Through kindness and holding onto pieces of her childhood, Ellerie has directed her future in the correct path.

As a new season approaches, we always see shifts in the fashion industry and trends of what is in versus what is out. As the weather warms, especially in bipolar Michigan, those trends are circulating...

Most of my friends know I have an avid Starbucks addiction. There are weeks I have it every day, sometimes multiple times a day. I probably spend hundreds of dollars on it, but I still enjoy it. Yet, there...

Many seniors at FHC fill their time with rigorous courses like AP Biology and AP Chemistry, and although it was an option, senior Hayden Lutz chose a different academic path through the Kent Career Technical...

With many new things that 2026 is bringing to the new year, the music industry has already been knocking out more and more singles, albums, and tours. Even simply in the month of January, many releases...

There was a girl who didn’t understand New Year's. To her, it simply meant a night when she would accompany her mom and aunt in her grandma’s living room, having a sleepover in her brand new princess...

Few classes set students up for success once they’re out in the real world; students learn the rules of mean, median, and mode, but not always the skills that will actually prepare them for real-life...

Most people know Churchill Downs as the location of the renowned Kentucky Derby, but senior Guy Lockwood sees the track as a place where he ran a race a few years ago.  “One [race] that I thought...

Sometimes I genuinely wonder if I am a hoarder, or, at least, if I will become one. I hold onto the minuscule objects from my past that have even a sliver of meaning, things that most people see as garbage....

This time I’m a senior. This is my last Countless Thanks on The Central Trend. My last time sitting for hours trying to decide who and how to thank everyone in my life.  To my parents, I can’t...

Every day I ask the same question: why does time move so fast?  I don’t always think that it’s time that moves so fast, but I push it by.  I always rely on the theory that "I’ll have time."...

It’s a normal activity to have your parents read bedtime stories to you. In my household, my dad told a fantasy narrative called "Princess Ellerie." The story was a retelling of my life from the perspective...

Season 34 for Dancing with the Stars marks its 20th year on television, and viewers are hoping that it lives up to expectations.  On Tuesday, the season premiere aired, featuring the pros and their...

Brad Anderson puts his all into making Age of Empires engaging, whether it's juniors or freshmen participating.

Homecoming Week in Ranger Country is not something that any student or community member should pass up. The immense culture and events that occur bring people together in celebrating the district, teams,...

There’s a girl who is a lot of things, but there are a lot of things she’s not. She’s not extroverted, she’s not a rebel, she’s not witty, she’s not very organized, and she’s not necessarily...

I stand in front of a doorway with an empty area beyond it. It resembles a room, but it’s much more than that. It was once a room I spent multiple hours a day in, half asleep, reading, writing, watching...

I adore the second school gets out; it means less schoolwork, responsibilities, and general worries. But after a week, some days begin to drag on, and I end up turning to my phone for entertainment. I'll...

Data from the CDC stated that approximately forty percent of students don’t feel close to people at school. Sometimes, that can translate into not feeling at home, and feeling uncomfortable, worried,...

A lot of people love giving gifts. They love finding the perfect thing for someone that they know they will love and use. But who likes receiving gifts? When I think about enjoying receiving gifts, I think...

Losing a pet is like losing a part of yourself; they’re a part of your family, your daily routine, and more. That is exactly what happened to Junior Cambrie Smith just a few months ago.  Cambrie’s...

I would like to say I’m an observant person. I notice when people act differently, how different plants blow in the wind, and so much more. I have noticed every year how different groups of seniors have...

Some days at dance, instead of doing real technique classes, we sit and do a variety of different things. Some days, that means making up silly dances or playing a dance-related game, and some days it...

Not everyone is granted the gift of artistry, but junior Katie Scanlon definitely is. Although she’s always been surrounded by art, like many of us, it wasn’t immediately that she found her passion.  “I've...

There are 195 countries in the world. I feel like that seems insane; there should be closer to 3,000. But then, I realize, not every location is its own country. In the United States, it might as well...

I have never been one for early rising. I will press snooze and push sleep out until the last possible minute before I need to speedily get ready for the day.  Once I’m up and going, at school or...

I’m definitely an overpacker for everything. Going to a friend's house for a night to do nothing but sit, sleep, and then go home? I have five outfits, a bathing suit, three pairs of pajamas, all my...

