While the quarantine due to the coronavirus has affected my everyday life in many ways, it certainly has taught me many lessons that will never be forgotten. Although it has been difficult to make such...

Sophomore year, I decided to join the staff of The Central Trend.  Although I wasn’t sure what I was signing up for, I was eager to become a better writer and learn more about what the class was...

After noticing Netflix’s new film The Lovebirds on the list of the top ten movies on the platform, I decided to see what the rom-com was all about. After getting just a few minutes in, I found the film...

As quarantine has left my family stuck at home for weeks, I have come to appreciate the time I get to spend with my sister much more. As Anna is a freshman in college and spent her senior year training...

After watching season one of Netflix’s Dead to Me, I anxiously awaited the day that season two would be available to watch. In the transition of seasons, the dark comedy became even better than the original...

When Soul Surfer was released in the year of 2011, I remember watching it countless times with my closest friends. The exciting film told surfer Bethany Hamilton’s story about the shark attack that took...

I never would have imagined that March 11 would be my last day at school of my junior year. I never would have imagined that the next time I will walk through the double doors by the student parking...

With an abrupt and early end to the school year, senior Megan Raisch has found herself with plenty of time on her hands. As she no longer spends hours each day focusing on her school work, Megan has been...

With endless time on my hands in the midst of the stay-at-home order, I find myself binge watching countless seasons of Netflix shows. While some are just meaningless ways to pass the time, season two...

After competing in gymnastics since the young age of five, freshman Abby Cumings has retired her gymnastics career due to an intense shoulder injury from her highly competitive years as a gymnast. While...

After producing four hit films together, Mark Whalberg and Peter Berg conspired once again in an attempt to create another film full of action, comedy, and thrills for the audience. Their newest work,...

This week is my final week of off-season.  As cross country came to an end in November, I entered a period of free time following my long days spent at school. I was handed the ability to catch up...

Buffalo can be defined as a low-income, high-crime city in New York, but it is also a word entitling intimidation. Make the word past tense, and it quickly becomes a unique and fitting title for a movie...

This weekend my grandma celebrated her 75 birthday.  When asked how she felt about reaching the milestone birthday, she humorously expressed that she is officially three-fourths of a century old and...

From the roaring basketball courts to the intense tennis courts, junior Chris Battiste has always been in love with sports and everything they have to offer. Growing up as an athlete, Chris has learned...

Lured in by the ominous trailer, Trey Edward Shults’ ominous film Waves left me feeling numb and aware of all of my grievances. With its deep and meaningful plot line, Waves is able to greatly connect...

For as long as I can remember, I have always been awoken by the night.  The day time always drags on, and I push myself through. My eyelids droop and countless yawns escape my body as the sun pours...

Since 1977, the Christian organization known as Young Life has been a part of FHC. Young Life offers students an opportunity to bring students together and gives students a place where they feel safe to...

When I recognized the familiar face of actor Adam Devine on the movie cover of Jon Lucas and Scott Moore’s new comedy Jexi, I knew I simply could not pass up the opportunity to watch one of my favorite,...

On January 19, I turned 17.  With a deep, lasting breath, I prepared to blow out the candles and shut down the lights of the year of 16.  In the time of one small year, a lot has changed in my...

From a young age, sophomore Rachel Marco has been fascinated with nature and all that it has to offer. Year after year, Rachel finds herself becoming more deeply involved with the environment, as the lessons...

After winning a prestigious Academy Award in 2005, Cate Blanchett has become one of the most beloved, well-known actresses in the film industry. Her ability to portray copious traits and emotions through...

In just a mere number of days, a new year will begin. Not only will December 31 mark the end of the year 2019, but it will also mark the end of the decade.  With the new year and new decade comes...

With the sunrise, a new day begins. With a sunset, a day draws its curtains; the spotlights casting their bright lights onto your life will fade away.  In the dead of night, anything can happen....

I can barely stand to have an unkempt room.  My bathroom counters must be clean and tidy.  Without a fully made bed, my mind simply can not rest.  As I have developed these traits, I have come...

For many years, the students of Spanish teacher Carlos Silvestre have been serving the adorable, young children of Buchanan Elementary. This past Friday, Spanish students boarded buses with bags of warm...

For many students, homework and stress take over their lives into the late, eerie hours of the night.  For a few, these hours become even later as the commitment to employment begins to control their...

The final bell rings, and nervous students file into their seats surrounding my desk.  Anxiously, my foot taps the floor like a metronome: a beat is never missed.  I toss my pencil back and forth...

Ellie Field The gratitude and love I have for you is simply too much to express within a few words. From before we were born, you have been my soul sister. Since day one of your life and day three of...

The element of surprise is something I once adored.  Year after year, I was sent off to Thornapple Elementary where my day would be filled with stimulating surprises each and every day. I lusted over...

Name: Alonah Spencer Grade: 9 Role: Village Girl 1. What part of being in the play makes you the most nervous?    "Well, there is always that fear of forgetting your line or not paying...

