Junior Christopher O’Brien visits University of Georgia and interviews sophomore Bailey Mann about her college experience as a theater major.

Q: What’s the best part of the University of Georgia that people should be aware of?

A: “The opportunities. There are so many things you can get involved in and there’s a place for everybody.”

Q: What’s the best decision you’ve made during your time at the University of Georgia?

A: “I know it sounds strange, but it would have to be changing my major because I was able to find and do something I truly love.”

Q: Do you have any advice for upcoming freshman?

A: “Get involved. There are so many opportunities.”

Over 150 of the school’s talented Fine Arts Department students have been busy participating in local art events.

For the recent Neptune Festival Student Show at the Oceanfront, students showed off painted ceiling tiles they plan to gift to Army recruiting offices.  Art students will also lend their creativity to the school’s annual SCA sponsored “Boo Bash” for children in the surrounding community next month.

Students also plan to showcase their talent through floatbuilding activities within the school and “around town” throughout the holiday season.

Once again, the annual “Cox Idol” competition did not disappoint.  True to form, some of the the school’s best and brightest talent shined on the auditorium stage in front of judges who would determine the ultimate outcome of the evening.

This year’s winner junior Jessica Arsement took the crown from reigning “idol” alumnus Jack Colgan while junior Holly Sunderland took 2nd place and sophomore Jade Henrickson took 3rd place in the competition.

Brantley Bissette, falcon news staffer, visits the University of South Carolina and writes his opinion of the historical university.

In February of 1865, the Civil War was ending, and General Sherman burned the city of Columbia to the ground, almost in its entirety. The one portion of the city that survived the wrath of the occupying Union forces was the “Horseshoe,” then the extent of the University of South Carolina’s campus. The school, established in 1801, was made a temporary hospital for both Confederate and Union forces during the war, and was therefore spared.

Since then, the University of South Carolina, or U of SC, has sprawled into a 218-acre campus with 25,000 undergraduate students, many of them from out of state.

The campus, although situated in the heart of South Carolina’s capital and largest city, is completely separated from the hustle and bustle of city life. While walking from building to building, students and visitors are more likely to hear birds than cars.

Despite being 215 years old, the school boasts a variety of brand new facilities, including their new broadcast journalism building and a student center set to open in 2017.

South Carolina is also home to the nation’s best Honors College, a recognition that is shared with visitors at the beginning of campus tours.

The main draw of the school is its ample Southern culture. On campus and around town, Southern hospitality is just as thick as the accents, and students take pride in being rooted in the South.

Another popular feature of the University of South Carolina is SEC football. The Carolina Gamecocks football team is a Division 1 program and a member of the Southeastern Conference, or SEC, notable for producing a wealth of national championship teams through top-level competition. The best way to experience school spirit is to take in a game with over 80,000 fans in Williams-Brice Stadium.

Hungry? Grab a world-class burger just a couple blocks from campus at Pawley’s Front Porch. This little local eatery has gained such a reputation that it was even featured on “Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives” with Guy Fieri. The fries are just as good, if not better, than the huge burgers. If a couple blocks seems like a hike, fret not! Pawley’s has a food truck that frequents the campus.

For being located in a small state, Columbia is a vibrant capital city with endless entertainment. It’s a great location for college students.

For the last few years, U of SC has gained popularity among Virginia Beach students through its rather aggressive recruitment of the area. The school also offers in-state tuition and huge academic scholarships in several situations, making it affordable for Virginians.

If you’re seeking a great college experience, you simply can’t go wrong with U of SC. From my personal experience, SEC schools provide the perfect atmosphere as well as a top-notch education. South Carolina is a shining example of this, and makes obvious students’ southern pride and desire for academic excellence.

Following their conference and regional titles from last year, the Swim and Dive teams are hoping to improve even more, in hopes of earning a top three spot in the state this season.

“We finished 4th last year and we have gained some key freshmen that will make an impact for us at states. I think we have a good chance, but it’s going to be difficult,” senior boys captain Colin Demers said.

The team started their season off with a bang, winning both meets, making them 2-0 so far. With increased senior leadership and dedication, the team looks forward to making more improvements and beating past records.

After the almost debilitating loss of longtime Head Coach Joe Gentry to cancer last season, both teams knew they had to work even harder and show the mental toughness necessary to continue on with the winning season.

