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Student Body
Student Body
Big Words, Bigger Heart.
Big Words, Bigger Heart.
Sofia Caez
Sept 22, 2026
Emma Fleener, a sophomore at Fountain Inn High, is recognized for her hard work and hospitality.
Students at Fountain Inn High are seen for their actions at school and treatment of their classmates. Fleener is a stand out example of these goals.
“She is easily one of the most compassionate humans we have in that class,” Veronica Rogers, FIHS’s theater teacher, said.
Fleener is someone who is kind, compassionate, thoughtful, creative, and a loving person overall. She’s said to be someone with a large heart who’s always willing to help.
“She always seems to kind of have an eye on somebody else,” Rogers said.
This has driven her future career path as a special education teacher, wanting to be that safe space and help others.
“I've always had a passion for it, and they're just so sweet. And I always work well with them,” Fleener said.
Wolf Forbes, Fleener’s boyfriend, describes her as a kind person who’s always there to help someone in need.
Makynze DeMarco, a close friend of Emma, calls her very creative and supportive.
“She has always been there for me,” DeMarco said.
Fleener is seen in clubs and activities that show her dedication and hard work. She’s in theater club, archery, Dungeons and Dragons club, and even childhood education.
“I'm taking theater because I feel it's where I can really express myself, whether it's set design or acting,” Fleener said.
She continues to drive to her future career goal by taking childhood education. Childhood education is a class in Fountain Inn High that helps students experience teaching and helping younger students. But this isn't her first time taking a lesson in education.
“I've worked with them in middle school as a peer tutor and in the pure buddies program along with going to Furman for special ed Olympics.” Fleener said.
Fleener is into a multitude of things outside of school such as; drawing, video games, music, and more!
“I love playing video games, it's always been a passion of mine. I grew up watching my dad play games,” Fleener said.
These traits don't stop with just her friends. Her theater teacher explains how imaginative and engaged she is.
“She has excellent ideas, and she takes time to think through them,” Rogers said.
She even finds places to lend a helping hand when she doesn't need to.
“She also has been helping a lot with our faux stained glass. Even just finding a place that she can fit in and kind of help out in a hands-on way,” Rogers said.
If you don't know Fleener, she might seem a little shy or quiet. Yet in reality she’s far beyond that. She is very aware of the people around her, always willing to give advice or just listen to someone talk.
“She feels other people's energy really well. She's always very gentle in approach, she's never brash,” Rogers said.
Fleener is a star student in FIHS and is noticed for her work and kind heart.
Checking INN: Meet FIHS New Exchange Students from Italy and Switzerland
Checking INN: Meet FIHS New Exchange Students from Italy and Switzerland
By Tegan Eubanks
Jan 5, 2026
In the beginning of the new year, starting our new semester, we welcomed two new exchange students into Fountain Inn High School: Lorenzo D’Aprile and Amelie Bieger.
As D’Aprile was first welcomed into FIHS, he was overwhelmed.
“[Learning to] study with a Chromebook is different from what I’m used to in Italy, where we use paper and pencil,” D’Aprile said.
Technology wasn’t the only adjustment D’aprile had to make when adapting to our school culture.
“You can’t really go [to school] in Italy with Crocs or pajamas. You have to dress up,” D’Aprile said. “Everything is so different; the only common thing here is that we have Coca-Cola too. “ D’Aprile said.
Unlike D’Aprile focus on school differences, Bieger had a different reaction. She was shocked to learn that she was coming to the state of South Carolina .“ I was like l’ve heard of South Carolina, but where is it again then I googled it, and it looked really beautiful. Like the town looks very beautiful,” Bieger said, although it wasn’t sunshine and rainbows.
“The first week was kind of hard, ‘cause back in school, {in Switzerland} we listened to our teacher talking English, but we mostly spoke German. So it was kind of difficult to only speak English the first week.” Bieger said.
The language barrier wasn’t the only issue she faced; the social aspect has also proved difficult in these first few weeks.
“Everyone has their friend group, and it's hard to become friends with a friend group that has known each other for a long time,” Bieger said.
Despite the initial changes both students have faced, D'Aprile and Bieger remain optimistic about their experience. As they continue to adjust to life at FIHS, finding their place in the community one day at a time.
Inn the Spotlight: The Future plans of Mariah Mejias
By Tegan Eubanks
Mar, 10th, 2026
At Fountain Inn High School, we have a pretty active fine arts department, and one student that benefits from an active fine arts department is Mariah Mejias, a 10th grader at Fountain Inn High School.
