11. 11 houses I have called home. There have been almost one dozen houses that at one point in time held both me and everything I considered important. Within each of these homes, I’ve grown. I’ve...

Junior Lilly Crook always pictured moving as the "end-all" of situations to confront her, one that would never cross her path. That is, until it happened to her. “I had always imagined that moving...

With three deep organ chords and a flurry of xylophonic chimes in tandem, PRETTYMUCH’s new single “Phases” commences with member Brandon Arreaga’s soulful croon, and accompanying it is a wave of...

"I've lived in Michigan all my life. I've moved twice, but once was just across the city and the other time was down the street. Now, we're moving to Boston for my dad's job. My brother is going to stay...

Over eight months, one hundred and sixty thousand views, twenty-eight staff members, and thousands of stories later, Reena, Susannah, and I’s last year with The Central Trend’s is coming to an end. And...

If there’s anything I’ve taken from my adventurous, knowledgeable, food-and-coffee-loving friends in the last two years, it’s that Lyon Street is the place to be. The cobblestone road right at...

"I'm one of the few people who brings my own water bottle to lunch. Because I do this, my friends think it's appropriate to put all of their lunch items and unwanted items inside my water bottle. I think...

In 2017, artist Khalid debuted himself to the world with the release of his first studio album, American Teen, in a truly iconic work brimming with electricity and imagination. Now, almost exactly two...

"You know how everyone develops a main interest in something they think is really cool? That, for me right now, is neuroscience. Even though it seems intimidating at first, I'd still like to learn more...

Today, I spent an entire glorious March day on the University of Arizona’s beautiful colonial campus. Towering palm trees fluttered ever so slightly in the breeze, lining the paved paths connecting the...

Senior Breezy Rusher challenges those around him with the following conundrum. According to him, if 9+1 is 10, 10+1 is 11, and 11+1 is 12, then 12+1 is 1. How does that work? “In your head, you might...

As the days grow longer and the air grows warmer, something visibly changes within both the city and the school. Excited comments surrounding the weather diffuse through the halls, and shorts make an appearance...

With a distinctive twinkle in his eye working in tandem with his iconic, sparkling smile, A Boogie wit da Hoodie crafted a histrionic atmosphere like no other at his show at The Intersection, truly showing...

Surrounded by a multitude of people and dozens of cats at Crash’s Landing and Big Sid’s Sanctuary, a no-kill animal shelter, senior Katherine Bell observed as patrons walked in and out of the doors,...

In the last ten years, I’ve crossed paths with tens of thousands. Thinking about the number of people one simply comes across in an entire lifetime echoes an exponential function heading towards infinity....

How I wound up at Clean Juice at East Grand Rapid’s Gaslight Village might forever be a mystery to me because, as those close to me know, I’m not one for eating-- or drinking-- healthy. My daily intake...

Attention garnered for local politics may pale in comparison to state-wide gubernatorial elections or presidential campaigns, but recently, in New York’s District 14 centered in the Bronx and Queens,...

Five school years ago, in its first year of creation, The Central Trend amassed just over one thousand site visits. In the 2015-16 school year, views skyrocketed to over 48,000, an incredibly impressive...

When she was in second grade, senior Abby Stead had already developed a rare auditory phenomenon, allowing her to match and identify given musical notes. This sensation, known officially as perfect pitch,...

"[Redacted] works at Subway. We love visiting him. It started out innocent, and then more people came. We got kicked out and banned. First it was me, then it was [redacted]. We brought our instruments;...

Though he was in the first comedy club where his career was launched, doing his first broadcasted stand-up comedy show, on his first Netflix special, Ken Jeong seemed to be performing for his hundredth...

“Yote is sort of like a virtual billboard that you can carry around with you,” explained Grand Rapids native and Yote co-founder Tony Warner. He paused, outlining a billboard figure with his finger,...

Imagine that two friends decide to go out to lunch together. They stream music together in the car ride to the restaurant, and all of their linked friends can see their music choices on Spotify. They...

As our city practically shut down for a week during the snowiest, coldest week Michigan has seen in decades, signs of closure were everywhere. 28th St’s once-bustling shops turned off their lights,...

