Features

InterACT Club returns to connect with local community

by Kori Washington

Every club starts somewhere, and for the InterACT Club, it all started with two women being approached.

What started as a conversation at Homecoming eventually led to the return of the InterACT Club.

“It was at Homecoming, actually, when we got approached by some community members to see if we had any interest in starting this club. This club had previously been at JHS about five years ago,” said InterACT Club co-sponsor Chloe Merkle.

Although the club was absent from JHS for years, community members wanted to bring it back and create new experiences for students.

“The main purpose of the InterACT Club is to help strengthen the bonds that build a community, and to get students invested and involved in the world around them,” said InterACT Club co-sponsor Francesca Hernandez.

Along with the goal of getting the students to be more involved with the community, the club also hopes to make a name for itself.

“We hope to be well-known in the community as helpful hands willing to assist anywhere we’re needed,” said Hernandez. “We have already made some strong connections with the local Parks Department, animal shelters, nursing homes, food banks, and GCCS schools in our first active month.”

Both the sponsors and the student members have goals in mind for the club moving forward.

“I hope the InterACT Club will give me skills such as leadership, problem-solving, and time management,” said senior Tyrone Whitten.

Other members have similar goals and hope to use the club to better themselves.

“I hope to gain a sense of community within my new environment,” said senior Evelyn Harwood.

“I hope to develop leadership and community working skills from this club,” added freshman LaRon Robinson.

Although the students look forward to what they can gain from joining the club, they also look forward to what the club will do for the community.

“I hope the club will make a difference in my community by always having someone out there helping in some shape or form. I think uplifting others makes the community stronger and ten times better,” said Whitten.

Beyond the club goals, community service plays an important role in teaching people not only to think about themselves but also to think about others.

“Students will learn important lessons in responsibility, empathy, problem-solving, and teamwork. It not only helps them grow as people, but helps the community grow in a way that fosters a wide sense of belonging,” said Harwood.

Beside teaching students the importance of helping others, the sponsors encourage students to develop more skills that help them in the future.

“We hope students foster the skills of just being kind to others, less phone time, being on time, being present, and, like, following through with what you said you were going to do,” said Merkle.

While the sponsors hope to help students develop skills that will benefit them in the future, their reasons for wanting to sponsor the club go beyond teaching.

“I want to help bridge the gaps that might prevent students from going out and interacting with their community. There are so many fantastic local organizations and opportunities that need assistance, and service is so significantly helpful no matter how small. Impact makes ripples that can be seen throughout the whole community,” said Hernandez.

As the club continues to grow, its sponsors hope that the students’ efforts will help make more people want to get involved in helping out the Jeffersonville community.

“Walls separating students by gender, grade level, social status, or even academic performance are dissolved in InterACT. If you want to make Jeffersonville a better place, you are welcome here,” said Hernandez.

6 Nov 2026 by jhshyphen

JHS hosts annual Halloween door decorating contest

All photos by Raven Baker and Ashton Walcott.

Halloween brings the annual door decorating contest at JHS; this year students and faculty members joined forces to celebrate the scary season.

Hyphen newspaper staff members and sophomores Eva Harbeson, Geliah Perry-Garr, and Parker Vibbert:
A midnight pumpkin patch theme.

4 Nov 2026 by jhshyphen

Music lovers enjoy the tempo, originality of Dolly Parton’s ‘9 to 5’

by Micah Nef

The daily life of a high schooler is challenging. Many teens struggle to keep up with schoolwork, sports, and jobs. Dolly Parton expresses the hardships of working in her song “9 to 5.” There are so many different genres and styles of music, but it’s no secret that the Queen of Country knew how to make good tunes.

Many JHS students enjoy Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5,” regardless of their music preferences.

Sophomore Lauren Beck rates the song a 7/10. While she doesn’t listen to country music, she still appreciates the lyrics and enjoys the song.

“I think it’s a good song and I like how it doesn’t sugarcoat the hard parts of working for what you want,” she said.

Beck’s personal favorite music genres are pop and indie. Her favorite song is “Carolina” by Taylor Swift.

“I mostly listen to pop, but sometimes I listen to Indie. I listen to it because I feel like the message of the song comes through a lot more clearly than other genres of music,” she explained.

Senior Lizeth Gonzalez gives “9 to 5” a 10/10. She enjoys the song’s upbeat vibe and considers it a classic.

“It’s a classic song that literally everybody knows. It’s catchy and it’s lively,” she said.

Gonzalez likes many kinds of music, but her favorite genre is rock.

“I like the concerts and how there’s so much going on. Even if I don’t know the song I’m still able to enjoy the band play,” she said.

