After a decade without a student newspaper, Grimsley High School revives a nearly 100-year legacy with The Whirlie Post. Beyond reporting news and issues, the Post aspires to embody the spirit and diverse voices of Grimsley's student community - building connections and sparking change. A Vision For the Whirlie Post Creating a community in conversation with itself at Grimsley High School. By Ashley Crowell As you drive to school one morning, the first nine houses you pass look quiet and peaceful. Then, you come to the tenth house. It’s on fire, and there are police cars and fire trucks parked outside. Which house would you be curious about, one of the normal, peaceful homes, or the house that is on fire? For many people, that’s all news is—a place to learn about the exceptions to normal life, the house that’s on fire. And while that is an essential function of a newspaper, our dream is for The Whirlie Post to be so much more than news. The Whirlie Post can be a place to build community with fellow students, to learn about the different types of people who make up the rich, diverse tapestry of Grimsley High School. The Post can be a place where your opinions are voiced, creating a spark of change in our community. The student paper is also a place where we can celebrate our strengths as a community and work together to overcome our weaknesses. For nearly 100 years, Grimsley High School’s previous student newspaper, the High Life , fulfilled this noble purpose by chronicling the highs and lows of our historic school. From triumphant sports victories to issues important for students, the High Life was the voice of Grimsley Students. However in 2013, the High Life ceased to exist, present only in dusty editions stuffed away in the corner of the media center. A hundred years of history, forgotten, but not lost. The High Life was published from 1920-2013, and included important school events, sports, local news stories, and important issues for students. The paper featured articles about dress code for girls in the 1950s, Vietnam War protests in the 1960s and drug use in the 1970s. Looking back through those musty pages, one sees snapshots of history, watches wars come and go, clothes change from buttoned-up blouses to bell-bottoms to Bermuda shorts, and witnesses as Grimsley itself grows and changes throughout the years. Yet one thing remained constant; the newspaper continued to embody the spirit and voice of the students of Grimsley. The Whirlie Post aspires to become the spirit and voice of the next generation of Grimsley students, and to document the highs and lows of a high school community in conversation with itself. We are grateful for the legacy of the High Life and look forward to building on it to create a better community at Grimsley—and bring you news, too! Meet the Current Staff Ashley Crowell, class of '26, Editor, Website Manager and Staff Writer Jake Acosta, class of '26, Photographer and Staff Writer Georgette Beaumont, class of '27, Staff Writer Vishruth Bhargava, class of '26, Staff Writer Lincoln Casey, class of '26, Staff Writer and Website Manager Aissatou Coly, class of '26, Staff Writer Andrew Crowell, class of '26, Copy Editor Juliet Fisher, class of '27, Staff Writer Kennedy Goree, class of '27, Staff Writer Collin Hicks, class of '26, Staff Writer Kevin Massey, class of '26, Photographer Heather Monge-Ceciliano, class of '26, Staff Writer Sarah "Sally" Nagappan, class of '27, Staff Writer Chance Phillips, class of '26, Social Media Manager and Website Manager Mila Pucilowski, class of '27, Staff Writer Ava Lani Schmutzer, class of '26, Staff Writer Savannah Singleton, class of '26, Social Media Manager Heidi White, class of '26, Staff Writer and Illustrator Evan Post, Teacher Advisor Dimon Kendrick-Holmes, Exec. Editor News & Record, Community Advisor Linn Crowell, Parent Advisor For a complete list of past staff, click here

Grimsley mourns the loss of Molly Rotunda, a remarkable 2022 graduate whose vibrant spirit touched all she met. From choir to swim team, Molly encouraged inclusion and positivity at Grimsley, letting her light shine. Her community will honor her legacy of boundless joy and kindness to others. Photo from Biographie.filmi.com A Tribute to Molly Rotunda The Grimsley Community mourns the loss of a beloved alumna. By Kennedy Goree Feb. 29, 2024 Mary Elizabeth “Molly” Rotunda, class of 2022, is a Whirlie to remember. She made a huge impact on every community she was a part of, including Grimsley High School. Early Sunday morning on January 21, 2024, Molly passed away in a fatal car accident. She was 20 years old. Those who knew Molly remember her as a fantastic singer, athlete, and friend. At Grimsley she embodied inclusivity and positivity, leaving a legacy that should be honored. Molly was very active at her church, Christ United Methodist (CUMC), creating a space for her to foster meaningful relationships. “From Molly, I learned the value of jumping into opportunities with exuberance and joy,” said Pastor Katey Galyon, the youth pastor at CUMC. “Molly embraced every Sunday School class, Youth Group retreat, mission opportunity, and more with excitement. She let her light shine so brightly that others wanted to join her in whatever activity she was doing.” Through letting her light shine at church, she was also able to let her light shine at Grimsley. Molly loved to sing, she was very active in the