Allie and me on my favorite chair in November before our daily staff meeting began.

This was when Meggie, Jessie, and I went to the butterfly sanctuary in preparation for my TedTalk.

One last push to pending; one new moment in time where things feel right, where I feel ready.

The 2021-22' staff of The Central Trend in room 139/140—home.

She loves metaphors. Because for her, there has always been something comforting about the shield they provide. Flowers are known by numbers of names, but the non-scientific ones almost always sound...

Meggie plans to pursue art at the University of Michigan and broaden her horizons.

Last Friday, a torrential downpour circumscribed my vehicle as I charted my way up and down Cascade Road, surrounded by the harmony of laughter and Lorde music. From the FHC auditorium and the shadows...

I'm writing this because—no matter how trivial it may sound—I just realized that I would never reach 100 stories published if I didn't. Without these words I plan to haphazardly plaster to the page,...

For as long as freshman Cayden McNamara can remember, his world has been tinted in the technicolor pursuit of learning the Spanish language.  From the time that he started school, Cayden attended a...

They call me Jessie Lynn, because that is my name— at least according to the remarks often made when I try to rationalize it all.   Because at school, people call me Jessie. Sweet...

For the longest time, she denied this place— this place where razor scooters once danced upon the pavement, and the voices of friends bounced in and out of clarity.   Something about...

V and I, taken by Jessie with her disposable camera, on one of those extra special, extra fun TCT days.

She's always talked in sonnets—syllables that pour like rain through wide-open flood gates, stopping for nothing. Yet, when it comes to this, there have never been words. Only music. Bonnie Raitt...

Eight birthday candles protrude from a Trader Joe's chocolate cake, two of which's wax are carved into an aquamarine eighteen. The new kombucha flavor we just got done exciting over sits half-consumed...

In 10th grade, I memorized "A Dream Within a Dream" by Edgar Allen Poe. For an assignment in which we only had to recall a few stanzas—a few trivial words before reading from the screen again—I...

We live inside a garden With walls that wade in subtle pigmentation From nights when rain still fell hard upon our petals.   We live inside a garden  With hydrangeas dripping in a...

It was Tuesday, February eighth. After trekking the 15-minute foray from school to my evergreen oasis of a home, I climbed tiredly under the loose bedspread that sat wrinkled on my mattress. Flicking...

The Dead and the Dying (2022), an on-the-spot event that was held in room 139 in remembrance of mine and Jessie's computer.

1. What was your reaction to getting nominated on court? "I was pretty surprised because I really didn't think I'd be one of the 10 to get it, but it was exciting regardless." 2. What does it mean...

1. What was your reaction to getting nominated on court? "I was a little surprised people had voted for me. When Mrs. O'Brien came up to us and said, 'Hey, you two need to go to Manders,' it was shocking....

I have never truly grasped the subtle impact of music until—after years of dragging my feet—I finally got my driver's license. There is an abundance to how the speakers sound through my tangerine-tinted...

What was your reaction to getting nominated on court? "I was pretty surprised, but really I was just super excited and really honored to be a part of this court. It's a great group of people, and I'm...

A classic melody slowly winds us into greens and taupes, mixing smoothly with primary tones of red, blue, and yellow. Deep auburn takes the lead, the once melodic tone turning hazy and muffled as the conversation...

Senior Thomas Cobb has been immersed in melodies for almost as long as he can remember. Starting at a young age with the instrumentals of the piano, he was automatically enthralled in a world far bigger...

During my family's semi-annual Boston trip of my freshman year, I can vividly recollect stepping through the doors of a Free People for the first time. Perusing the indie and often campy racks, I let...

An all-encompassing photo of inside the antique store, Century Antiques.

About a year ago, freshman Charlie Molitor watched the film Mid-90s for the first time. The movie—which was released in 2018—follows a young kid growing up in Los Angeles, California as he is integrated...

During mid-June—on the way to Colorado Springs for my brother's wedding—my mother, sister, and I all climbed into my mom's white Subaru Outback and trekked across four states and a two-hour time change. Within...

As individuals, we inherently encircle ourselves in wreaths of kindred souls, and it's for this exact reason that I often feel ordinary.  I order from Starbucks the same iced chai tea latte with oat...

Holiday break is often associated with the salvation it provides—the fourteen-day cushion of time entirely allotted to escaping the pressure of school and reveling in the freedom of every weekday. Yet,...

