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Student Environment
Student Environment
By:Kamorhii Baxter
Sep 9th,2026
Fountain Inn High School has experienced a lot of changes and developments since last year. The school has grown tremendously and changed many policies changing the environment and overall vibe of the school.
Students are entitled to their opinions and when asked about how they feel about the school as a whole the opinions vary depending on the student. Junior Jakari Jenkins gave his opinion about the overall vibe of the school.
“It’s very good, everyone is so kind in this school and they rise for our education. We have lovely teachers and counselors,” Jenkins said.
Both students and teachers had positive things to say about the environment at Fountain Inn High School.Many students said they feel safe,welcomed,and supported by teachers and staff.
Students also mentioned the school is very clean, respectful and provides a good learning environment.Teachers shared similar answers describing the school as a great place for learning and saying the students have been more friendly and pleasant this year.
While some students would like changes to the phone policy, both students and teachers agreed that the school creates opportunities for students to learn,build relationships,and succeed. The consensus of students and faculty showed that Fountain Inn High School has a positive and supportive environment for everyone on campus. When student behavior became a topic students were asked how they would describe the way students treat one another. Mr.Cunningham says, “I think this year is pleasant, a lot more friendly students this year.”
The one common factor to most students' responses was when asked about what policy they would like to change. All students asked this question would like to change the phone policy.
Senior and Freshman Perspectives
Senior and Freshman Perspectives
By Amari Dodd
Sept. 23, 2026
Starting High school can be an exciting experience for freshmen, but as students get older, their opinions about school can change. Freshman and seniors at Fountain Inn High School have different experiences, from making friends to keeping up with schoolwork.
Kai Long, a freshman at Fountain Inn High school said that one of the things he was most excited about when starting High School was meeting new people and making friends.
Vee pennington, a senior at Fountain Inn High School, was excited about having classes with friends.
As students move freshman year to senior year, they begin to notice changes in school. Pennington explained that freshman year felt more relaxed, while senior year comes more rules and responsibilities.
“Freshman year was really laid back. We didn’t have many rules, and now it’s like rule after rule, and they’re piling work. Stacks of work on top of one another,”pennington stated.
Penningrton also explained that her opinion of High School has changed over time.
“I used to really like it . I used to think it was fun, and now I'm just kind of like,get me out of here.”Pennington said.
Even though High School can become stressful, having good friends and enjoyable teachers can make the experience better. Pennington said that the people they spend time with and some of the teachers make school more enjoyable.
“Definitely the people that you like to hang out with, and some of the teachers are really fun.” Pennington said.
Long also believes that having friends is one of the best parts of high school.
High school can also bring surprises. Pennington said they were surprised by how seriously students take school rules, especially when it comes to getting in trouble or being dress coded.
“It really surprised me how many people are actually getting in trouble or dress-coded, because I didn't think they really cared about the rules, but they do care now,”Pennington said.
Long noticed a difference in the dress code as well.
“Probably the fact that the dress code is a lot less strict,”Long stated.
While freshmen may be focused on making friends and adjusting to high school, seniors have other responsibilities to worry about. Long explained that keeping up with grades was one of the hardest parts of being a freshman.
Pennington said that seniors have to focus on completing their credits and finishing all their schoolwork.
“Definitely that you have to have all of your credits and all of the work that you have to do,”Pennington said.
Although High school can be challenging, students learn important lessons as they grow. From making friends to keeping up with grades, every year brings new experiences and responsibilities.
Why Friends are Important in High School
Why Friends are Important in High School
By Aubree Chappell
Sept. 22, 2026
Most people will agree that friends are super important in high school.
“Without friends in high school, it's hard to go and do things like school related stuff, sports events, and even coming to school.” Rylie Light said. Light states that without friends it may be easy to get depressed.
As high schoolers we have a five minute block between classes. Light states that having friends and getting to see them between classes can really help with her day and she gets to catch up with them and can get all her emotions out. She also says that having friends to vent to is important.
“Friends make school less stressful because having someone to tell everything you're stressing about to can help take your mind off of it or they could give advice.” Light said.
Friends definitely could affect your grades in a negative and positive way.