If you ever find yourself at the Ada Village General Store, chances are you will find sophomore Cooper Dlugos on the opposite side of the service counter. Throughout the summer and into the school...

Name: Ella Guikema Grade: 12 Role: Elizabeth Proctor 1. What part of being in the play makes you the most nervous? "I think it’s the expectations because of the lines you have on stage,...

On the busy corner of Cascade Road and Hall Street, a cleared area of land is awaiting construction. In the upcoming months, a new daycare facility will plant its roots at the already bustling intersection....

To most people, winning simply means one thing: first place.  Winning is the golden medal hanging around the victor's neck. Winning is the definitive moment in time in which you are the best of the...

Throughout the film industry, films with aspirations of comedic success are produced in great quantity. Often times, the films simply fall short and the attempts to make a whimsical, entertaining movie...

If you have ever spent grueling hours in a hospital waiting room, you know that the painful time spent in the hostile environment involves fear, suspense, and thrill. Similarly enough, these are exactly...

In order to produce a successful, crowd-pleasing romcom, there are a couple of factors that play a vital role in determining the success rates of the film: an amiable cast and an explosively comedic script....

Traveling to a new country completely alone would prove to be a daunting experience for nearly anyone. But this year, junior Irene Moro decided to travel all the way from Zaragoza, Spain to Grand Rapids...

As streaming companies like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon have been taking over the film industry in recent years, romantic comedies seem to be making their long-awaited comeback to our screens. Included in...

The fight for gender equality seems to be a never-ending battle for women around the world. In Alex Holmes’ new documentary Maiden, the incredible story of the first all-women yacht to sail and succeed...

Since the year of 2016, a unique, interactive class like no other has taken its roots in the hidden woodshop near the back of the building: Gone Boarding.  Spending class periods tearing through waves,...

The Beatles undeniably produced some of the greatest art to ever be made. As the best-selling band in history, all of their catchy tunes fill you with a sense of pleasure that is impossible to avoid. In...

1. What bug are you? "Stick bug. I didn't get a say in this one, but in a world with millipedes, I think I got lucky." 2. What is your favorite improv game?  "Either Last Line or Police Interrogation....

Romantic comedies for teens seem to be mass-produced by Netflix in recent months. Although a few have been positively reviewed and contain bearable amounts of genuine acting, many have wound up being sappy,...

At the young age of eleven, freshman Marissa Lunt discovered a new passion: singing and songwriting. After listening to the meaningful words within her favorite songs, Marissa knew that creating her own...

A striking moment of pure and bitter realization can happen at any time or in any place.  For Los Angeles teenager Molly, the high school bathroom is the precise location in which a crushing wave of...

Imagine spending a life so fully fixated on the future that you forget how to experience moments in the present.  Imagine becoming so immersed in physical items that emotional, human connection makes...

As each school year draws to a close, the hard-working staff of The Central Trend works for months to perfect the annual Senior Edition. Although the magazine is loved by the entirety of staff, students,...

Although I love nearly all aspects of traveling, there is one thing that I could certainly go without: the grueling ten-hour plane rides filled with discomfort, restlessness, and sheer boredom. As I boarded...

When freshman Claudia Folkert was just twelve years old, she and her family endured the devastating loss of her father due to cancer. Since Claudia’s father was always her biggest inspiration, playing...

As a runner, I was hesitant to begin watching a movie titled Run the Race. As running takes up so much of my time, I feared that I simply wouldn’t find the movie a pleasure to watch. After watching the...

On the first day of Kindergarten, I met my group of best friends. Although I had known two for my entire life, the third instantly became one of us. In second grade, we all ended up in Mrs. Feutz’s...

“There’s this kid I know, and we signed up with a group of guys for this thing called 'IBL.' It’s a basketball league for students at Catholic Central. There was this kid who is like the dumbest...

"In second grade, I was playing 'Girls Chase Boys' at recess. We were running, and this kid jumped on me. I ended up tripping and falling; I landed on my arm really weird. I was brought down to the office,...

Time after time, I find myself three episodes into a TV show, and I just can’t get myself to continue watching. Pressing play and sitting down to watch 45 minutes of a show can sometimes feel like homework;...

For many years, senior Rielly Nehls has known that dancing in college would be her biggest dream. Dancing underneath the watchful eye of thousands of people and performing for fans are the experiences...

Film: Batdan Producers: Danny Schuurman, Aidan Fitzgerald, Beck Norris, and Alec Norris Interviewee: Danny Schuurman 1. What's your film about? "A boy's parents become divorced, and he goes...

At the age of 30, what should life look like? Should children, spouses, friends, and homes be in the picture? In the cliche movie Brampton’s Own, none of these things are present in the life of 30-year-old...

For an entire school year, I have been dreading this exact week because of one reason: Ted Talks. Each student in Honors English 10 must choose a topic and give a four to six minute Ted Talk that is...

Footsteps, words, breaths. All everyday things make a noise. But in The Silence, any noise will lead to death. In the 2019 Netflix film The Silence, a family from New Jersey departs from their home...