Mejias is an active member of Fountain Inn Theatre, starring as Alice in Fountain Inn High School's version of Alice in Wonderland.
While Mejias is currently capturing hearts on the local stage, Mariah already has her sights set on the bright lights of New York City.
“I plan to follow my passion for theatre. I will be pursuing a bachelor's degree in the fine arts, particularly in drama (BFA). I will be applying to NYU (New York University - Tisch School of the Arts) and The Juilliard School (School of Drama) to hopefully better prepare myself to follow in Broadway and live out my life as a professional actress in New York.” Mejias said.
But getting into to a school like New York University and Juilliard School of Drama isn't easy to do so Mejias is already crafting a plan.
“To further improve my artistic skills, I plan to really break down the process of characterizing a character. To act in a role, you really have to understand who the character is to truly embody them. A great way I like to start is the Given Circumstances of a character. This would be their environmental context, situational context, and their purpose in a story. I feel like, as of now, my process is fine, but with some tweaks and time, I can truly be proficient in performing my roles. “ Mejies said.
But having a plan is not her only way of succeeding.
“My teachers have helped me enormously in not only growing as an actress but also feeling confident, both off and on stage. Mrs. Rogers, the theatre teacher, has particularly helped me in improving my techniques and pushing beyond what I thought I could handle. She's grown to be the most trusted adult for me in the entire building, and I would have never flourished here at FIHS if it weren't for her support and love.”
With a clear vision, a refined process, and the unwavering support of the FIHS fine arts department, Mejias is well on her way to turning her Broadway dreams into a reality.
From Hobby to Empire: The Story of Jackson Wafford and Jackpot Productions
From Hobby to Empire: The Story of Jackson Wafford and Jackpot Productions
By Gia Castiglia
Jackson Wafford has been working in video production for many years now. Not only does he take videos, Wafford is also a touring musician and he pursues business administration. Business administration consists of overseeing and managing the operations of an organization to ensure stability, efficiency and profitability.
It all started with one camera, and from there it's all history. Wafford has a business called Jackpot Productions where he films and creates videos for people. He decided to start up four years ago when he realized it could be something bigger than an idea.
“I realized that it could actually be a profitable thing for me,” Wafford said.
Getting his start within church ministry, Wafford quickly got enriched with role models and other mentors who wanted to push him forward.
“It was the culture and the community I was around that really helped make me better,” Wafford said.
After moving to Greenville from his hometown of Augusta, Georgia, he started his freshman year slowly, not finding a school system to be a part of. After hearing about the media and marketing pathway at Fountain Inn High School, he knew that FIHS was the place to restart and expand his company going into sophomore year.
Wafford’s work has grown not only in scale but in meaning. What started as simple videos for school events turned into something bigger.
Now in his second year at the school, he’s begun expanding beyond just Fountain Inn events, taking his efforts to multiple states and looking forward to opportunities across the world in other countries.
Beyond just the production, you can find Wafford serving on Sunday’s at his local church as a band director or hanging out with his friends making videos and writing music.
“I’m a touring musician and I do business administration and helping other people get their business together and I also serve at my local church in a band,” Wafford said
To Wafford, video no matter the device has always been his favorite way to create. To Wafford, videos are the most fun because they allow him to tell a full story, something he feels is harder to accomplish with still photos.
Even though video is his favorite media, photos still come close second. He appreciates the way a single image can capture an emotion or moment even if it can't always show the full story.
“Videos are the most fun to me… because you're able to tell a story through it, better than you are with photos,” Wafford said.
Mindset influences everything from how he shoots to how he edits. His process is grounded in efficiency and excellence, He has to turn projects around quickly while still producing work he's proud of. The people he works with also shape each project, influencing the style, tone and direction of both videos and photos.
“The main people wait for stuff like, try to have a quick turnaround and they also still be good,” Wafford said.
To Wafford, video remains the most powerful tool he has, something that allows him to tell a full story in a way still images can't. Yet he still finds joy in all forms of creation, whether he's behind the camera, writing music or serving at the church on Sunday.
Wafford’s been able to manage to bring more awareness and eyes to our school especially in sports with his videos. In the future of his business he wants to reach more people to bring more people in and keep promoting his content. Wafford wants his team to keep growing as of right now his team consists of four people whether it's for editing, filming or just going out to do work with him.