Similar to Gonzalez, senior Elijah Lahrman considers the song a classic even though it’s outside his usual music taste. He rates it an 8/10.

“I’d say it’s pretty classic and a lot of people like it but for me it’s not my first choice,” he explained.

Lahrman enjoys rock music because of its high energy and his favorite song is “Hot Dog” by Limp Bizkit.

Science teacher Michell Densford also gives the song an 8/10. She said, “I think it’s a little old-fashioned, but I think the message is good.”

Densford prefers pop music to country. Pop is her favorite because it’s fun and matches the mood most of the time. Her current favorite song is “Apple Tree” by Redding Hunter.

While Dolly Parton’s song isn’t everyone’s favorite, it’s still a well-liked classic for JHS students and staff.

4 Nov 2026 by jhshyphen

Scary movies have a frightful history

by Natalie Creagh and Aurora Grisham

From blood-filled elevators and “One Wish Willows,” to that feeling of anticipation and caution, wondering what’s going to happen next, horror movies can be a crowd favorite to some or a nightmare to others.

Horror films have been around for many years and have also changed with how fear is portrayed and what the generations consider scary. So how did this all start, and how do horror films continue to evolve and frighten people?

The first horror film ever made was “Le Manoir du diable,” known in English as “The Haunted Castle” or “The House of the Devil,” in 1869 by George Méliès. The film included cauldrons, bats, skeletons, and ghosts, things that someone in 2026 wouldn’t be as scared of.

The first popular, full-length horror film was “The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari.” Other iconic classics include “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” by Robert Louis Stevenson, about a scientist named Henry Jekyll who, when testing out a potion, becomes his beastly alter ego, Mr. Hyde, terrorizing and killing the people of London.

Everyone knows and loves the classic films, such as “The Texas Chain Saw Massacre” and “Carrie,” but new movies are constantly coming out, like “Obsession” and the newly-released “Other Mommy.”

Everyone has their favorite horror movie, and there are many to choose from. Let’s see what movies students and staff prefer.

Junior Kai Helton, who says he prefers the more classic horror movies, said his favorite horror movie is the 1996 “Scream.” Helton said that, if he had to spend a full day in a horror movie, it would be “Silence of the Lambs.”

Helton said, “If I wasn’t a main character, I don’t think anything would happen to me.”

“The Silence of the Lambs,” released in 1991, follows a young FBI trainee, Clarice Starling, as she hunts for a serial killer, “Buffalo Bill,” and seeks advice from the brilliant psychiatrist and insane cannibal Dr. Hannibal Lecter. The movie is a psychological horror, full of moments of fear and suspense.

On the topic of psychological horror movies, sophomore General McLain finds that psychological horror movies are interesting. The movie McLain would want to be in was the 2005 movie “The Descent,” a movie about a group of friends going on a gone-wrong cave-diving expedition. McLain said that he prefers classical movies, with his favorite being “The Conjuring.”

With classical movies, APUSH and government teacher Robert Russell said that his favorite is “The Silence of the Lambs.”

“I think it’s the most realistic horror movie I’ve seen,” Russell said.

Russell responded to what movie he would prefer to be in with The Silence of the Lambs, for the reason of finding FBI profiling to be very interesting and their process of finding serial killers. He said that he prefers classic horror movies like “Halloween” and “Carrie.”

English teacher Grant Vance said, “I’m a huge fan of the original ‘Halloween,’ and I did my college English thesis paper on ‘Scream.’”

Vance felt that, if he had to spend a day in a horror movie, he would pick “ Buddy,” a new movie released in August of this year. “I think it would be a fun one,” he said. The story follows a group of kids trapped in a “Barney and Friends” style world with an orange unicorn named Buddy, who takes a dark turn from the typical kids’ show.

Most everyone likes horror films, with horror being a universal theme. From psychological to thriller, horror is an undying genre that is being constantly revamped and the standards are constantly changing. From “Le Manoir de diable” to “Obsession,” there’s always something for everyone to watch.

29 Oct 202629 Oct 2026 by jhshyphen

Head coach Sherron Wilkerson motivates players through discipline

by Natalia Martinez

Head boys’ basketball coach Sherron Wilkerson scans the hallway by the lunchroom, looking for problems to solve. Most students know him as the coach behind the game plan for JHS players.

“I coach basketball to teach kids and get to help them and teach them the things teachers and others don’t really get to teach them,” said Wilkerson.

Wilkerson played basketball at Jeff High before he ever coached here, as he was on the 1993 state championship team. He has carried what he learned from playing in that game through college and now to his players.

