Grade: 10 What excites you most about Improv Central?  "[I'm excited to] really be able to connect with a small group of people and just build my social skills a lot better. A big part of it is...

This Saturday, October 1, Improv Central is back and performing a show at 7:33 p.m. Tickets are $7 at the door and $6 if you purchase your tickets during the week. Check out these Q&As with the cast...

Grade: 12 What excites you most about Improv Central?  "These are some of my friends, and I love to play games and just have fun with them. A lot of practices I leave just crying because I'm laughing...

Where the fragile pair raked piles of leaves for dollar bills, they swam through each brown crunch just to have scraps of twigs and brush in their hair, leaving littered in the dirt particles. Trees in...

With senior Sarah Bethel’s strong commitments and novel aspirations for her last year of high school, she knew well before something in her schedule had to give, having to juggle a social life and swim...

It’s truly miraculous how shoving single-use plastic into another single-use plastic is considered “sustainable.”  A major point of living sustainably is reducing the usage/consumption of plastics,...

Scaling in elevation, searching the earthy, serrated edges of stones on steep mountains; seemingly, my summer no longer stood its heave. It’s July, now. Summer’s progression remains unregistered, vacant...

Haven (middle), Lita (left), and I "Pose for a .5x in front of the White House."

A specter in our eyes, the omniscience of its nature,   We suspire for the sake of supererogation.   Mislaid in jurisdiction and   Usurped in competency,   Fundamentals...

Name: Eva VanTil Position: Speaker TED Talk title: Addiction Why did you apply to be a speaker? "I applied to speak because I want to spread awareness about addiction. It is a topic I'm passionate...

Name: Sofia Hargis-Acevedo Position: Speaker TED Talk Title: How to get over a fear Why did you apply to be a speaker? "I applied to FHC Inspires because I decided that I didn’t want to...

Name: Molly O'Meara Position: Speaker TED Talk Title: Why everyone should learn ASL Why did you apply to be a speaker? "I wanted to share my cousin’s story. He is mute, and not many people...

For the fourth year, Honors English 10 students will be presenting their personalized speeches at the Fine Arts Center on May 31, 2022. FHC Inspires begins at 7 p.m. at no cost!

Some weeks ago, I was messing around with the Weather app on my phone as one does on occasion. After checking the temperatures in cities I’ve never heard of or cared about, curiosity led me to check...

Kendrick Lamar has spoken once again. Already, it has been five years since DAMN reoriented our lives, and I've never met somebody who resents "HUMBLE." or "PRIDE." Ranging from young teenagers to...

I’ve rewritten this column multiple times in the past few weeks. Each time with different leads and ideas, memories to include, and cover photos, but this is as good as it is going to get.  But the...

There’s a voice that haunts a specific era of TikTok for me. Immediately, I hear the “And here’s *two nail taps* the m*ther f*kcing *two more nail taps* tea..” shrieking in my head, but there’s...

I had a recurring fear that the sun would stop hovering over Earth and specifically plummet on me. As young as I was, I spiraled into crying fits about the outside, expecting the sun to poison my turbulent...

In the fourth grade, my class had a chance to tend a tank of salmon. When the salmon were old enough to be independent, we set them free in the Thornapple River. Periodically, an assigned group of students...

Current Joys, a notoriously depressing band amongst teenagers, released an album recently. Just shy of a month ago on Feb. 25, 2022, Covers From Across the Sea appeared on new release radars, but what...

Name: Zach Guikema Grade: 12th Role: Lord Pinkelton Why did you decide to try out for the musical? "I decided to try out for two main reasons. One, I've had past experience doing theatre all...

Name: Kenzie Davis Grade: 12th Role: Stepsister (Charlotte) Why did you decide to try out for the musical? "I thought to try some new things and joined the musical." What are you most excited...

Name: Gia Monterusso Grade: 10th Role: Stepmother Why did you decide to try out for the musical? "Well, I did the musical last year, and I did the play this fall. I just wanted to keep doing...

Name: Russell Baird Grade: 12th Role: Sebastion Why did you decide to try out for the musical? "Honestly, I've done the previous shows, and I have a lot of friends who were doing it. So actually,...

I hear the whispers waning, softening, searching for new and meaningless drama to voice. Octaves from the different speakers intertwined with each other. Oh, so sonorous and gorgeous, but it is nothing...

A familiar, discernable voice has graced my Browse page on Apple Music for the first time since quarantine. In April 2020, there was one song that was always in the MiniPlayer window: “Tommy’s Party.”  Neil...

My toxic trait is attaching myself to everything in my life—but more specifically, my computer. I am in a dire need of a new one, but I can’t give Fran up.  Fran’s extensive list of issues started...