“For my business in the future I hope to bring more people in and on my team and also impact other people,” Wafford said
To Wafford, it feels like he already left his mark on Fountain Inn High School. The amount of calibration he's brought in has impacted the school as a whole and opened people's minds into starting videography or photography. He has already impacted the community of Fountain Inn High School.
“I honestly feel like I've already left my mark at Fountain Inn, I've taken the standard and made it better and cementing my spot and helping grow the program,” Wafford said.
Wafford's passion for videography continues to push him to grow his business, try new techniques and refine his craft. What started as a simple hobby with a “crappy” first camera has now become a defining part of who he is; a skill he hopes to take even further to the future.
From Hobby to Empire: The Story of Jackson Wafford and Jackpot Productions
From Hobby to Empire: The Story of Jackson Wafford and Jackpot Productions
By Gia Castiglia
Jackson Wafford has been working in video production for many years now. Not only does he take videos, Wafford is also a touring musician and he pursues business administration. Business administration consists of overseeing and managing the operations of an organization to ensure stability, efficiency and profitability.
It all started with one camera, and from there it's all history. Wafford has a business called Jackpot Productions where he films and creates videos for people. He decided to start up four years ago when he realized it could be something bigger than an idea.
“I realized that it could actually be a profitable thing for me,” Wafford said.
Getting his start within church ministry, Wafford quickly got enriched with role models and other mentors who wanted to push him forward.
“It was the culture and the community I was around that really helped make me better,” Wafford said.
After moving to Greenville from his hometown of Augusta, Georgia, he started his freshman year slowly, not finding a school system to be a part of. After hearing about the media and marketing pathway at Fountain Inn High School, he knew that FIHS was the place to restart and expand his company going into sophomore year.
Wafford’s work has grown not only in scale but in meaning. What started as simple videos for school events turned into something bigger.
Now in his second year at the school, he’s begun expanding beyond just Fountain Inn events, taking his efforts to multiple states and looking forward to opportunities across the world in other countries.
Beyond just the production, you can find Wafford serving on Sunday’s at his local church as a band director or hanging out with his friends making videos and writing music.
“I’m a touring musician and I do business administration and helping other people get their business together and I also serve at my local church in a band,” Wafford said
To Wafford, video no matter the device has always been his favorite way to create. To Wafford, videos are the most fun because they allow him to tell a full story, something he feels is harder to accomplish with still photos.
Even though video is his favorite media, photos still come close second. He appreciates the way a single image can capture an emotion or moment even if it can't always show the full story.
“Videos are the most fun to me… because you're able to tell a story through it, better than you are with photos,” Wafford said.
Mindset influences everything from how he shoots to how he edits. His process is grounded in efficiency and excellence, He has to turn projects around quickly while still producing work he's proud of. The people he works with also shape each project, influencing the style, tone and direction of both videos and photos.
“The main people wait for stuff like, try to have a quick turnaround and they also still be good,” Wafford said.
To Wafford, video remains the most powerful tool he has, something that allows him to tell a full story in a way still images can't. Yet he still finds joy in all forms of creation, whether he's behind the camera, writing music or serving at the church on Sunday.
Wafford’s been able to manage to bring more awareness and eyes to our school especially in sports with his videos. In the future of his business he wants to reach more people to bring more people in and keep promoting his content. Wafford wants his team to keep growing as of right now his team consists of four people whether it's for editing, filming or just going out to do work with him.
“For my business in the future I hope to bring more people in and on my team and also impact other people,” Wafford said
To Wafford, it feels like he already left his mark on Fountain Inn High School. The amount of calibration he's brought in has impacted the school as a whole and opened people's minds into starting videography or photography. He has already impacted the community of Fountain Inn High School.
“I honestly feel like I've already left my mark at Fountain Inn, I've taken the standard and made it better and cementing my spot and helping grow the program,” Wafford said.
Wafford's passion for videography continues to push him to grow his business, try new techniques and refine his craft. What started as a simple hobby with a “crappy” first camera has now become a defining part of who he is; a skill he hopes to take even further to the future.
From Hobby to Business: A Look Into Jalin Hill´s Photography Business
From Hobby to Business: A Look Into Jalin Hill´s Photography Business
By: Klair Thompson
Fountain Inn High School junior turns photography passion into thriving business
Jalin Hill, a junior at Fountain Inn High School, is blending entrepreneurship with artistic passion through his budding photography business, Jphotos.
Hill discovered his knack for capturing moments at a young age when he got his first iPhone.