“The senior captains are going to keep Coach Gentry’s legacy alive even after we graduate because he had such an impact on the team,” senior girls captain Katherine Degner said.

The team fought hard to keep their titles after Gentry’s passing and this season the captains intend to instill his winning mentality into the team to push them to states.

“Gentry had an impact on a lot of us that no one else had,” Demers said. “He created an atmosphere where everyone wanted to work hard and succeed, and we want that legacy to stick around.”

Recently, news staffer Hayley Needham visited the University of Alabama located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama and wrote about the school and her experience.

I really liked the large campus and even larger student body of more than 35,000 students.

I was lucky enough to tour the communications building, which contained state of the art film equipment and technology. The architecture of the buildings was just magnificent. Established in 1831, the school shows historic beauty with large white columns. Located in the south, it was originally burnt down during Civil War times by the Northern troops. However, they left three buildings, one of which is the president’s house, where the current president resides today.

The school spirit is so prevalent in both the city and in the whole state of Alabama. From the moment I stepped off the airplane, I was automatically surrounded by crimson red. A saying Alabama fans chant is, “Roll Tide,” which originated from a Rosebowl football game where the pack of Alabama Football players appeared as a rolling tide. I really liked how the whole town revolved around the school. The support from alumni and students was incredible.

The weather was around 75 degrees the whole weekend and tends to keep a warm climate even through winter months. The central part of campus is called “the Quad” which is a grassy area where most of the students spend their time reading, studying, throwing the Frisbee, or walking their dogs. On the north side of the quad lies the library and on the south side lies the president’s house. Around the perimeter of the quad are other academic buildings and the school’s own natural history museum.

Although the school won a national football championship this past year, both the basketball and baseball games were sold out, with large crowds of fans waiting in line that wrapped around the sports fields. I thought it was really cool how a school can get large attendance not just for major sports but for all of them.

The sorority houses are all newly built, 30 bedroom mansions located next to the Bryant-Denny football stadium. The school is home to over 60 Greek societies. Each participates in philanthropic events and other school functions.

I would highly recommend the University of Alabama for anyone who desires warm weather, a large student body and even larger school spirit.

Recently, the French Honor Society, or La Société Honoraire de Français, held their annual induction ceremony in the library.

The ceremony began with an address by Principal Dr. Randi Riesbeck, as well as remarks from sponsor and French teacher Margaret Beckner, who testified to the achievements of the new inductees.

Following seniors Sofia Schaff and Brendan Vachris’ description of the running of the torch, both in French and English, the inductees each lit a candle, passing the flame down the line.

After reciting the society’s motto in French and extinguishing their candles, the new members were awarded a pin and a certificate of membership from sponsor and French teacher Mary McMurran. They also received a kiss on each cheek, following the French tradition.

Current French Honor Society members junior Jessica Skye and seniors Ariana Ahmed and Brendan Vachris also prepared a musical performance for the ceremony.

New Inductees Include:

Emma Barnett

Haley Brown

Rani Bulala

Madeline Butkovich

Dana Culbertson

Sydney Doyon

Brittany Hall

Adia Horvath

Cecilia Jakovljevic

Trevor Jones

Qin Kang

Margaret Karuri

Micah Lall-Trai

KeShawn Lewis

Madeline Linn

Kelsey Lipscomb

Nick Martin

Jack Michaud

McKenna Nacey

Joseph Naggy

Alanis Vasquez

Zachery Scheuer

Matteo Sforza

Logan Sumner

John Suter, II

MacKenzie Wall

Samantha Whitsel

DECA students from the school, along with approximately 3,000 other DECA members from around the state, recently attended the State Leadership Conference at the Virginia Beach Convention Center.

DECA sponsor Jade Bolling attended the conference with the five Falcons who were chosen to compete, including Bradley Creamer (12), Michelle Ashby (11), Jade Davis (10), Philip Malatmatos (11), and Olivia Mlinscek (10).

Ashby placed in the top eight in the Business Finance Services category, qualifying her to attend DECA National Competition next month in Nashville, TN.