From the time I was just a young girl, sports have always been an important part of my life. For many years, I played tennis, golf, swim, and dance. As a child, it was easy to participate in so many...

“My friends and I were carpooling to volleyball like we do every week, but the roads and parking lots were all super slippery and icy. When we got there, we all were getting out of the car, but we were...

For many years, I have searched for the perfect place to indulge on a healthy, fulfilling snack. Located near the GVSU campus, Lake Michigan Nutrition proved to be the place I have been desiring my entire...

Conformity is a part of our everyday lives. Groups and cliques swarm the school like beehives; blending in is the ultimate goal. Standing out can prove to be a dangerous experience. Not wearing...

“Towards the end of October, I traveled to New York to visit one of my best friends from summer camp for the weekend. She lives less than an hour away from New York City, so we planned to take the train...

As the freezing winter months seem to be dragging on and on, I have found myself watching more movies than ever. After spending many Sunday nights on the couch with a movie on the screen,  I have spent...

Winter break. Spring break. Summer vacation. These three events are what many students would say they most look forward to throughout their year. But why? As the school year goes on, students...

When junior Ivana Webb moved with her family from Mexico to the United States, she had no ability to comprehend the English language. But when she was thrown into a preschool class with only English-speaking...

As the 2019 Oscars approached, The Wife—directed by Sweden’s Björn Runge—seemed to be drowning in media attention. Glenn Close was up for her seventh Oscar nomination as best actress for her outstanding...

Family. Friends. Strangers. Everyone carries copious burdens upon their backs that can weigh on their lives like the weight of a boulder. Worries, sadness, anxiety, and fear lay deep within the...

Every year, Winterfest Week is packed with school spirit and much anticipation for the upcoming activities. But what may not be noticed is the amount of time and effort that goes into producing the...

After departing from the British boy-band One Direction, Zayn Malik has released his second album Icarus Falls. As the album rolls through its 27 tracks, a few songs may cause you to experience deja vu,...

This past Monday night at Young Life club, we discussed something that has never passed through my mind before: living a life full of love versus a life full of fear. No matter where you are or what...

All around Grand Rapids, many Mexican restaurants are popping up claiming to be the most authentic. Located directly off of 28th street lies a newly-hidden taqueria that seems to have jumped straight out...

The colonial style house on Timber Ridge Drive was the only home I had ever known by the age of ten. My earliest memories are those of the holidays in my cozy living room and disastrously making sugar...

700 students, 700 voices, and 700 opposing opinions filled the buildings of Ann Arbor at the Model United Nations University of Michigan conference. Beginning on Jan. 10, students from all over the...

As I mindlessly scrolled through numerous movie options on my TV screen, the remote stumbled onto the new movie A Simple Favor. After watching the intense and humor-filled trailer, I quickly rented the...

The end of a year means the beginning of a new one. 2019 will bring new adventures, new people, new pain, and new lessons. There are 365 new days to learn, love, and heal. There are 365 new days...

Feet jump up and down on the slippery pool deck. Arms swing back and forth, slapping the sides of senior Jess Schellenboom's body. She stretches her goggles over her eyes and steps onto the rough surface...

As I turned on the TV to watch The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. After reading the short description and watching the trailer, I could not...

100 years in a lifetime. 365 days in a year. Any year, any day, your life could be taken away. One terrifying experience is enough to turn your world around. When a loved one is balancing on the...

For twelve years, the very best high school runners from around the Grand Rapids area have been competing for an intense team now known as the West Michigan Harriers. The purpose of this team is to place...

As I nestled into my couch with a fuzzy blanket sprawled across my body and the fireplace crackling before me, I was truly in the Christmas spirit. The movie Christmas Inheritance is a light-hearted, wintery...

I want to see the world. I want to meet and touch people who do not even know I exist. In my dreams, I see the alluring blue waters of the seas; I see the crisp, clear coastal lines where the freedom...

From the time junior Katrina Cassady was just a young girl, she knew that dancing would be what she would love the most in the world. Whether she was watching rehearsals for The Nutcracker or performing...

Conveniently located in downtown Ada, the delicatessen of Holland and Fitz is surely an outstanding local restaurant for breakfast or lunch. Serving a variety of different food items, the deli certainly...

Everything I do has to be perfect. In my mind, I pave a path for everything to follow perfectly down. No flaws, no errors. In everything I do, I seek the perfect outcome. If my grades fall beneath...

Little girls scurry around the gyms with poms held tightly in their hands. Their small feet hit the floor as they dance to the music in the background. Their smiles are wide, and their laughter is contagious.  Young...

As I sat down to watch Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, I was not sure what I was getting myself into. The movie could have easily turned out to be a disastrous and cliche trainwreck, but instead it was a...

As the early-morning fog cleared from my vision, the crisp, awakening scents of pancakes and bacon shook the dreary, purple bags out from under my eyes. The aromas of delicious breakfast delights filled...