“Everything I learn from college I teach all at the high school level to show them what it takes, because if you’ve never been there before, you don’t know what it takes to be there.”

Those who know Wilkerson describe him as a good person and role model, saying the way he chooses to teach his players is a view of his character.

“Sherron cares a lot about the kids, making sure to teach them life lessons and put them on the right path in life. People just see his intensity, not how much he cares and helps the kids, and the kids that come back after graduation, he still helps them,” said safety and security officer Brian Mitchell.

Junior and varsity player Shyne Scruggs agreed. “Coach Wilkerson is very serious and a hard worker when it comes to basketball and very smart and intelligent.”

Wilkerson wants his players to succeed on and off the court. He also supports them when they leave for college.

“He is always thinking about coaching when he’s not coaching, also making sure the kids are good and taken care of at home and if they need something to let him know,” said Mitchell.

Wilkerson demonstrates the ability to bring out the best in every athlete, pushing them to reach their full potential and setting them up for success for success in the way he views losses.

“We don’t judge off our losses; we judge off performance and growth.’’ said Wilkerson.

Boys’ basketball coach Sherron Wilkerson. Photo by Natalia Martinez.

23 Oct 2026 by jhshyphen

Music fans enjoy Louder Than Life experience

by Aurora Grisham

Louder Than Life is one of the largest rock and metal festivals in America. Every year, thousands of people travel to Kentucky to watch their favorite band perform in the cooling days of September. However, it wasn’t always as popular as it is now. The history of Louder Than Life is quite a rich one.

Louder Than Life started in 2014 in Champion’s Park, founded by Danny Wimmer Presents, and debuted as a two-day event with their headliners being Judas Priest, Korn, Stone Temple Pilots, and Limp Bizkit.

In 2015, the WWE COO Triple H announced that Louder Than Life would feature in-ring WWE NXT Superstar matches, selling the show out. The headliners that year were Rob Zombie, ZZ Top, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Godsmack.

A few years later, in 2019, the event extended into three days and was moved to the Highland Festival Grounds after flooding the previous year. The headliners then were Slipknot, Guns N’ Roses, Disturbed, and Marilyn Manson.

In 2021, the event expanded again into the four-day event we now know. Additionally, that year, Snoop Dogg canceled his appearance at the festival and was replaced by the band Falling in Reverse, with headliners being Korn, Metallica, Nine Inch Nails, and Machine Gun Kelly.

In 2023, Louder Than Life broadened their music genre based on fan-requested headliners, dipping more into the alternative and punk lineup, with the headliners being Foo Fighters, Tool, Avenged Sevenfold, and Green Day.

2024 was the celebration of the 10-year anniversary since Louder Than Life opened, with a record of over 140+ booked bands. The headliners that year were Slipknot, Mötley Crüe, Korn, and The Offspring.

In 2025, the event relocated again, now to the Kentucky Exposition Center, expanding the footprint to 2.8 million square feet, with festival passes now including free rides at the adjacent Kentucky Kingdom amusement park. The record attendance was broken for a second time, totaling about 240,000 fans. The headliners that year were Slayer, Avenged Sevenfold, Deftones, and Bring Me the Horizon.

Louder Than Life happened on Sept. 17, 18, 19, and 20th, so what did people think of the show?

It was sophomore Braylen Martin’s first year going, saying, “I went for the fun of it and that; if given the chance, I wouldn’t be able to choose a favorite band to see because of my love for music.”

Senior Gabe Collens said that it was also his first year going and that his favorite band he saw was BABYMETAL.

“The mosh pit was crazy, and their music is incredible,” he said.

Collens went because his friend had a free ticket for him. He said that he would want to see Mom Jeans if given the chance.

Junior Grace Bentley is a repeat goer. Out of all the bands she’s seen at Louder than Life, her favorite was Weezer.

“It made me very emotional; it was really good. It sounded like the studio recording. It changed me,” said Bentley.

Bentley went to see My Chemical Romance, and she would want to see the band Norma Jean.

English teacher Patrick Wentworth did not go this year, but he’s been going to Louder than Life for decades.

“While I like Shinedown, Slipknot, all those bands, I got to see Kiss on their final tour, and it was electric. They have great showmanship,” he said.

He skipped this year because of the previous year, describing it as getting “a little rough during Bad Omens” and “no longer the local experience.” He added that it’s also gotten expensive. Though if he had to choose a band to see, he would want to see either Pink Floyd or Led Zeppelin. He said that Led Zeppelin has more music he’d choose from, but Pink Floyd is a band he’d constantly put on.

Despite the expenses being raised and the experience no longer being a local one, Louder than Life is a concert experience that everyone can appreciate and find something enjoyable in it. With all the years that have gone by, there’s always something for people to appreciate; whether it be the lineup or the food, there’s something for everyone.