“This competition is huge in Northern Virginia and those schools bring hundreds of kids. We are growing though and our numbers have doubled since last year,” Bolling said. “Our goal for the future is to bring more kids to the state competition and eventually to nationals.

Falcon Press Media Editor Taylor Koontz visits FIT, the Fashion Institute of Technology, where she met her fellow class of 2020 students and toured the campus of where she has committed to spend her next 4 years.

The Fashion Institute of Technology is an internationally recognized college for design, fashion, art, communications, and business, located on 27^th and 7^th Avenue in New York City. It’s ranked #2 by Fashionista.com as one of the Top 20 Fashion Schools in the United States and #5 by Business of Fashion for Top Global Fashion Schools. The school is primarily known for its Fashion Design and Fashion Business Management majors, but it’s home to many other interesting fields such as Toy Design, Cosmetics and Fragrance Marketing, and Computer Animation. The school’s motto is “Where creativity gets down to business,” and that couldn’t be truer. The school’s primary focus is teaching their students real world applications so that they will graduate with many internships under their belt and job offers waiting for them.

When I first visited FIT, I was shocked by how safe and friendly the campus feels. 27^th Street, where FIT is located, is completely blocked off from traffic. The three dorm buildings, Alumni, Nagler, and Coed, are located directly across the street from the academic buildings. The school’s location on a single block gives FIT a real campus feel in the middle of New York City.

The students at FIT are confident in what they want to do and have a strong passion for their majors. They’re expected to take multiple internships throughout their 4 years of college and get the chance to work with some of the biggest companies in the industry. Their professors are required to have at least 10 years of experience in the industry and many of them still work in their field. If you are career driven and know what you want to do with your life, FIT may be the school for you.

FIT may have a rep for being a fashion school, but it does compete in Division III athletics and has nationally ranked sports teams. If a team sport isn’t your thing, FIT also has a state of the art gymnasium and offers yoga, spin, and Pilates classes.

FIT also has a large range of clubs and extracurricular activities for students to participate in. Its oldest club, the Merchandising Society, runs the schools on campus clothing boutique, the Style Shop. Other clubs include Runway27, the school’s fashion show club, W27, the school’s newspaper club, and even a Figure Skating club.

FIT is an academically driven university with a wide range of majors in the fields of Business, Design, and Liberal Arts. Students at FIT are driven and competitive in their field, the professors are professionals in the fields that they teach, and there is plenty of student life on campus, despite the school being in the middle of Manhattan. If you know what you want to do, want to live in an urban city, and are ready for 4 years of creativity and entrepreneurship, FIT may be the school for you.

The Falcon Lacrosse Club is already hard at work weeks before competition begins. Both the girls and boys teams have began play with organized practices at local elementary schools.

Even before structured practices began, both teams busied themselves with meetings and regular wall-ball sessions, which are basic practices geared toward revisiting fundamental skills and technique.

Prior to this season, the girls team had two consecutive state championship wins, and hopes to continue the winning streak.

Senior midfielder Erin Houston is looking forward to her final season of Falcon Lacrosse and believes their team motto, “Leave no doubt”, is appropriate in regard to what the team brings to the playing field.

“The team is showing strength already,” Houston said. “It should make for an exciting season.”

The girls will begin their season in Yorktown as they compete against Menchville High School on Wednesday, March 9.

The boys Lacrosse Club, part of the Southside District, is the only school composed exclusively of students that attend the school. All other boys lacrosse clubs, such as First Colonial and Princess Anne, accept players from other schools.

Junior Matthew Broccoletti believes that this is an advantage for the team.

“We have the upper hand because we all know each other and how everyone plays pretty well. It probably gets more complicated for the other teams,” Broccoletti said.

After weeks of preparation that began last month and multiple “Cashola’s” at various local restaurants to raise money for gear and necessities, as well as  the careful construction of an advanced team, Broccoletti believes that it will be a successful season for boys lacrosse.

“It should be a good year for us. We have talented players and good coaches and I can’t wait to play,” Broccoletti said.

The group is set to scrimmage Nansemond Suffolk at Great Neck Middle School on Friday, February 26.  Their first match is against Kellam and will be held at the Sportsplex.

The teams aim to practice daily until competition begins.

The SCA recently hosted their annual dodge ball event, this year a fundraiser specifically for breast cancer awareness and research.