choir and musical productions at her church and became a Madrigal at Grimsley. Whether she was singing at church or school, she always helped those around her to see the good in life, and how to share that happiness through singing. “Her positive mindset was an impenetrable defense against life's challenges.” said Marshall “MJ” Johnson, head of the Vocal Music department. “It really helped having her around every day to remind us of the good.” Molly was a lifeguard and swim coach at Green Valley, and in her senior year, Molly joined the Grimsley varsity swim team. Even as a senior, Molly was still not nervous to try something new. “I'm so glad that she chose to swim her senior year so that the team had that time to interact with her,” said Coach Susan Skipper, the swim coach at Grimsley. “She set a very positive example for everyone on the team with her indefatigable happy spirit.” Molly is remembered by her family and friends as being good at loving others. She made sure others felt included and like they mattered. Emily Phillips, a senior at GHS, said she and Molly grew up together at CUMC. “Molly never knew a stranger,” Phillips said. “She always positively impacted others around her and embodied Susan Norman Vickers’ [a former CUMC pastor] saying ‘Make a friend, be a friend.’ Molly encouraged togetherness and never left a soul untouched.” Out of the many communities Molly impacted throughout her life, Grimsley is so lucky to have been one of them. Molly continues to spread her light to others. “Molly was such a big bright light,” Phillips said. “She always had a smile on her face, always in a good mood, and always including everyone around her. I want to be like Molly when I grow up. I want to be able to make people smile, I want to make everyone feel included, I want my good mood to be contagious. … She spread joy. She spread happiness.”

Connecting with Community at Grimsley There are so many different opportunities outside of the classroom at Grimsley High School. By Kennedy Goree March 14, 2025 The best advice for making friends in high school might go like this: Find something to become connected to, whether it’s a sport or club, singing or dance team, that you enjoy doing and will lead you to people who will be some of your best friends. With nearly 2,000 students, the many ways you can connect with your school community is an important and essential part of Grimsley’s culture. Junior Antony Pena joined JROTC and the cross country team at Grimsley his freshman year. By getting out of his comfort zone, Antony has been able to make the most of his time at Grimsley. “My freshman year I started going to football games, and since I got involvedI in JROTC, we would clean up the stadiums the Saturday after the game,” Pena said. “Overall, the different experiences and friends I've made freshman year are what made the rest of my time here until now amazing. So don’t be afraid to try new things! Do a sport, join a club, whatever. It really does make all the difference with your experience here.” Another great opportunity to get involved in campus life is the Club Expo at the beginning of the school year. Different clubs set up tables near five points as a way to connect with new members. “I got connected at Grimsley through the club expo, and hearing my friends talk about the different clubs,” Sophomore Katia Lopez-Giron said. Lopez-Giron is involved in clubs such as DECA, (Distributive Education Clubs of America), and L’amities International, a pen pal club with students from France! “Getting involved has made me learn so many different skills and ways of thinking that have shaped me into who I am today,” she said. Alumna Andi Liegh Waldrop is a senior at Appalachian State University and took full advantage of the opportunities at Grimsley. She was a student ambassador, helped with the food pantry and sang with the Madrigals. “Getting involved shaped my high school experience because it gave me a feeling of belonging and purpose and allowed me to meet new people,” she said. “I gained skills such as leadership, time management, and communication, which has served me well throughout my college experience.” Grimsley alumna Emily Phillips put herself out there as a freshman and made a built-in group of friends through the volleyball program. “I found myself through my sport and friends groups so I knew what I wanted when choosing my college,” said Phillips, now a freshman at Averett College. These are only a few examples of how finding connections at Grimsley can improve your high school experience. Asking friends and neighbors about their experiences at Grimsley can be a rewarding experience and show just how much spirit and love Grimsley provides. Future Whirlie Roland Goree is an 8th grader at a small middle school. Goree is looking forward to meeting new people and having new experiences that will shape his high school career. “I can’t wait to attend football games,” he said, “and get involved in clubs that interest me.” Check out some of our articles about the different clubs and activities at Grimsley: Cher Ami : Club L'Amitié Internationale at Grimsley is building international relationships through pen pal letters. Tight Knit: Grimsley Needlework Club Started by Two Sophomores Objection Your Honor! Grimsley's Mock Trial Club prepares students for the future. Giving Back to Grimsley : Grimsley Goods finds ways to create a better Grimsley.