"About eight years ago I got my first phone and I used the camera to take pictures of everything," Hill said. "I loved it, and then a year later decided to make it a business."
It has been seven years since Hill started his business, and it is thriving.
"I focus on portrait photography," Hill said. "My photography style is really natural and true to life."
While Hill has his own style of photography, the equipment needed is extensive. His favorite setup is the Canon EOS R5 Mark II paired with the Canon RF 85mm f/1.2 lens, but he also uses the Canon RF 24-105mm f/2.8 IS USM, a M4 Max MacBook Pro 16-inch, Adobe Lightroom Classic for editing, and Adobe After Effects for advanced visuals.
"Just one of my cameras costs $2,600," Hill said.
While the equipment for taking photos is expensive, he prices his sessions appropriately for his clientele.
"I've been doing this for eight years now and it's a strict formula. I add all the business expenses and personal expenses and then divide the total by average clientele for that month with a little extra," Hill said.
While continuing to grow Jphotos, Hill has already had many satisfied clients.
"I never miss — my clients are always satisfied with the product," Hill said.
Looking into the lens of the future, Hill sees himself in five years in college, paying people to run the business for him and making money. The road there comes with some challenges.
"One time, I was in the middle of a photo shoot. It was going great, and the night before I forgot to charge the light. Then mid-shot my light died, so I grabbed my reflector and reflected the light of the sun on my client," Hill said.
Hill encourages people to follow his work on social media @Jphotos_Media to see his photography.
Theater
Theater
Sports
Sports
Ashworth Shatters School Record!
A few weeks ago, the Fury traveled to Spartanburg to race in the annual Yellow Jacket Invitational.
The Fury boys had an amazing race finishing fifth overall. There were many great individual performances with Patrick Manning finishing 28th and Colin Reifsnider in 29th. Junior Derek Ashworth finished first with an astonishing school record time of 15:23.27.
Ashworth’s record time wasn’t just 14 seconds ahead of second, but also destroyed the school record by 34 seconds previously held by Ethan Thomas. This incredible performance helped the varsity boys jump up to third place in the SCTCCCA rankings.
Ranked second in the state in the 5k, Ashworth doesn’t seem to stop anytime soon. Only four seconds behind Alex Rose which has the record at the Heathwood Hall Highlander invitational.
The Heathwood invitational is known to be a bit flatter and smoother than the Yellowjacket Invitational giving Ashworth a serious chance at breaking the record soon. Ashworth's previous personal record (PR) was last year at the Woodmont invitational, beating his PR by 55 seconds. Ashworth had some things he wanted to improve though.
“I just got to work on the little things: the stretching, the core, the plyometrics, the diet, just all the little things,” Ashworth said.
Ashworth is still only a junior with a bright future ahead of him ranked 198th in the US. Already being the leader of the team, his teammates have always had great things to say about him. But he has also been a leader off the track too.
“When I was a freshman Derek used to always drive me to early morning practices and talking to him had always felt so natural and I really think we've grown close ever since.” teammate Harrision Rhodes said.
Ashworth has a busy schedule.
“I usually wake up at five, 5:30 in the morning and run in the morning from an easy three mile run to a six mile pace run. It just depends on the day and then you gotta clean up and go to school. Then after school we go straight to workouts and after that I go straight to swim practice until 7:30, eight o'clock and then I try to get to bed by 10:30,” Ashworth said.
Even Rhodes had spoken out about his work ethic.
"He's a very hard worker, he swims everyday after practice and he always does his homework and keeps up with good grades while having one of the busiest schedules ever,” Rhodes said.
The Palmetto Invitational took place this past week and the Fury were projected to win with an insane 21 points. Ashworth dominantly finished first with a 26 second gap between his second place teammate Patrick Manning. With Ashworth leading the pack with a final time of 17:15, the Fury ended up with four runners finishing in the top 10.
“He has always been a great leader, he always pushes everyone to their limits and makes sure they finish and complete their goal,” Rhodes said.
Ashworth himself has talked about how much he has seen improved over the years not just on the track but in the classroom and especially in his maturity.
“I've grown in the classroom and I have a much better work ethic than I used to have. I try to help people around me, not just certain groups,” Ashworth said.
The star never actually wanted to do track, and he actually hated it.
“I actually never wanted to do Cross Country before and my dad and my sister made me start doing it and I hated my first season I wanted to quit the whole time but at the end of my first season one of our old runners, Ethan Thomas convinced me to come back out and keep going and build off of what I had already built and it just motivated me to keep going and working hard,” Ashworth said.