Over the holiday break of her second-grade year, freshman Rowan Szpieg was sitting down to watch the first Harry Potter film alongside her family. Yet, unbeknownst to them, Rowan was holding onto a...

Lately, everything has had a pattern. There have been nights that have drawn on to lengths unimaginable, my time spent within a shallow pool of cluttered thoughts, the ripples on the surface composed...

Around once each month, I set aside a weekend entirely devoted to getting my life back on track. I spend my Saturday afternoons and Sunday evenings catching up on any school work I may be behind on...

Opinions expressed in editorials on The Central Trend are the view of the individual writer and are not the opinion of the entire staff of The Central Trend or the Forest Hills Central staff or administration. Omicron...

Meggie Kennedy, for being my literal soulmate. I’m writing this on the night before it’s due, cramming my thankfulness for people into little boxes marked by their names. Yet, I’m deeply struggling...

A few days ago, freshman Emerson Burrows was watching Little Women when his cat spontaneously caught on fire. "I turned around, and my cat was half on fire," Emerson said. "I had a candle lit, and he...

A year or so ago, for a celebration I cannot quite place, my best friend gifted me an antiquated anthology of a few Jane Austen novels. The pages are framed in a dull, gold leaf, the cover plastered...

During the quarantine of my sophomore year—via one of the many Sims YouTubers I follow—I discovered the web of worlds that is Animal Crossing: New Horizons.  A top-rated game dating back to 2001,...

Two times within the past year, my hair has turned a cerulean blue so impossible to remove. And both times, seemingly without fail, I despise the way it looks after a week of having it as such. I toil...

"My first experience with any kind of paranormal activity— I was kind of a skeptic about ghosts in general—but my wife and I live near the cemetery over by Pine Ridge. This was many years ago, but...

I was searching rather unsuccessfully for an item to review when my fellow-TCT staff member and long-time musical cohort, Kelsey Dantuma, asked if I'd ever heard of Strawberry Guy. Upon my curious no,...

Some of junior Savannah Blue's fondest childhood memories center around one obscure location: Chow Hound. Harkening back to her younger years, Savannah can recollect regularly running errands with her...

At this moment, the sun has disappeared along with the wind, and the capering illusions that dash across the hardwood have fancifully flickered away. The paintings upon the gallery wall are shielded...

Above all things, I take pride in my myriad of Spotify playlists—for each mood or moment, I have a melody to accompany. Yet, a single strand runs throughout each collection: a scarlet and cerulean string...

For as long as they can remember, junior Michael Boughton has been encircled in beauty. Michael can recollect their mother urging them, from an early age, to love themselves and the world around them....

She wishes she could write like Hozier lyrics, and when she thinks this, she feels green. Green not in a queasy, nauseous way, but rather like wading within the shallow pools of her mother's Earth....

Out of all the seasons, it is no secret that I harbor an unabashed, brazen adoration for autumn. Similar to every other girl my age, there is something about the leaves changing each year that brings...

What was your reaction to hearing your name called? "Hearing my name honestly just surprised me, mostly because they said Abigail and no one calls me that, so it took me a second to realize it was me....

For 78 years—with a few exceptions—the annual Met Gala has served as a staple of universal pop culture. Since the late 1940s, the event has attracted celebrities from distinct realms of fame, joined...

From an early fascination with shows like Pretty Little Liars to my more recent consumption of newer programs, including Ginny and Georgia and Elite, I've never kept quiet about my adoration for "so...

What made you decide to join Improv? "My freshman year, Mrs. [Robin] Demeester saw me walking in the hallways the day of auditions and told me to come back after school, so I said okay, and I auditioned....

Senior Rachel Marco would be the first to admit that, out of all her interests, she is first and foremost a big plant lover.  From her early education at Goodwillie Environmental School to her many...

That night, she dreamt she was in the elderly woman’s house. Opening her tightly shut eyelids, she aspired to once again be perched upon her cupboard shelf, watching in maternal felicity as the family...

Recently, likely due to a three-month hiatus from my web of words, the letters on my keyboard are starting to look less and less like the friends I've come to know. I can hardly write, and when I do, it...

When I was still a child, My backyard was the noise that I could introduce to it.   It was the trampoline with leg-sized holes and a two-person capacity limit that we nearly always broke.   It...