With spring comes warm weather, storms, the end of the school year, and so much more. But what’s right around the corner, and an integral part of many high school students' careers, is prom. With prom,...

I can’t even begin to count the number of times per week I tell my mom, a friend, or someone sadly listening that I have nothing the wear. The truth is, I actually do, and my closet is three pieces short...

In my opinion, tests are arguably the most stressful part of school. The anticipation leading up to and anxiety during them leave me upset and worried even after the test is done. But what can help ease...

I long to live in a different decade. Walk into a diner decorated with bright colors, sit at a bar with round, backless stools, and order a milkshake in an overly tall glass that widens as it reaches the...

Junior Evalyn Linnert definitely lives in an animal household. When including her pets in the count, they cause her family size to double. She has two dogs and two cats, and they not only shape her life...

I hate giving gifts. It makes me sound like a horrible person, I know. I love giving gifts when I know exactly what to get them, and I love when people enjoy and use what I give them, but overall the entire...

The simplicity of sitting in a coffee shop one average afternoon, drinking a frilly drink and eating a croissant, may as easily be forgotten a week later.  The views of a stunning sunset over the horizon...

I adore airports.  There is something about them that makes me feel so happy and excited that I can’t get enough of them.  My family has been an average traveling family since I was young, but...

Sometimes, I ponder what is important in life. If I only had 100 days to live, what would I want to do or experience in that timeline? There are obvious momentous life moments, maybe marriage, kids, etc.,...

The feeling of overwhelming anxiousness is present in nearly every waking moment of every day. The breath of relief that follows the stretch is comparable to a breath of fresh air after swimming underwater...

As the holiday season starts, I feel like it brings a beginning to the travel season as well. With holiday breaks from school or work and cold weather, airports are jam-packed with travelers. Even when...

Being aware is inspiring.  The beach. Walking adjacent to a blue metal bar, on the other side is a water tunnel, flowing to its next destination. The breeze blows in a scent, probably of fish and moist...

There are too many things to be thankful for. My glorious life, my feelings, the people that surround me and change me, the experiences I gain, and so much more. Writing this makes me anxious because I...

Hearing that a sequel or adaptation of one of your favorite movies is coming out is one of the best feelings. The worst feeling that commonly goes along with it is finding out the movie was not what you...

If you have never read "The Allegory of the Cave," read it. I read it, and I still am intrigued. Instead of being bored by the long, assigned reading passage, I read it as if my mind was being fed its...

When the leaves start to resemble a light orange or a light red, that’s when you know that it may be time to transition some of your outfits from swimsuits and shorts to something slightly warmer. There...

Suppose you can imagine a large black shadow hovering over you, constantly whispering curses of the future while also dropping large stones into the pit of your stomach. In that case, that is the omnipresent...

Coach and math teacher Dave Fortino has a big year ahead of him. Not only is he the newest head football coach, but he also is starting a new chapter as a math teacher here at FHC.  “It was a combination...

I would love to have a bougie and impressive wardrobe and supply of items, but that is far out of my reach. I can’t realistically have Lululemon’s entire collection or 15 Yves Saint Laurent bags. Sometimes,...

A click of a camera can never capture the real beauty and elegance of life.  The colors won’t appear the same, the depth will be crushed into a single line, and the small details will be smudged...

The sun rises 365 times a year. Many of those times are spent in deep sleep, covered by clouds or buildings and trees blocking the sun and its framing colors.  Even when it isn't seen, the sun rises...

Teacher Cal Anderson has surprisingly taught a wide array of subjects, along with coaching sports, and assisting with clubs.  “I’ve taught for 31 years, 29 here [at Forest Hills Central],” Anderson...

After returning from spring break, the only thing on my mind is the upcoming summer. I fantasize about the school-free time, filled with adventures and warm air. I nearly obsess about what I will be doing,...

In elementary school, I loved school. I would wake up every morning, find an outfit, eat breakfast, and race out the door to meet the bus. I loved the bus. I would get to school and enjoy the entire day,...

It makes sense that early communities believed that the sun, stars, and moon revolved around the earth. From our point of view, it appears that way, but we almost always form our views as if the universe...

My favorite genre of movies is romantic comedies (rom-coms). They have formed a comfort genre for me. They are perfect for when I need to laugh or cry, and they will always make me feel better.  There...