I am not a good bowler in the slightest, something which is completely evident from my constant scoring around the 130 points. Similarly, I just might be the world’s worst football player, evident from...

Recently, I found myself sitting around a “Life” game board, where players assume the role of a life for a few hours and see who emerges victorious with the most money. While I would argue that ideals...

As the first half of the year comes to a close and seniors begin their last semester, over three hundred members of the Class of 2019 are finding themselves with plenty to reminisce about. Between the...

"I've been doing KCTC since last year when I was a junior. I'm in diagnostics right now. It's like all about the X-rays and phlebotomy. So, we learn about sticking needles up in your arm for bloodwork....

Between his unexpected death by shooting in June to multiple run-ins with the law, deceased rapper XXXTentacion’s musical ability and success has constantly battled his life circumstances. His recently...

It’s been approximately twenty weeks since my senior year started, and I don’t even want to imagine what it would have been like without the blessing in my life that is The Central Trend. There’s...

In the wake of the government shutdown, it seems that every news segment concerning the government is engulfed in a negative connotation. From criticism of both sides of the political spectrum to overall...

"I've only taken one exam so far -- for Orchestra -- and it doesn't even count for my grade. It went pretty good; I got a hundred on that one. But this next one might not be as good; it's Spanish. Spanish...

Towards the end of his sophomore year, with one decision and just a few words, senior Josh Uekert’s life was forever changed, as his family made the significant decision to move to the small town of...

A tale narrating one of history’s deepest political and religious conflicts, new Netflix release Derry Girls recounts the ‘90s conflict in Ireland through the everyday lives of ordinary citizens. Derry...

One week ago, inside a hall in Thailand, stood over one hundred talented, qualified women, each vying for the chance to be Miss Universe. This infamous competition advocates for women who are not only...

As 31 Science Olympiad teams piled into the awards ceremony at Portage Northern High School, FHC’s was expecting a solid fifth place. But as the announcer began to announce the winners of the season’s...

Earlier this year, breakout artist Benny Blanco released his debut single “Eastside,” featuring Halsey and Khalid, and the hit soon became one of the year’s most streamed songs with its catchy beat...

"I was on [JV] soccer. We had like forty seconds left in our last game of the season against Lowell when [freshman] Joe [Robertson] hit an absolute banger into the back of the net. The whole bench just...

"So one day, I was just running around in the parking lot when my dad came to pick me up. I hopped on the back of his car. My phone was in my pocket, and I told him to drive. He said, 'No, get in the car.'...

To me, traditions are spectacularly peculiar. The idea that a person or a group of people can form an event so incredible and memorable that it continues long past their departure astounds me. I think...

"Something that I didn't expect at all from freshman year is how much I've branched out from my original social group. I've had a couple of super close friends since seventh grade, but now I'm starting...

Many years ago, on a distinctive land composed of places from all over the globe, a tower was born. Piece by piece, the foundation of the tower was laid, establishing the premise for what was to come....

Two summers ago, in the heart of the European metropolis of Paris stood sophomore Julia Beaumont. Yet she wasn’t in front of the Eiffel Tower, Louvre, Arc de Triomphe, or any other commonplace Parisian...

The 1975’s newest album, A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships, has been out for just over six hours, and I am already obsessed. Most who know me are aware of my devout devotion to The 1975, their...

Joseph Vettukattil, a world-renowned pediatric cardiologist, has saved over six thousand lives. On a daily basis, he performs 2-3 life-saving cardiac catheterizations, mostly on pediatric patients,...

The last three weeks have been groundbreaking here at The Central Trend. With new records, new writers, new series, and so much more, combined efforts from incoming writers, veteran writers, and the Sports...

Walking into The Bitter End late on a Friday night, I never would have guessed that just a few nights prior, this very coffeehouse had been subject to an armed robbery. Its walls contained an aura of tranquility...

Andy Travis & Akansha Das -- for being two of the most driven people I know It astounds me how two people, both incredibly intelligent and naturally gifted, can also be so humble. Your inherent...