Earlier this year stairways at Grimsley were redone, with more renovations coming soon. Photo by Kevin Massey Grimsley Bathrooms To Be Renovated This Summer Indoor cosmetic renovations, as well as bathrooms and AC will be addressed during summer renovations. By Ava Lani Schmutzer April 4, 2024 Long overdue and extremely welcome renovations will happen this summer at Grimsley High School. Though the school is No. 30 on the list of Guilford County schools to be fixed up, Grimsley is getting a headstart, with surface-level renovations beginning this year. The county finally will revamp bathrooms in the Main, Old Science, and Vocational buildings! Crumbling walls also will receive attention, and there are plans to fix the air conditioning in classrooms with AC units under the windows. Two years ago, Guilford County Commissioners toured Grimsley with the intent of finding out what needed to be done. The result? Commissioners deemed Grimsley the worst school they had seen, according to a Fox8 News report. “When you pass by this road, and you see this magnificent campus, you think everything is great, but until you go inside, then you will be amazingly disappointed,” said County Chairman Skip Alston. Grimsley was determined a top priority, but there had been no update on renovation progress until now. In 2020 and 2022, Guilford County voters approved bonds totaling $2 billion to build new schools and renovate or replace many schools in the county. Next door, Kiser Middle School is already receiving the benefits of these bonds, being completely rebuilt on both Grimsley and Kiser land. Grimsley’s full renovation is expected to cost around $50 million, but the school is getting a head start as of this summer. These plans have high standards to fulfill for students and teachers alike. Sylvia DiRosa-Taylor, a freshman, has come up with many more ideas for Grimsley renovation in her short time here, including a deep clean, new fans, windows, and doors, as well as menu refurbishing. ‘‘Having a clean and renovated environment, including the bathrooms and classrooms, will help foster a greater attention to learning and a better environment,” she said. “This is nicer for the students, the teachers, and everyone involved.” “I think it’s a great idea. I think it’s long overdue,” said Mrs. Requel Howard, a Spanish teacher. “I just hope that…Guilford County Schools provides the resources to maintain the new stuff over the course of time, because it’s fine to put in new stuff, but if you don’t keep it up and clean it and maintain it…it doesn’t do any good if you’re just going to neglect it.” Other teachers echo this sentiment, including Mrs. Lisa Mortenson, a social studies teacher. “We are going to keep using old buildings, which is wonderful for historic tradition, but we have to put in money to maintain them,” she said. “They’ve added electricity, they’ve added internet stuff - they should be able to maintain plumbing.”