I seem to notice symbolism popping up in day-to-day life. I wonder if it is symbols within my mind that are sometimes not truly tangible. They stand sometimes like a moose in a desert and other times like...

Senior Sofia Hargis-Acevedo is about to close a monumental chapter of her life: high school.  Her senior year has flown by and now she is about to begin a new chapter of her story, but not without...

Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Once again, the ticking time bomb is back. It is like it is a haunting ghost that simply can’t get enough of me. It comes back to continue the...

I remember reading a profile of someone last year who said they were nervous about running out of things to write about. I didn’t think it was a reality for me, personally; now, I am beginning to think...

Recently, my life has been a complete train wreck. I have missing assignments, upcoming tests, and exams, and surely not enough time to accomplish it all. In this deep hole that I’ve dug myself, my solution...

Senior Quinn Hane has always had a love for art, but she never considered herself adept at most things. Things such as drawing and painting never came easy to her, but she loved art nonetheless. As she...

Vacations are my favorite.  Cabo. Key West. Orlando. Charleston. Cape May. I strive for the times when I can pack a bag or two and escape from my regular life for a few days or even...

Some things come and go that can not be remade or replaced. They can be objects, moments, people, or even memories. When on planes, I accidentally designate time to get lost deep in my thoughts. On...

My entire family hates me for my Instagram photos, but they’re my favorite thing.  I know they aren’t always the best photos, and the majority of them don’t get posted anywhere. Instead, I use...

Taylor Swift changed concerts forever with her three-hour, non-stop Eras Tour, which incorporates all of her albums into one show.  Now that all concerts have the Eras Tour as a competitor, it is hard...

If there is one person I could go to in the situation of something happening in my life, it is my brother.  I’m super close with my grandma, mom, dad, and friends, but through everyone, my brother...

Whether you’re traveling to tropical Hawaii or frigid Niagara Falls, it is integral in this day and age to have the perfectly sculpted outfit and hair for all possible photo opportunities.  Spring...

Certain things have always come easy to me. Certain things still are. School, I don’t think, can fall into that category.  I have never had to try hard to achieve high in school, but that route is...

So much of today’s media is focused on the “big” people of today. Of course, these people have reasons for being influential and have many achievements of their own, but it becomes a point where...

The closer people are to me, the quicker they seem to leave my life. All of my best friends have moved away or changed schools at integral times and just when they are the most important people in my...

I am not sure what I want to do with my life; however, as a child, I was convinced that one day I would become a photographer. Somewhere along the way, I acquired my grandma’s friend's camera. It was...

The Barbie movie was highly anticipated, and it is now highly praised for the exemplification of women and their role in society and the appreciation and credit that they are not given. In the months following...

I’ve always been awed by fascinating dancers. Since I was young, I could be easily entertained by sitting and watching girls dance and dreaming of being just like them. It is an art that is nearly impossible...

So many significant and fantastic things can happen in a year. I experience all the holidays, months, birthdays, school activities, and many opportunities.  A lot of people I have talked to told me...

Most fundraisers at FHC return the profits to the school for activities such as dances, sports, and new furniture or resources. A unique fundraiser is the annual Family Promise fundraiser, in which profits...

Fashion is a constantly changing industry; one day someone posts that she loves her outfit and the population is buzzing over it, and the next someone else bashes the outfit and it becomes uncool to wear....

A while ago, probably around fifth grade, I was at my grandma's house for Christmas Eve. I am always comfortable at her house since I lived there for a year when I was younger and always found myself there...

Years ago, while snooping through my grandma’s movie cabinet, I found the Haunted Mansion movie. Before discovering it, I hadn’t even known that it existed. The movie was quite dull, with no clear...

Everyone enjoys different things, and different things bring different people joy. There are the universal things that bring the majority of people that so-called happiness, some of which may include puppies...

A landscaping truck.  That is all it took for my energetic, chaotic puppy to become a struggling, aged dog.  Two years ago, when my dad took my dog Mocha for a walk, she lunged at the road and...

There are so many people that I wish I could tell how much I appreciate them. There are so many that I could write a book about all of them and the reasons. But now is not the time for that, instead, a...

The first of November is the Christmas season.  At least, it qualifies as the Christmas season for me.  Annually on Halloween, I watch a Christmas movie to initiate the year's festivities once...