Here at The Central Trend, we have so much to be thankful for. Among a plethora of other things, we are thankful for the supportive community that we are constantly surrounded by, the fascinating school...

Though Grand Haven is a local summer favorite and a typical destination for a Grand Rapids resident to get away, up until a week ago, I had never been. Thus, during my weekend-long sojourn to the coastal...

Name: Maddie Vonk Grade: 12 Role: Susan 1. What are you most excited about? "I’m most excited for the audience to see the dynamics and characters that we’ve developed." 2. What makes...

Name: Callum Ovens Grade: 12 Role: Hobart Kemp 1. What are you most excited about? " I am most excited to see how this all comes together. I have no doubt it will be fantastic, but the anticipation...

This summer, with her dream of performing at Carnegie Hall just a week away and her ideal piece perfected after over a year of practice, sophomore Katie Ritzema was ready for her shining performance. The...

Buzz. My hand darts towards my phone, but not to check my Snapchat or my Instagram as I might have done a couple of months ago. The ding of a snap, or even a text, no longer interests me; the excitement...

If you haven’t realized by now, TCT is a family. And just like any other, our staff holds its own family traditions: newly-established Spooktober, Trendsgiving, editors’ columns, our Countless Thanks...

Any time a round of good news circulates through or a birthday comes winding around, my family gives each other one look, and immediately, everyone knows where we will be eating out that night. For years...

It’s a meager five letters, followed by a considerable eleven, with six occasionally thrown in in between. Nisha Anjali Rajakrishna. Since the day I was born, the sixteen letters that make up...

Within downtown Grand Rapids’s John Ball Zoo lies one exhibit occupied by a rocky pond and surrounded by dispersed patches of sand and shrubbery. Spotted around the exhibit are several tiny, dormant,...

"[Being a twin] is pretty interesting. For us, it's just like having a brother because we're not identical twins. We're not that alike-- we're nothing alike. He's kind of shy, and I just like to play sports,...

"I've always just liked music. I'm in band, and I also started playing piano in first grade. Really, it was my parents who wanted me to start playing the piano. When I was younger, I didn't really want...

"I'm passionate about medical science. It's just something that I've always been interested in since I was little. When we did the shark dissections at Central Woodlands, we had these small sharks for...

“This is what it’s all about,” screeches the girl standing in front of me. Her words pierce me almost as much as the multiple piercings distributed across her face do to her. “This is it,” she...

Yes, I’m well aware that I go to FHC, not FHE, and that the wrong school is featured in the title. While we may be rivals on the court or the field, above all, Northern, Central, and Eastern are all...

During the week, freshman Ben Taylor will not see his brothers for 120 hours straight. Each school day, Ben wakes up early in the morning to make it to zero hour drumline practice, then spends all day...

Zesty tangs, aromatic savor, and rich, luscious flavor. Mediterranean food will forever have my heart with these elements at its core. Sheshco Mediterranean Grill embodied these components of Mediterranean...

Eleven dollars. This year, eleven dollars is allotted per student to FHC’s science department. With eleven dollars, you could buy two Big Mac meals or perhaps a bouquet of flowers from Meijer. With...

I am a fourth grader at Discovery Elementary in Kentwood, Michigan. I am captivated by the magic of books, the structure of math, and the enchantment associated with science. On a gloomy winter Michigan...

“I play lacrosse, and when I started in first or second grade, it was really new. A bunch of my friends were all talking about it, so we all got together, and we’ve been playing ever since. I’ve...

Welcome to Room 140 (affectionately dubbed Room 139 ¾ by its inhabitants), home of The Central Trend. Coming off our year of prosperity, we are so excited to continue providing content to both our...

For an artist of his prominence, flair, and grandeur, it completely astounds me just how stirring Troye Sivan’s music can be to even the average listener. Sivan’s impressive resume includes serving...

Change can be a scary thing, and real adventure can invoke fear in even the strongest individuals. It’s the exhilarating feeling of physically stepping out of your comfort zone into something new and...

Within each classroom in every building in the country, there are thousands of factors that impact the quality of education that each child receives. Experience of the teacher, the subject of the class,...