For three circles around the sun, the sapphire glades and willow waters of summer have never given her reason to doubt. As treasures always do, they have welcomed her and let her use them for her silly...

Speaker: Katelynn Heilman How do you feel about your TED Talk being picked for FHC Inspires? “I was really excited when I found out I was a part of FHC Inspires, although I was a little nervous...

Speaker: Rasraj Mann How do you feel about your TED Talk being picked for FHC Inspires? "I feel great about my TED Talk as it brings awareness to an issue in American society." What is a quick...

Up until quite recently, I struggled greatly with my teenage identity. While my sophomore self enjoyed time spent wasting away in music-filled rooms and turning all her work in on time, the person I've...

Speaker: Kate Hotaling How do you feel about your TED Talk being picked for FHC Inspires? “I am so happy and partially surprised that my TED Talk was chosen for FHC Inspires. I never would have...

With an adoration for fresh melodies also comes a loss of memory when asked about my musical journey. Within the tumbleweeds and winds of the past four years, hundreds of gorgeous tracks have been completely...

Speaker: Kamdyn Hawkins How do you feel about your TED Talk being picked for FHC Inspires? “I am very happy about my TED Talk being picked for FHC Inspires; it will be a great opportunity to experience.” What...

Speaker: Veronica Vincent How do you feel about your TED Talk being picked for FHC Inspires? "I was really honored when I found out I was picked for FHC Inspires because this whole experience has...

The 2021 FHC Inspires show consists of eighteen intelligent, star student speakers with a variety of fascinating and insightful TED Talks. Get to know these eighteen participants as they are asked perceptive...

When I was still small enough to not worry about the length of my legs or the appearance of my hair, there was nothing I loved more than singing and dancing. Whether it be the feeling of my tiny feet...

Fun fact: Lynlee’s role models are Shakira and Michelle Bachelet. She admires Shakira because mentally, she’s Shakira’s and Pitbull’s love child, and Shakira has “great hair, great hips, and...

It is no secret that I love new music. However, there is a finely printed addendum to my adoration of acclimation. Past the search that I recount at the beginning of each opinion piece and the imagery...

There is nothing more exhilarating for junior Benji Zorn than the sound of a frisbee zooming through the air. As these saucers duck under tree branches and into chainmail goals, there is a certain excitement...

“I appreciate Mrs. DeMeester for being inspiring, kind, and always making class fun and engaging.” “I appreciate Mr. Anderson and Mr. VonEhr. Not only do they dedicate every moment of the school...

Check in every day this week for more thank you notes from students at our school to teachers at our school!

“I appreciate Mr. Fisher because he was really nice and worked hard to make class interesting and make students feel included. I appreciate that he checks in with students and is very understanding.” “One...

“I appreciate Mrs. Lipke for how much she wants us all to succeed; she is always there for help and support and truly gives math her all every day.” “Mrs. Will, thank you for the limitless support...

I've begun burning a Gemini candle my mother gave me nearly a year ago, and even though they have become my constant companions, the fingers and fog at the forefront of my brain are beginning to subside. For...

“I appreciate Mrs. Stone for making math really easy to learn this school year. I felt like her teaching style helped me to understand every unit we did. She also was really gracious [and] let me take...

Film title: Dog or Dawg Genre: Action/adventure Interviewee: Sydney Kushak Group members: Leila Gonzalez and Olivia Hooper https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqcjlgeFc1w Can you give a five-minute...

Film title: Delilah  Genre: Comedy  Interviewee: Jack McNamara Group members: Sam Musgraves and Jonah Spates Can you give a five-minute elevator pitch for your film?  “Do you like to...

Name: Mr. Jeff Manders Position: Media Communications Teacher What is Film Fest?  “The FHC Film Festival is the annual opportunity for the FX students to showcase their creativity, production...

Film title: Le Casse  Genre: Thriller  Interviewee: Anna Freihofer Group members: Joe Clancy, Bela Gonzalez, and Maddie Knoor https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqYti5GHYzY   Can...

Check out the Q&As below with the participants of the 2021 Film Fest. We interviewed a member of each team to learn more about their movie. Along with interviewing a member from each of the teams,...

The hours between dusk and dawn are blending, sunrise encroaching itself upon her as she sits sprawled across her bedroom floor. Beside her lay technicolor and dried-out paint supplies, a canvas half-covered...