Grimsley volleyball captain Charlotte Williams copes with anxiety by embracing campus resources. Her message to students: stay present, seek support, remember one grade won't define you. Volleyball captain Charlotte Williams, Photo by Jake Acosta and Kevin Massey "Overwhelmed" Grimsley Senior Charlotte Williams overcomes her anxiety. By Ashley Crowell Feb. 29, 2024 Charlotte Williams may not seem like someone who struggles with anything. She is a captain of the Grimsley volleyball team, a dedicated student and a confident young woman. Yet Charlotte Williams wrestles with anxiety. She was diagnosed with anxiety at the age of six and has been learning to cope with it for most of her life. “It started with things that I obviously wasn’t in control of that freaked me out when I was really young,” Williams said. “But as I got into middle school and high school, it turned into more common things…like an academic pressure, which a lot of high schoolers feel.” Then during her sophomore year, the pressure and expectation had come to the point where Williams felt like she needed help. “I’ve always been a person where if my life feels out of control I focus on one thing that I am 'in control of,’ so for me that was school,” Williams said. “So I always put so much effort into school…and you just feel overwhelmed.” Williams was in therapy as a child, but had not been for several years preceding sophomore year. Her parents suggested that they take a different approach and see the sports psychologist at Grimsley. Sports psychology focuses on the wellbeing of athletes and addresses the mental aspect of a sport. For Williams, using sports psychology helped her channel her anxiety through a much-loved activity–volleyball–to work through her stress. “I learned a lot of breathing things…and just taking a moment,” Williams said. “We joke about if you’re going up to serve in a big game, just tie your shoe, take a moment.” She also learned that music and having fun are important ways of releasing stress, rather than becoming tense or worked up about a game. “I’m super competitive, but at the same time I like to have fun,” Williams said. “I’d rather have fun and give my all, versus being so in my head that I can’t give my all.” While being a leader on the court, Williams has also been a team captain since her junior year and has become an example for others who are facing similar struggles. “Girls who would come to me and express similar situations…and it was like, ‘Oh, I’ve been in the same position,” Williams said. “High schoolers often struggle with anxiety and depression. High schoolers put a lot of pressure on themselves, whether people like to admit it or not.” High school is full of stressful social situations and academic pressure, and students can often lose sight of what’s truly important. The weight of the future, and the decisions students are making now feel like an enormous responsibility. Yet as Williams said, “It’s high school, and one B is not going to end your life. It’s going to be ok, that’s important to remember.” If Williams could speak directly to all Grimsley students on the office loudspeaker, she would tell them, “If you need help, seek out for it. It’s there. I’ve gone to the counselors here and they’re always good.” Her best advice to her fellow students is “be in the moment, and don’t worry so much about the future that you can’t control.” Continue reading Anxiety Is Real: I struggle with anxiety in high school. Do you?

The Whirlie Cafe is brewing up life skills and community at Grimsley High. Run by exceptional students and teacher Jessica Fancourt, it serves faculty lattes and cookies with a side of job training. Supporting dreams and building inclusion with each cup. Madame Jennifer Johnston Kerns orders coffee online from The Whirlie Cafe. Photo by Jake Acosta and Kevin Massey The Whirlie Cafe: What It Is and Why It Matters Exceptional students serve up coffee and gain valuable experience. By Lincoln Casey Feb. 29, 2024 A new addition to the historic halls of Grimsley is serving up hot coffee while also providing valuable skills to its students. The Whirlie Cafe, est. 2023, is run by the Exceptional Children at Grimsley. Open 9:30 to 11 a.m, they currently only serve faculty members and staff, but hope to open for students in the future. “A lot of what we teach are job skills because we hope that after graduation they will get competitive employment,” said Ms. Jessica Fancourt, the EC teacher who created the cafe. “So the cafe gives them real life experience while they are at school.” The students love serving coffee at The Whirlie Cafe, and now with their new espresso machine they can make lattes. The most popular drink at The Whirlie Cafe is hot chocolate. “The drinks are amazing,” said Madame Jennifer Johnston Kerns, a French teacher at Grimsley, and oat milk latte fan. “I am kind of boring. I get the same drink every time, but every time it's been outstanding!” In addition to outstanding drinks, the cafe also serves cookies on occasion. Ms. Fancourt previously owned a cookie business and often bakes delicious cookies to serve at the cafe. All the profits from the cafe go to the EC adaptive program. Ms. Fancourt’s interest in teaching exceptional students began when she was in high school. “I have always had a soft spot for people with disabilities in high school,” she said. “The high school that I attended did a program. It was kind of like a teacher cadet program. We would have students come in and volunteer during the day in a special education classroom and so I just built relationships and then I just thought it would be a great field to go into.” The cafe provides a little extra energy to Grimsley’s amazing faculty and staff while also connecting the community with every cup of coffee.

