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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 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
Wayne Fleming: The Silent Observer
Wayne Fleming: The Silent Observer
By: Kasiya Duncan
The actors down there thought they were the show, but up here, in the quiet darkness, it was all about what wasn't heard.
Wayne Fleming hides away at the top of the auditorium, producing the sound, the beats, and making sure everything comes together. Fleming makes sure everything is on cue, that nothing is out of place. His work allows the audience to enjoy the show, take in the scenery, and capture the scenes sweet melodies.
Fleming actually didn’t plan on taking theater; he was put in it for credit during his junior year. He soon started to enjoy the atmosphere, so he stuck with it.
“Actually, when I started theater, they just randomly put me in the class, so I just stuck with it and liked it,” Fleming said.
The key milestone for Wayne Fleming was being able to produce sound for his first play, which changed his viewpoint in theater.
“My key milestone is when I was sound design for my first play, which changed my viewpoint on Theater,” Fleming said. “I wanted to continue doing sound but I changed my mind and decided to work with costume design.”
Wayne has just one goal for his senior year, which is to pass all of his classes. Then to move on with his life and start adulthood. One of his memorable moments for theater is his first play, because he got to do sound design and he enjoyed it so much.
Even though Wayne wasn’t an actor and was a sound designer, he still felt like theater as a place where you can be yourself.
“Being a theater kid feels good because you can be yourself with little to no judgement.” Fleming said.
Wayne has faced some obstacles when it came to building sets for the show. He learned some technical stuff in the sound booth and is now learning to balance academics, costume design, and life.
“Like setting up for the play since I did sound design but I also helped set design so I painted a lot of stuff,” Fleming said. “I painted the background of the set, I believe a staircase, which was very hard to put together. I did learn how to work the sound booth which was pretty cool,” Fleming said.
“I would say, definitely have all your assignments done so when you get to the theater, you don’t have to worry about it so much,” Fleming said.
Wayne hopes to be remembered as the guy that always looked fly when it comes to outfits and his advice is to not worry about things and do as you please. “I would say to be that kid that always puts the fit on,” Fleming said. “Don’t be shy to be yourself and if people talk about you, just don’t worry about them, let them run their mouths until they run out of breath.”
Wayne has decided to cut theater out of his life, since that is not his dream or what he wishes to pursue as a career. He would rather stick to his traditional plan, which is to join the Army and pursue being a music artist.
“Well, I’m not going to college directly after high school, I’m going to go to the Army. When I do go to college, my goal is to not have that much student debt, even though the Army pays for it but you know still, basically I pass college,” Fleming said.
Wayne will remember his first role as sound designer for a play due to how he felt a part of a team. “I’d say I produced the sound in a way that benefited the play, hopefully,” Fleming said. “It made me feel like I was part of the team for the play and it felt good.”
Sports
Sports
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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