigelynn. Keep up the hard work and your role as a model student.

Oh, and when science has one day made it to the point of turning people into animals, don't hang out with the giraffes!

Zane Denney is October's 7th grade student of the month

by Callie Ward

A big round of applause for October’s 7th grade student of the month: Zane Denney! Zane was chosen by our own principal, Mr. Bundy!

Mr. Bundy declared, “Zane holds the door for other students in the morning when he arrives. He is always polite and good natured.”

Zane seems to enjoy his school days at the middle school. “At FCMS, I like the teachers the best because they are very nice, yet something I dislike about FCMS is the homework,” Zane noted.

Zane added, “I think my friends would say my strength is school and educational things. However, my weakness is my anger.”

Zane gets help with education from his supportive family, which includes his mother, Tracy; father, Jason; two brothers, AJ and Joey; dog, Zeus; two cats, Tigress and Tori; and a lot of fish.

About the weekends, Zane stated, “I am either sitting around at my house or getting groceries.” He also enjoys playing video games in his spare time.

Zane also has an interest in underwater creatures such as fish, sharks, and whales. “If I could be any animal for a day, I would be a hammerhead shark because I always look to the sides, and hammerhead sharks’ eyes are on the sides,” Zane explained.

Zane loves sea creatures so much, in fact, that if he had a free day to do whatever he wanted, he would spend all day at the aquarium looking at all the unique fish.

His motto for life is, “Sometimes you need false hope; false hope makes you better.”

In the future Zane wants to go to Ivy Tech to be a very successful video game designer one day. That is why he looks forward to the coding classes offered at FCMS.

Zane described what he would do with time away from the demands of school: “I would like to go on a calm trip to hang out in a forest or in a forest opening because I enjoy nature and the serenity of everything.”

Zane's favorites include Wings of Fire, series; “This is War”, song; and Big Hero Six, movie. Zane enjoys Wings of Fire because of all the dragons.

“My favorite after school snack is definitely mac & cheese!” Zane added.

Once again, Zane, congratulations! Maybe we will see one of your games become immensely popular and you will use your profits to adventure the ocean and find new sea creatures!

Chloe Wilson is October's 8th grade student of the month

by Bryce Millsaps

October's student of the month for 8th grade is Chloe Wilson, so congratulations to her!

Chloe was chosen to be student of the month by Mrs. Beth Wade, her journalism teacher. Mrs. Wade commented, "Chloe is a dedicated student and a respectful young woman. She takes all of her assignments seriously and is always ready to pitch in and lend a helping hand to others. She is a deserving student of the month.''

Chloe advised, "My favorite thing about being a student at FCMS is that I can hang out with my friends." She thinks the most challenging part of being a student at FCMS is her homework. In her freetime we can find her finishing some of her homework or reading.

Usually, such as at 7:00 p.m. on a school night, we could see her hanging out with her brother.

On the weekends we can find her playing with her puppies and training them. We can also find her hanging around outside.

Chloe's friends would describe her as funny and nice. They would say that her weakness is that she is always nice to everyone. They would say that her strength is that she remembers almost everything.

She says her motto for life is, "Fake it till you make it."

Chloe also has a really supportive family, with her parents, her brother, and even her pets. Her mom's name is Annjelica, her dad's name is Jeremy, and her brother is Wyatt.

She says something we would be surprised about is that she loves history, and she has bad anger issues. When it comes to snack time after school, we can find her eating almonds and cashews.

Her favorite book is called Cake Pop Crush, and her favorite song is called "Dear Future Husband".

Her dream vacation is to go to North Carolina because her uncle lives there.

Her goal as a student is to get all A's and B's. Her goal for life is to be a cosmetologist.

As Mrs. Wade declared, Chloe is a really good student. So congratulations again to Chloe Wilson. Now, maybe someday in the future, we will see Chloe in her own salon!

Mullets make a comeback in FC for the first time since the 80’s

by Callie Ward

Have you seen someone walking through the hallway with short hair in the front and long hair in the back. What is that?

It’s a mullet! The mullet was a popular trend in the 1980’s, and everybody had one. Well, they have been slowly coming back, especially in FC.

A number of boys at FCMS/FCHS have this hairstyle. There are even kids at the elementary school who have mullets. However, not everyone is so fond of them.