Adventure unfolds in peculiar ways with Alt-J’s new album, The Dream. The typical psychedelic and wavy synthesis of Alt-J’s music has always attracted listeners and piqued their curiosity. The British...

Once upon some interminable time, a stage was left empty. She wasn’t the only soul to strike the beautiful hardwood, however. She made friends with dainty dust bunnies that would sometimes escape their...

Laurel Hell: Mitski’s reappearance into the music world and her wave “hello” to fans after a long four years dormant. This album might’ve never been an album in the first place, and for that,...

For years, senior Madie Weaver has immersed herself in the many forms of music.  Whether that is a written song or one of the four instruments she has learned to play, music is Madie’s escape from...

John Orr in Target holding a stuffed Winnie the Pooh

A trend that wavers every now and then has graced my TikTok For You Page—Korean skincare. As the name suggests, it is skincare from South Korea that is supposed to help fight acne on skin like mine,...

Musical and lyrical genius Earl Sweatshirt released a one-of-a-kind throwback album that others could only attempt. A necessarily nostalgic memento from the now disbanded rap group, Odd Future, was taken...

Name: Benji Zorn Grade: 12th Act/position: Singing What is one word you’d use to describe your act? “Hilarious.” Why did you decide to try out for the show? “I decided to try...

Name: Gavin O'Meara Grade: 12th Act/position: Singing Partner(s): Thomas Cobb What is one word you’d use to describe your act? "Funny—entertaining. Entertaining is a better word than...

Name: Ella Fauson Grade: 12th Act/position: Singing What is one word you’d use to describe your act? "Unique. It's singing, but different than what other people would normally do." Why...

Name: Callum Blackburn Grade: 12th Act/position: Synchronized swimming Partner(s): Senior boys What is one word you’d use to describe your act? "Rambunctious." Why did you decide to...

A wide-angled photo I took of me in the Urban Outfitter's dressing room (I did not buy the sweater or the jeans).

Nine years ago, around this time roughly, my mom decided to record all the Harry Potter films that aired on what was then called ABC Family. Now, I lay in my bed totally distraught and unable to communicate...

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. Finally,...

A small room in a basement was a wonderland in my young mind. Toys and stuffed animals lined the perimeter of the room. In the corner, there was a computer my best friend and I had easy access to. Thanks...

Without a doubt in sight, freshman Ashley Hibma is finding her true love for horseback riding at her second home, Diamond Sahara Equestrian Services, despite the negative comments. “There's a lot...

A lost human and its somber soul lingers in the lonely theater in which it dwells. It isn’t of vicious, malignant nature, but rather a wispy, nurturing manner. She could watch their airy glow dance for...

Sofia Hargis-Acevedo - for being my other half in the most literal sense of the definition What a time we have both been through. Over the past few years, we have grown closer and closer, and at this...

The computer lab in Mr. Smith's room where students in AP Computer Science Principles learned to make their apps.

To kickstart the opening night of the 2021 fall play, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, there, lying on the stage, was a stuffed dog with a pitchfork stabbed in its side.  The dog,...

Have you ever heard the term “zero waste” and thought that it means what it implies? If so, then you couldn’t be any farther from the generic definition, but at the same time, you’re correct.  So,...

I love everything about the stereotypical idea of being in a movie theater to watch the latest film. I love the popcorn, the dark and mysterious ambiance, the weirdly comfy seats—everything, except for...

"My house back, in Jordan, used to be roach-infested, so, one time, it was around 4 a.m., and we have these sirens for prayers. So, at 4 a.m., there's this siren for the morning prayer. I hear something...

Senior Abbie Compton excels in an intense subject that keeps her curiosity at bay. Abbie loves math, and she especially loves how she can find answers to the world around her. At school, she takes AP...

In 2020, H&M, a popular fast-fashion brand, launched Conscious. H&M’s motive for Conscious was to be “clean” and “repurposed.” The clothing from the line was made from “100% organic...

Product: EcoBands Instagram handle: @ecobands.fhc Group members and their roles: Kyle Webb (management/leadership), Gabe Huber (finance), Adam Hop (sales), Aidan Lampley (supply chain), and Sydney...

This week, FHC and the Student Council are working together with the Family Promise to raise money for the homelessness in our community, and Executive Board Vice President, senior Maurielle Hayes, has...

On TikTok this past summer, PinkPantheress’ singles were all over the For You Page. Her song “Just For Me” was, at one point, one of the most used sounds for lifestyle videos and background music...

The student section at high school football games is the craziest section in the stands. They show support for their team while covered head-to-toe in outfits influenced by the themes, and they lose their...

In celebration of the 30th anniversary of Metallica’s Metallica, known as The Black Album, over sixty artists came together to produce The Metallica Blacklist: a project of unity and commemoration.  Since...