“Dodge Cancer 2k16” featured teams composed of students and staff from the school, as well as from Alanton Elementary.

Sophomore Troy Kovalcheck, a student personally affected by the impact of breast cancer, organized the event along with senior Kris Devito. He also played on the SCA team and was pleased with the results.

“It was a lot of fun working with everyone,” Kovalcheck said. “The teachers from Alanton were amazing and my mom absolutely loved seeing all the support!”

Quoting famed dodge ball coach Patches O’Houlihan he added, “If you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a ball.”

In preparation for the event, SCA sold T-shirts that displayed the words “Pink Pride” on the day of the event to raise more money and awareness to support the cause. Patrons who wore their shirts gained free entry to the event.

Team “D-1 Bound” won the tournament and claimed the trophy, a dodge ball designed by sophomore Anna Michaud.

Seniors Jack Muriano and Seimi Park recently qualified as National Merit Scholarship Program (NMSP) finalists. Becoming a finalist in a pool of 1.5 million applicants, is an honor only bestowed to 15,000 students throughout the country.

The NSMP program is designed to recognize academically talented students for their contributions and accomplishments. Winners are eligible for thousands of dollars in scholarships, awarded through the National Merit Scholarship Corporation.

Eligibility  for this prestigious scholarship is determined by the student’s score on the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholar Qualification Test (PSAT/NMSQT®) which is generally administered before students’ junior year. Finalists are decided upon through their test scores, their high school’s recommendation, their applicant essay, as well as their academic record and extracurricular activities.

“I was so excited to find out I am officially a National Merit Scholar!  I worked really hard on the PSAT to qualify and on the application to move on from semi-finalist status,” Park said. “So, it’s great that my hard work paid off.”

The Falcons varsity basketball team honored their seniors at the last home game of the season against the Knights of Kellam last night.

After a massive upset against the sixth ranked in the conference, Lakeland High School, the Falcons recent win against Bayside High School kept the teams momentum strong.

The Falcons with a record of 7-10 planned to end the season strong as they did last night with their big win against Kellam High School.

Coach Bobby Wolfe has only positive things to say about his three seniors Greg Hahn, Chauncy Lizama, and Celvin Johnson, who are ending their high school basketball careers.

“They are great guys that have done great things for the program and have helped us get to where we are today,” Wolfe said.

The boys will continue to battle it out at Landstown High School on Friday, Feb. 19.

This past weekend, Emory University flew news staffer Seimi Park out for their admitted students weekend, a program which included three packed days of student panels, resource fairs, information sessions, and more. She wrote about her experience at her possible home for the next four years.

When I first set foot on the marbled floors of the breathtaking campus, a current student came up and greeted me with the happiest expression on her face. She was a complete stranger and yet she took the time to greet me, introduce herself, and welcome me to the school.

Once I was settled, I had the opportunity to visit classes. I chose to sit in on Intro to Comparative Politics and Creative Writing. Both had relatively small class sizes of 10 to 15 people, which is great for those who want close relationships with their professors. The coursework was very interesting and I learned from current students that the work is very hard, but definitely manageable.

Aside from academics, there are so many clubs and activities on campus. From Division III sports and student government to acapella groups and newspaper, there is something for everyone. During my short time at the school, I was able to go bowling, take free salsa dancing lessons, watch performances from the campus dance groups, visit the petting zoo, go to a barbecue cookout, and ride a mechanical bull! Students will never be bored, especially with so much to do off-campus in the huge city of Atlanta.

Beyond all of this, I made the best group of friends. My peers at Emory were so intelligent, genuine, and open-minded, truly taking the time to get to know every person at the program. As we were discussing our possible majors, giving recommendations, and making suggestions for each other, I came to the realization that the school was a highly cooperative environment. The success of one is the success of all and the students truly do work to build you up into the best version of yourself and that is my favorite aspect of the school.

According to US News and World Report, Emory is currently reported as #21 in national universities. The school is known primarily for its research facilities and specializes in education in the following areas: medicine, law, writing, and business. If any of this sounds appealing, I would highly recommend checking out Emory.

Two Falcon wrestlers recently competed in the state tournament at Oscar Smith High School.

The State tournament is composed of the top wrestlers in Virginia, and sometimes the Nation. This creates tough competition at all weight classes.