Ms. Jennifer Brockett is a new art teacher at Grimsley. Photo by Kevin Massey Meet Your Teacher: Ms. Brockett Jennifer Brockett, a new art teacher, loves the diversity at Grimsley. By Juliet Fisher December 17, 2024 This school year Grimsley High School welcomes several new teachers, including a new art teacher, Ms. Jennifer Brockett. Ms. Brockett teaches Art I and Art III honors. Even though Ms. Brockett is new to Grimsley, she is certainly not new to teaching. This is her 21st year teaching. In previous years she has taught art at all different levels including IB and AP art. In her free time, you can see her running, traveling, or trying new restaurants with her husband. “My husband and I love to eat. We love to try new places and foods,” Ms. Brockett said. As a kid, Ms. Brockett was really into art and still is to this day. Her main medium is painting, but she likes doing a little bit of everything. Her experience in many art mediums allows her to bring diverse projects to her students. Ms. Brockett used to teach in Tennessee and Texas. She discovered Grimsley when she and her husband moved to North Carolina because of her husband's new job. “I knew I wanted to teach at an IB school,” Ms. Brockett said. “Grimsley was highly recommended, so I knew it would be a great fit.” Ms. Brockett knew she always wanted to work with kids. In some of her earlier jobs, such as a snowboard instructor and a daycare worker, she knew she wanted a teaching aspect in her job. “I love being around kids and their positive energy,” Ms. Brockett said. “I knew ever since my early jobs I wanted to work with them in my future.” Ms. Brockett loves to teach because she likes getting to know all different kinds of kids and discovering their personalities. “Every student is unique,” Ms. Brockett said, “which makes Grimsley such a fun and diverse place to be.”

Ace the Second Semester: Study Tips for Success Finish the school year strong. By Aissatou Coly February 26, 2025 As the first half of the third quarter draws to the end, many students feel overwhelmed and stressed because their grades are not where they want them to be. Although this may be discouraging, there are many strategies you can use to help you meet your goals by the end of the school year! For starters, many students tend to set goals that are unrealistic and vague. Setting unrealistic goals will ultimately do more harm than good, which will make you less likely to meet them. This can lead to a vicious cycle of burnout and stress because your goals will seem virtually impossible to achieve, ultimately leading to lower grades. Instead, try setting clear, attainable goals such as “I want to raise my math grade by 5 points this quarter” instead of saying “I want to do better in math this quarter”. Having a clear goal in sight will help motivate you and give you direction. “Setting clear and realistic goals helps me with my grades because it's like an outline,” Junior Aubreigh Duckworth said. “It helps me remember what I need to do and when I need to do it to be successful and achieve my goals.” Many students also tend to not ask for help from teachers or fellow classmates when they don’t understand something. Many students, including myself, are often nervous to ask for help simply because they are afraid others will think that they are “dumb”, or everyone else understands it, so there is no point in asking for help. But this simply isn’t the case! Most of the time, many students have the same questions, and are just too afraid to ask for help just like you are. Teachers are also there to help students learn, so don’t be afraid to ask for help. One question could help 10 students! Another common pitfall is pulling all-nighters. Although it’s tempting and may seem productive, you should try your hardest to never pull an all-nighter. Pulling an all-nighter can hurt your memory and concentration! To help retain everything that you learned during the day at school and while studying, you should aim to get 7-10 hours of sleep each night to help keep your mind fresh and sharp. Lastly, make sure that you celebrate all of your achievements– no matter how small they may seem. Did you get an A on a test that was on a really difficult topic? Or did you manage to not check your phone during your study session? Celebrating these wins will help keep you motivated for the rest of the semester, setting you up for success!! “Rewarding myself for raising my AP pre calc grade to an A motivates me to do well because it makes me feel better about myself and my accomplishments,” Junior Heather Monge-Ceciliano said. The second semester is a fresh start with new opportunities. Adopting these study habits will help you achieve your academic goals, and with staying organized. Good luck, and happy studying!