"I am so happy that junior year is ending. It was very rough, but I think I really persevered through it, and I'm just really happy that it's over. [It was difficult to] keep time for myself while balancing...

Pick any form of science or humanities, and odds are, junior James Aidala probably knows something about it. With a multitude of interests in the two fields (including debate, public speaking, geology,...

It’s been 65 years since fighting of the Korean War ended, but as of today, the Korean War isn’t even officially over. On July 27, 1953, a ceasefire was drawn, but since a peace treaty was never signed,...

“Sports are pretty much our life. [I have] three boys: a sophomore, an eighth grader, and a fifth grader. [They’ve played] basketball and baseball forever. Most of the games are around here, but they...

In my experience, nothing brings people together like a mouthwatering pizza. People gather around a table, and as the pizza cutter slowly cuts into the crust crumbling below it, impatient hands pull at...

Name: Koyuki Buckhold Grade: Freshman Running for: Treasurer 1. How long have you been a part of student council? "I was my class's vice president for the past school year. I was also on...

At the age of only three, freshman Brittney Probst found herself dribbling down both the basketball court and the soccer pitch. It’s been over a decade since Brittney’s parents first signed her up...

It’s October, and there’s a cool fall breeze blowing over the organized lines cascading down the football field. The sonorous music from the assembly of instruments is supported by the booming beats...

Mark Zuckerberg once told his colleagues, "a squirrel dying in your front yard may be more relevant to your interests right now than people dying in Africa." The way we perceive the world these days...

Film: Deception Producer: Kendall Leach, Kendall Gardner, and Jack Nolan *Quotes by Kendall Leach* 1. What’s your film about? "It's about a girl who is trying to deal with the death of...

Whether it’s on a piano bench in front of a panel of judges, at a competition about to take on an anatomy test, or preparing to deliver a speech to a group of medical experts, sophomore Akansha Das is...

With thousands of artists entering the hip-hop and rap game each year, there’s not much one artist can do to set themselves apart. Sure, catchy music and a variety of tunes are vital to a successful...

“I went to Paraguay after my sophomore year during exams. I was there for a little over two weeks, [so for] around 18 days. So, my sister is a Spanish teacher in Indiana. She was leading her first student...

To me, graduation is a curious thing. Over 3.6 million students will graduate from high school in the US this year alone. Yet what leaves me the most amazed about graduation is the unity of the whole event;...

When senior Jillian Chamberlain was a middle schooler and randomly picked up a new interest, little did she know, this new "hobby" would eventually become her entire life. Humbly self-teaching herself...

"But why do we have to learn history? It all happened hundreds of years ago anyway," the whiny student in my middle school history class complained. "In learning history, we understand the changes...

"The [Health Occupation Students of America] state conference was really cool, and I'm really glad we got to [come here]. It was at the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel, and it was the first time I've been there....

There's nothing like being on a plane. Not the feeling of physically being on the plane itself per se, because I'm quite uncomfortable when I'm crammed in a metal box in the sky with three hundred other...

Since the global hit 1-800-273-8255 gained great success at the end of last year, singer Logic and his salient message have touched the hearts of many around the world. The 1-800 hit inspired a message...

On the road to Detroit, marketing teacher Kristin Oai??i??Brien and her dozens of DECA students excitedly traveled to take part in the DECA state competition. Surrounded by nearly four thousand students...

"Everyone has their different strengths," senior Francesca Duong said. "I think one of the most important things to recognize when you're working in a group is that someone is going to be better at something...

Imagine a freshman, and the minds of many jump to the image of a student steadily trying to grasp the ropes of their new high school experience. While some may be confused and trying to find their identity...

As a country and a society, one of our greatest accomplishments has been the establishment of our voting system, and most citizens take pride in the ubiquitous freedom to take part in both local and national...

"I love going to India. My family tries to go every year, and recently, we have tried to go during the same time that my cousin goes to India. My favorite part about going is getting a chance to meet my...

"[For the global fair], I did Russia and Ecuador. I had to do Ecuador for Spanish. But Russia, I did it because I'm Russian. It feels pretty great. I feel like I'm educating people about my homeland. I...