Despite losing both of their matches, juniors Keanu Altares (113lbs) and Logan Watts (138lbs) fought until the last whistle.

“It was a great opportunity to compete with the best of the best,” Watts said.

Watts placed fourth in the region, and teammate Altares placed second in the region and wrestled in the regional finals.

“We had a great season, but next year is ours,” Altares said.

The Falcon wrestling team ended the season strong, finishing with a record of 14-7.

Several faculty members have organized an African American Summit in honor of Black History Month. The summit will be held on Friday, Feb. 12, in the auditorium during 2A and is open to all classes.

The summit will consist of historical events, including music, dance, and literature from the 20th century, with performances from theater and band students, as well as teachers and other students within the school.

Dr. Kellie Mason, Dr. Vera McLaughlin, Mrs. Wendy Matthis, along with a few students from each grade level have been planning the event for months and look forward to spreading knowledge to everyone who attends.

According to Mason, the goal for the summit is to inform all students of the historical events that took place in the 60’s, 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s.

National Signing Day has once again come and gone, ending some of the anxiety for student-athletes around the country who signed to their school of choice.

Faculty, staff, students, and parents were on hand to watch yesterday as several of the school’s student-athletes joined in the celebration and annual ceremony that highlighted their accomplishments thus far, as well as acknowledged their futures in the academic and sports arenas.

The following students will be honored:
Football:
Cole Johnson – James Madison University

Matt Demasi – Hampden Sydney

Jake Herslow – Old Dominion University

Mikkel Franklin – UVA Wise

Field Hockey:
Alex Brewer – Old Dominion University
Cameron Felch – Limestone College

Swimming:
Claire Ostrowski – United States Naval Academy
Georgia DaCruz – Queens University

Katherine Degner – Washington & Lee

Cross Country & Track:
Jonathan Lomogda – Yale University

Softball:
Kayleigh Willis – University of North Carolina, Greensboro

Girls Soccer:
Alex Davidson – Old Dominion University

Boys Volleyball:

Bradley Creamer – George Mason University

Equestrian:
Darby Cole – University of Georgia

Girls Volleyball:
Taylor Dunn – UMBC
Ashlee Jaworski – UNC Pembroke

Boys Lacrosse:

Davis Chewey – SUNY Maritime College

Senior news staffer Seimi Park visits Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania, where she has chosen to attend in the fall, and writes about her experiences on campus that lead her to this decision.

Swarthmore College is a selective liberal arts school that specializes in engineering and political science majors. Ranked 7th in the nation by Forbes and ranked #3 in liberal arts schools by US News, the school is known for its rigorous academics and prestige.

This past weekend, I had the opportunity to visit Swarthmore for their admitted students’ event, Swatstruck, which includes student panels, activities fairs, class visits, and more.

Located just 10 minutes from Philadelphia and within very close proximity to Washington D.C. and New York City, I expected the campus to look very industrial and urban, but I found that the opposite is true. Swarthmore was built within an arboretum and features acres upon acres of wildlife.

I started my day off by visiting two classes, Comparative Politics and Research and Analysis. Both classes had around 10 students and were more discussion-oriented instead of lecture-based. One advantage to attending liberal arts schools is the low student-to-teacher ratio, which allows students to build very close relationships with their professors.

After classes, I had lunch in the Sharples dining hall where I got to talk to current students about their favorite aspects of the school. Many noted the abundance of scholarships and grants for unique internships and research opportunities. The Lang Center for Civic and Social Responsibility, located on campus, helps students connect to these resources.

Despite the heavy focus on education, Swarthmore students have time for a range of fun activities, whether it’s spending the day exploring Philly, watching the games of the many Division III sports, or joining a wide variety of clubs, from The Daily Gazette newspaper to the Mother Puckers, a club for those interested in recreational ice hockey. There is virtually something for everyone and you will never be bored.

Most importantly, every student at Swat genuinely cares about his or her education and wants to learn, not for the sake of getting a high GPA or recognition, but simply to know more about the world we live in. Attending the event with such intelligent and motivated people inspired me to work even harder. I want to be the kind of person worthy to go to school with such incredible peers and the sense of community I felt is why I will be attending Swarthmore College in the fall.