For Light, having friends in her classes could bring down her grades because she can get easily distracted but she then says it can also help her grades because if a friend knows something that she doesn't know her friend can help her which could bump her grades up.
“I’d get distracted easily but I feel like just having one class would be good like an art class,” Light said.
“You experience a lot more in high school and you learn a lot more with friends especially if you have good friends,” Light said.
Light personally couldn't enjoy high school without friends but it overall depends on what type of person you are.
Sophomore Amari Dodd says that friends are important in high school because having friends in high school helps you fit in and helps you not feel alone. Dodd then says that although they help you fit in they cause a lot of drama.
“You can definitely have fun in high school without friends,” Dodd said.
Dodd says that she would rather have one really good friend because there won't be as much drama and you can protect yourself from that, and that people change throughout high school and friends make school stressful and can make your grades drop.
“Having two close friends is much better than having a group of friends to stay away from drama,” Dodd said.
Senior Vee Pennington says that friends are important in high school because it is fun to go out with them after school. Pennington says that friends definitely change over time as they learn and grow, and that friends can be stressful at school because they can distract you.
Pennington says that having one to two friends is ideal. She then says that she would rather have multiple friends in classes because if someone isn't there that day she won't be left alone.
“Friends help with mental health because most of the time friends can track when you're feeling down or under the weather,” Penington said.
Light, Dodd, and Pennington say that overall friends are important in high school.
Yes friends can cause stress and drama but at the end of the day friends are important because they help with mental health a lot and when you are feeling down, and they make school a lot more fun.
No time to be outraged
No time to be outraged
By Vee Pennington
Many high school students believe they need more time to get from one class to another and enough time to eat lunch. Students say that short passing periods can make it difficult to arrive to class on time, especially when classrooms are so far apart.
When students only have a few minutes between classes, they may have to rush through crowded hallways, use the restroom quickly, or stop at their lockers. By the time they reach their next classroom, the bell may already be ringing. Some students believe that adding a few extra minutes between classes would help reduce stress and make it easier for everyone to get to class on time.
Lunch is another concern for many students. Students need enough time to get their food, find a place to sit, eat, and clean up before returning to class. Long lines in the cafeteria can take away a large part of the lunch period, leaving students with less time to actually eat.
Students say that having more time between classes and a reasonable lunch period could help them feel less rushed and more prepared to learn. School leaders could consider listening to student concerns and looking at ways to improve the daily schedule.
For many high school students, a few extra minutes can make a big difference. Giving students enough time to move between classes and eat lunch could create a less stressful school day and help students focus better in the classroom.
Life after high school
By:Vee Pennington
Graduating high school is a major milestone in a person’s life. For some, graduation marks the beginning of college, a career, or a new chapter filled with independence and new experiences. For others, it is a moment they look back on years later and realize how much their lives have changed.
For Cyrus Jackson, who recently graduated from high school, life after graduation is just beginning. Since walking across the stage, he has been working for Mac Bid.
When asked what he is most excited about after high school, Jackson said, ¨I'm really excited to complete the Greenville Tech program for mechanics and eventually graduating and becoming a shop owner and Master Mechanic¨
Although graduation can be exciting, it can also come with uncertainty. Jackson said that one of the biggest things he is nervous about is the acceptance process to Greenville Tech
The process of getting into Greenville Tech is very hard, especially trying to get into the Financial support. The classes are not easy. I thought that once I got into mechanic school I wouldn't have English science and math but I do¨ Jackson said.
One of the biggest changes after high school is adjusting to having more independence and responsibility. Jackson explained.
For someone who has been out of high school for 18 years, life after graduation looks very different. Leah Taylor, who graduated in 2008, has had more time to experience different challenges, opportunities, and changes.
When Leah Taylor graduated, she imagined that life would be Straightforward and fast pace Looking back now, Taylor said, “I didn't think I would have a kid or do any other classes that I did do”
Over the past 18 years, Taylor has just worked in plastic injection molding manufacturing and did a
year in criminal justice and a year in cosmetology. One of the biggest lessons she has learned since graduating is to stay focused and determinator.
“I wish I would have had the determination that I do now and after graduating because I would have finally settled on something,” Taylor said.