Stress : How Does It Affect You Physically? Learn how stress affects your physical health, and ways to combat it. By Vishruth Bhargava February 23, 2025 Everyday life can be stressful, especially for a student. With worrying about college, grades, and even sports, the continued stress that affects students can take a toll on their mental health. However, prolonged stress doesn’t just affect a person’s mental health; it also affects their physical health, but how? When a person is stressed, their muscles tighten up as a reflex, and if they are under stress for a long period of time, the prolonged tenseness of their muscles can lead to issues. These can include tension headaches, lower back pain, slow injury recovery, and other chronic pain conditions, according to the American Psychological Association. Also, when asked, many students recall experiencing headaches before a big test when tensions are high. The Cleveland Clinic also remarks that increased stress causes increased cortisol, which is a hormone in your brain that deals with the stress response, and according to Healthline, extensive exposure to cortisol can lead to weight gain, slow muscle growth, bone loss, fatigue, and more. Increased blood pressure is also an effect of high stress levels, and it can lead to more very serious health problems. High blood pressure can lead to faster heart palpitation, and over a long period of time, these increased palpitations increase the risk for heart attacks, heart disease, stroke, hypertension, and more. Extensive stress is a dangerous thing and it can cause many very serious health issues, so how can it be managed? NYC Health and Hospitals suggests a few methods. Take care of yourself. Eating a well balanced diet, exercising regularly, and getting enough sleep, even though it’s hard, can reduce stress levels a lot. Self relaxation. Meditating, doing yoga, praying, doing yoga, and swimming are all things that can calm you down. Take breaks. Recharging once in a while, especially as a student, can help you avoid burnout and keep you energized throughout the day. Seek out social help. Asking a counselor, parent, friend, doctor, or religious role model can give you the guidance you need to lower your stress levels. Connect with others. Spending time with the people you love like your family and friends can help alleviate the mental load that is causing you stress. Maintain a normal schedule. Getting up and going to bed at the same time every day can reduce variability in your day and lighten your load by giving you less to think about. Give back to the community. Volunteering, donating, or helping somebody out is proven to make a person happier. In fact, when asked, many students said that after their volunteer shift, they are much more relaxed throughout their day. High school is a daunting time that causes stress for students everywhere, but by knowing how it affects you and how to stop it, you can gain some control in your life and live a peaceful life. Please be sure to speak with your counsellor if you have any more issues with your mental health or if you have any more questions.

Musical Traditions at Grimsley: Open Mic Night Grimsley’s Modern Band stars in a night filled with Grimsley’s musical talent. By Mila Pucilowski February 26, 2025 Over the years, Grimsley High School has built up many valued and loved traditions. One of those is Open Mic Night. Open Mic Night is a music department tradition. The event happens four times a year and is run by Grimsley's modern band and their teacher Marshall Johnson. Marshall Johnson, called MJ by his students, has been teaching at Grimsley for 22 years. He started the Modern Band program at Grimsley in 2019. “My personal philosophy is that you need to meet students where they are at musically, not try to jam everybody into a one size fits all kind of option.” MJ said. Because of this, Modern Band classes offer opportunities to learn how to play instruments such as bass, guitar, keyboard and drums, and collaborate with other students on popular songs for Open Mic Night. The songs range from “Hey Jude” by the Beatles and Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition” to Taylor Swift's “Red” and “Espresso” by Sabrina Carpenter. “I think I’ve just gotten even better as a musician,” said Junior Andrew Crowell, the keyboardist for the Modern Band. “I wasn’t sure how I would do when I first signed up for the class, but I’ve learned a lot about playing music, and I”ve discovered a lot of musicians and songs through preparing for open mic. I’ve added a lot of new music to my library.” Over the five years of the Modern Band Program, “we've continued to add more and more talent to the program,” MJ said. Open Mic is the perfect place for these students to showcase their talents, as well as gain the experience of setting up for shows and performing live for crowds. “It feels good to know that there’s a lot of talented musicians at Grimsley, and it’s really fun to be able to perform music with other people my age,” Crowell said. Performing "Jump" by Van Halen are Modern Band students Grey Davis, guitar; Noah Dupont, bass; Andrew Crowell, keyboard and Elijah Blow, drums at the February Open Mic. Modern Band student Sophomore Nate Fitzgerald’s favorite part of Open Mic Night is “having moments where everyone comes together, actually makes a song and being able to show it off, and have people watch.” Open Mic is also a great opportunity for people who aren't in a music class to showcase their talent. It's also a perfect place to hear different types of music. The evening features anything from metal bands, rock, to instrumentalists playing saxophone in jazz songs. Even if you're not interested in performing, Open Mic Night is still a perfect activity to hang out with friends and meet new people. The next Open Mic is April 3rd. “I love Open Mic, it's always a fun experience to get dressed up with my friends and go listen to good music,” said Junior Genni Porter, who's been attending Open Mic for years. Open Mic started in the early 2010’s before the modern band program even existed. The event was an expansion of the previous tradition called Coffee House, started in the mid 1990’s by Grimsley Madrigal singers to perform songs for each other. But once MJ started Open Mic Night, the two merged together with a mix of singers and bands performing for the night. Now it's more of a performance night for the modern band classes to showcase what they've been working on throughout the year. However, the concert is still open to performers outside of modern band. Open Mic Night has evolved throughout the years and become the perfect place to watch emerging musical talent at Grimsley High School.