As adventurous as sophomore Nicolás “Nico” Gandarias Sáez is, he thinks one of the best things about being in a new country surrounded by foreign sights is the Thornapple River.  Nico is passionate...

Back in my third-grade math class, when we were learning about comparison symbols, my teacher said the open end faces the bigger number because we always want more of whatever we have. In her demonstration,...

What was your reaction to hearing your name called? "I was very surprised and honored to hear all the claps and support from my classmates–[it was] a very special moment." Why do you think you were...

Past the promised 7:33 p.m. on September 18, 2021, senior Zach Guikema was alone in the choir room. While he stayed behind, the rest of the Improv team shared a moment, theorizing over Zach's whereabouts,...

What made you decide to join improv? "What made me join the Improv team was my mom, at the end of my sophomore year, telling me to go give it a shot. It was the best decision I've ever made." What...

Seniors Katie Hoffman and Ben Ruffer and freshman Zachary Ruffer don’t conform to the stereotypical “band kid” title. In fact, their band, Revival, takes on many different angles that stray away...

The twisting beauty of seeing the world in black and white for so long is an unsolicited mind-bend that permeates our thoughts. As humans, we’re wired to do as we’re told to help the bloody, brutal...

After three Apple Music live listening events, 401 days, and thousands of angry fans, Donda, Kanye West’s tenth studio album, has been officially released to the public.  Apple Music held three listening...

There’s more to me than my long brown, matted waves that hold their curl for a generous day and a half, and there’s more to me than my hooded aquamarine eyes shielded by black-framed glasses.  Vibrations...

She’s on the go with no road home–no end destination, afraid she’ll turn to stone.  I want to grow up, not grow old. I want to mature and be less childish, not pay taxes or complain about back...

Speaker: Ava Redmond How do you feel about your TED Talk being picked for FHC Inspires? "It felt really good that something I worked so hard on was justified and deemed "well done." It's something...

My rapid-growing adoration with the dark-academia aesthetic stemmed off of my Harry Potter obsession. Not the death and confliction part of the films, but rather the part with the magical spells and wild...

Speaker: Daniel Wang How do you feel about your TED Talk being picked for FHC Inspires? "Honored, but nervous–I mostly slid my way into this program with my friends, so I feel great." What is...

Speaker: Jordyn Reens How do you feel about your TED Talk being picked for FHC Inspires? "I feel excited about the experience, but also nervous since the show is going to be in front of a lot of...

Speaker: Paige Fron How do you feel about your TED Talk being picked for FHC Inspires? "I feel deeply honored and surprised that out of all the students that applied, my Ted Talk was one of the [ones]...

Speaker: Annie Douma How do you feel about your TED Talk being picked for FHC Inspires? "I am honored and excited that I have been given the opportunity to share my TED Talk at FHC Inspires." What...

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...

We sat there on the grass. I was there, watching the rain droplets tumble down their cheeks, resembling a jewel in a princess’ crown–it looked like tears, but they weren’t theirs. They were the sky’s,...

Listening to girl in red reminds me of the wholesomeness of the summer of 2019. The air that summer seemed crisper and more pristine, even though it’s the air we breathe every day. I heard the birds...

This school year, junior Israell King was a proud cast member of the musical, High School Musical Jr. Even though this year’s musical took the form of a movie rather than a live, on-stage performance,...

As time continues to progress, we have this frozen moment to cherish. No matter how much time passes, this picture in our little corner will forever stay the same.

A typical night in the springtime, for me, doesn’t involve friends. I’m not the type to spend every waking hour with people or venture down new paths. That doesn’t suit me. We don’t suit each other....

Film title: Perception Genre: Suspense Interviewee: Ian Stewart Group members: Adam Hop, Alex Hurt, Ian Stewart, and Kyle James-Heer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOuT2VP8rnk   Can...

Film Title: Showtime  Genre: Suspense/drama Interviewee: Bella Beckering Group Members: Brooklyn Conner Can you give a five-minute elevator pitch for your film? "Showtime is about a teenage...

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,...

Film title: Breakthrough Genre: Coming of age Interviewee: Daci Funaro-Richards Group members: Anna Moody, Sam Schwarze, and Desiree Tuohy Can you give a five-minute elevator pitch for your...

Film Title: A Helping Hand Genre: Adventure Interviewee: Allie Mairn Group members: Ashley Bowen, Isabella Debano, and Katie Hurbanis https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOqeqgMYjlo   Can...

I still imagine Demi Lovato playing Mitchie Torres on Camp Rock. For a while, Camp Rock was my all-time favorite movie. I loved how fun the music was and imagined that I would, one day, go to a summer...

When junior Brooklyn Conner was in middle school, she decided to join FHC's girl's volleyball team, not expecting anything major to come of it. But when a Michigan Volleyball Academy (MVA) coach noticed...