While the two graduates are at very different points in their lives, both experiences show that there is no single path after high school. Plans can change, unexpected opportunities can appear, and people can discover that their future looks different from what they originally imagined.
For recent graduate Cyrus Jackson, the future is still being figured out. “Never give up and stay focused on your work,” Jackson said when asked what advice he would give to current high school students.
After 18 years, Leah Taylor has a different perspective on graduation and adulthood. If she could go back to graduation day, Taylor would tell her younger self, “That if she would stay with her grandmother she would have never moved to Liberty and she would have gotten right and finished out cosmetology and criminal justice.”
Life after high school may look different for everyone, but graduation is only the beginning. Whether someone is just starting their journey or looking back on more than a decade of experiences, the years after high school can bring new challenges, opportunities, and lessons that cannot always be predicted on graduation day.
The Cell Phone Policy
By: Audrey Petrus
The start of the new cell phone policy has changed schools in lots of ways. It has definitely made differences in the hallways in classrooms, but there is still a lot of debate between students and teachers about whether it's fair or not.
While teachers notice it's distracting but students say it's restricting them to connect. Students and teachers from fountain inn highschool gave their insight on the policy.
Chloe Chelstead, a ninth grader does think the rule helps but finds that most students just bend the rules and find ways to be on their phone.
“I think students do bend the rules more because lots of students get bored and wanna just talk to their friends so they just go on their phones either way, but I think it has helped a little bit with students' focus,” Chelstead said.
Maggie Ozmint, a social studies teacher agrees and has seen students do all things to be on their phones.
“I've seen students try to keep their phones hidden. I've had students try to hide them under their clothes, in their laps, or sneak them out when they think the teacher isn't looking,” Ozmint said.
Avery Petrus, a 12th grader, finds phones distracting in class since it's easy to want to look at them.
“It's really easy to get distracted in class because sometimes classes can be kinda boring but I feel like if we limit it to only having it at the end of class then I don't think it would be a big problem,” Petrus said.
Chelstead thinks with all the incidents that can happen at a school not allowed to have phones can limit their safety.
“If something happens and you need to text or call your parents you wouldn't be able to do that and I feel like it really restricts our safety and I know a lot of parents worry about that,” Chelstead said.
“I think phones should be able to be on students because like the other example if something bad happens and they need to communicate with their parents they can at least have it on them,” Chelstead said.
Ozmit mentioned some of the factors that could have caused the phone ban.
“I think there were several factors. Phones have become a major distraction in classrooms, and they can interfere with learning, communication, and classroom management. There are also concerns about students using phones during inappropriate situations, recording other students, social media, and academic dishonesty. I think the goal of the ban is ultimately to create an environment where students can focus on learning without the constant distraction of their phones,” Ozmint said.
One thing most people agree on is that without phones most students would socialize more.
“I do think that without phones it can help people socialize more since they wouldn't have their phones to be distracted on,” Petrus said.
“When students don't have the option of immediately getting on their phones, they are more likely to talk to the people sitting around them,” Ozmit said.
Pierson Manly, a ninth grader, talked about whether or not it should be allowed at lunch or hallways.
”I think they should be allowed since it's just like free time and there's no learning involved and should really only be banned during class time,” Manly said.
Lauren Dasilva, a ninth grader, said she does notice how phones can be distracting.
“It can definitely be distracting like if people were on tiktok, snapchat, or instagram cause they wanted to see their friends or something,” Dasilva said.
Ozmit said how she does believe having the phone ban all day can be beneficial.
“I think there are benefits to having the ban continue throughout the entire school day because it creates consistency. If students know that phones aren't supposed to be out from the time they arrive until the end of the school day, there is less confusion about when they can and can't use them. I also think lunch and class changes are opportunities for students to socialize with each other rather than immediately going to their phones,” Ozmint said.
Petrus does think that even if the ban gets lifted there would probably still be rules.
“I do think there would still be rules because obviously people would get distracted so I think there would be somewhere like it isn't allowed during class time and tests so people aren't as likely to cheat,” Petrust said.
Overall, the debate between whether or not phones should be allowed is a big deal and it is hard to find a solution since there are a lot of opinions. Schools are trying to find ways to handle new technology and phones so it works for everyone
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