Grimsley Senior Alexander Carpenter poses for a photo. Photo by Kevin Massey Film By Grimsley Student Wins State Competition Golden Dawn director and Grimsley senior Alexander Carpenter aspires to be a successful filmmaker. By Ashley Crowell April 4, 2024 Many people dream of being famous one day, becoming a successful musician, athlete or actor. One Grimsley student is already well on his way to achieving his dream “to become a renowned filmmaker, a name that everybody knows,” said Grimsley senior Alexander Carpenter. Carpenter’s latest project is Golden Dawn , a post-apocalyptic style film that was recently named the winner of the NC Filmworks competition. His project has been shown in several film festivals in the state and also will be featured in the Grimsley Playmasters Film Festival on May 17. As part of the competition, the filmmakers are given a required prop, line of dialogue and a selection of film genres from which to choose. Golden Dawn follows three characters in a post-apocalyptic world who are going to steal gold from a cult. “It’s a pretty wild story, but it works well,” said Carpenter, laughing. Carpenter created the film for the competition with some of his classmates in the IB Film class taught by Mr. Matthew Ringrose. “Some of the crew I had worked with on other projects, making films and acting,” said Carpenter. “Some of the crew were working on The Haunted Tour at the time and so I was able to ask them.” Carpenter and his crew had just one week to create the film as part of the competition. “The filming process was kinda tough because there were so many other productions going on, like The Haunted Tour and a bunch of testing…so scheduling was really hard.” Despite having many challenges during production, including microphone malfunctions and restricted shooting times, the team managed to finish in time. “My favorite part of the production was how smooth everything came together,” said Carpenter. Carpenter has had lots of practice putting together film projects and working to have everything come together. “I used to make short little films with a GoPro camera that I had and a couple of other cameras,” said Carpenter. “I was always interested in how people made films and made special effects for films, and that got me interested in editing and putting things together.” Carpenter is well on his way to becoming a successful filmmaker, having won this competition the previous year, yet he continues to seek opportunities to grow and learn more about his art. “The inspiration for this film was kind of an improvement on my project from last year…and I wanted to do a better job of storytelling and creating a more fully designed set.” Storytelling remains the foundation for Carpenter’s films, and he continues to use all of the different elements of filmmaking to tell that story. “Since film is a mostly visual medium, the ability to tell a story through what you’re seeing on the screen, and not necessarily just some dialogue, is something that I really look up to.”

Giving Back to Grimsley Grimsley Goods finds ways to create a better Grimsley. By Carter Watson April 4, 2024 All throughout Grimsley, a spirit of engagement develops as students come together to create a positive impact within Grimsley and throughout the community. Grimsley Goods, a student-led organization, focuses on the food and clothing insecurity in our school’s community. From food drives and clothing donations to teaming up with local organizations, students work together to ensure that every Grimsley student has access to nutritious food and winter coats. This club reflects the dedication and empathy of Grimsley students who understand the importance of assisting and supporting one another. “Grimsley goods is a simple way to help others in a significant way by providing food security and support for those in need,” said Allison Lunsford, a sophomore and an active member of Grimsley Goods. “This club is significant to me because it provides an opportunity to make a meaningful impact on Grimsley.” With the Grimsley Goods Club service learning has become a popular way for students to give back to Grimsley. Service learning not only gives back to the school, but also allows students to enrich their own experiences. Whether it’s volunteering at a soup kitchen, participating in a cleanup service, or even tutoring underclassmen, Grimsley students continue to explore ways to engage in their community and contribute to making a difference in the lives of others. As Grimsley students continue to find and research ways to give back and contribute to our community and our school, the future of Grimsley looks brighter than ever. With each act of service and moment of kindness, students are not only making a difference but also laying a foundation for future students and a caring society. In the halls of Grimsley High School, the spirits of activism, service, and compassion are thriving, inspiring each and every one of us to strive for a better tomorrow.