But with the motivation of Coach Quinn Wilson, Ashworth kept pushing.
“Coach Wilson has been my biggest influence by far. He's always there for me cheering me on in school, and outside school, he’s just always set a baseline for me,” Ashworth said.
Pushing him to his limits, Wilson helped Ashworth achieve goals he didn’t think were possible like placing third in the regional race as a freshman beating a bunch of really good seniors at the time.
With all that he has already done, how far will Ashworth make it? Will he make a name for himself at the college level? Will he be the next running athlete legend? The young star has a bright future ahead of him, in both Cross Country and Track.
The Smith Legacy Tackles FIHS Football
The Smith Legacy Tackles FIHS Football
By: Tyler Ganner
Underneath the Friday night lights, their bond was more than just a father and son relationship, it was a coach and player bond that no one could break. Every snap, every tackle, every play was a shared dream years in the making but this season the stakes felt higher, the pressure mounting as they both knew this could be their last chance to make it count.
David Smith, head D-team football coach, was an impressive and outstanding Right Tackle and Tight End where he was offered scholarships to every college on the Eastern half of the United States. When Smith went to Clemson he moved to Left Guard, from 2007-2011, he had 80 knockdown blocks, 1,329 snaps in 42 games.
Smith was projected to be drafted in the first round of the 2012 NFL draft but due to his injuries in his senior year, those dreams came to an end.
When being drafted for the NFL was taken off the table, it opened a door for Smith to become a coach.
“Coaching is not for everybody. Initially, I didn't think I would be good at it. I realized that there is a need for more than just teaching X's and O's and instead coaching young athletes through life. Many young people have similar backgrounds as me, and I take every opportunity I get to impact them outside of the football field,” Smith said.
Tripp Smith, Fountain Inn High School’s Defensive End, and his father, the Coach, are a father-son duo on the team.
This season was a roller coaster for T. Smith. From suffering injuries (high ankle sprain) to facing a huge mental step in football due to a lack of playing time because of this injury, T. Smith had a lot to overcome.
¨I've been learning technique and all the different basic cover skills,¨ T. Smith said.
While Trip is injured he may not be physically in the game, but mentally he is.
¨I want to be ready and come back stronger next season," T. Smith said.
T. Smith’s father became a coach to make sure that T. Smith was getting a strong foundation in his football career.
¨I didn't think that it would evolve into more than that, H
however, I began to coach his friends and build relationships with them.¨ D smith said
Smith’s second year coaching at Fountain Inn, he became the head coach for the D-team.
¨That's when I knew I was hooked and committed to something far greater than me. I developed a strong bond with the entire team, the coaching staff, other student athletes, and the community of Fountain Inn,” Smith said.
¨I plan to coach at FIHS as long as Coach Nichols and Coach Bell will have me,” Smith said.
Having a father as a coach seems like it would be an easy task, but some days are easier than others.
¨[Sometimes] he'll be really hard on me and like he'll make practice, honestly, suck sometimes. No matter if it's from conditioning, to like the type of drills that we do,” T. Smith said.
¨But he does it and it makes me better.”
It may not be apparent at first, but the right conditioning will always improve your gameplay.
BJ Philson: A Friend to All
BJ Philson: A Friend to All
By: Vianna Escayg
When BJ Philson walks through the halls of Fountain Inn High School, his infectious energy follows him like a wake, drawing students and staff into his orbit of positivity. That could be walking through the halls or on the football field.
“He brings the type of energy that no one else does,” says Jaden Robinson. Philson is an extremely positive person and his happiness radiates on to everyone he encounters.
Senior Jack Carnes says, “He brings the team together. Everybody is always talking to him which brings us closer to him and to others on the team.” Philson’s impact on individuals brings everyone closer making them a better team. That relationship also continues off the field into everyday life.
“It’s always a great time when he’s around and it is always fun when he's with us,” said Ben Ruwe. There is never a dull moment with Philson and he carries that attitude everywhere.
The roar from the Fountain Inn High School crowd two and a half weeks ago wasn't just for any touchdown, it was for BJ Philson's first, a moment that captured what teammates and classmates already knew about his impact on their school. Students and staff could feel the excitement and love people have for Philson as they celebrated him.
In conclusion, whether he's celebrating in the end zone or simply walking to class, Philson continues to prove that some people are natural joy spreaders and Fountain Inn High School is lucky to have him in their halls.
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