23 Oct 2026 by jhshyphen

Chris Bradley supports student success in dinosaur science

by Rhaya Nord

Walking past science teacher Chris Bradley’s classroom, students would see a room full of dinosaurs.

“Earth and space are important, and it’s something we deal with every day,” stated Bradley.

Walking around JHS or to class, students might see Bradley or his classroom. Not many underclassmen would know him, but most upperclassmen do.

For example, junior Shyne Scruggs stated, “His class is enjoyable, and it’s good to know about fossil fuels, and it’s also an easy class, and I love an easy class.”

“I think upperclassmen are more mature, and they know what they want to do in a classroom and outside of school,” said Bradley. “They’ve become more dependent on technology. They’re more willing to ask questions.”

Bradley enjoys the students he teaches, and he finds the subject interesting.

Bradley’s wife, Jodi Bradley, who teaches PE, stated. “I do think this is his dream job because he likes kids and dinosaurs.”

Bradley somewhat agreed with his wife.

“I don’t know if it’s my dream job, but I do enjoy it. I like the kids, and what I teach is interesting.”

Bradley’s main class is teaching dinosaur science as an elective; he was teaching earth and space science at first, but after a while he was also able to teach his dinosaur elective class.

“Earth and space science is what I’m certified in, but I teach dinosaurs because it’s an area of interest for some students.”

Students in his classes say Bradley adapts the subject to keep it interesting and understandable.

“I adapt to Bradley’s teaching style by listening to what he says in class, and I read and look over notes,” stated Scruggs.

Upperclassmen continue to come back to take Bradley’s class because of his teaching style and his expectations for his students, which Bradley finds rewarding.

“Seeing kids after I taught them and seeing what they do with their lives makes me feel that I did something right,” he said.

At A Glance

Born	Oct. 8, 1984
Hometown	Louisville, Kentucky
Favorite Color	Green
Favorite College	University of Kentucky
Favorite Sport	Basketball

22 Oct 2026 by jhshyphen

Games Club brings fun to students’ gaming experience

by Ashton Walcott

The sixteenth-century Spanish card game, Ombre, has shaped the style of card games as we know it within Western society, from its revolutionary Entrada and Vuelta bidding mechanics to its exact, unforgiving calculation of cards needed to win. These aspects of Ombre have influenced other well-known classics such as poker, blackjack, and even newer card games such as Yu-Gi-Oh.

While students aren’t able to find Ombre within the walls of JHS, they’re still able to find many other popular games that have derived from it at Games Club, including Pokémon TCG, Magic: The Gathering, Dungeons and Dragons, and even Yu-Gi-Oh.

JHS math teacher Cory Densford takes note of his younger and older students’ insights and interests, which were used to create Games Club.

“13 years ago, I was teaching an Algebra I class, and we had a ton of free time at the end of the year,” said Densford. “A student brought in the card game Yu-Gi-Oh and asked me to play. I instantly found it extremely fun! So when the next year came around, we started what’s now known as Games Club.”

Math teacher Cory Densford talks to sophomore Maxwell Semones and sophomore Elijah Hatfield during Games Club. Photo by Ashton Walcott.

Densford said the best part of the club is getting to know students better.

“My favorite part of Games Club is getting to know the kids in a non-classroom setting and getting to understand them on a better level. We don’t have a whole lot of downtime while in class, so I feel like this is a great way to connect with them more.”

Games Club is a friendly and inviting environment. Densford is always looking for more participants. Students who may be just starting or have been involved in these games for years are welcomed. Many students already involved in this club enjoy getting to know their peers outside of a classroom and making friends with similar interests.

Junior Samuel Stifler, who is a one-year veteran at Games Club, gave his insight into the nature of the club.

“I love that it allows aspiring gamers to come together, play games as a group, as well as learn about other games. I do wish there were a little more game variety, but that is a change planned for the future.”

Stifler said the club interested him from the beginning.

“As a freshman, I noticed that the club was an option through the school Pride Slides, and I was instantly interested. I had a group of friends that wanted to start a DND session, and now I can easily contact the group and play a game of our choice. Games Club provides a perfect place to meet with friends outside of school and build a world that we can all be a part of.”

Junior William Ponsford, who’s a former Games Club member, stated the club helped him meet fellow gamers.

“I joined Games Club because I wanted to meet new people and socialize through games; I find it very enjoyable to game, and I can socialize with my peers around me while expressing myself through gaming.”

Ponsford said the atmosphere of the club is a bonus.

“What I personally like and find the most enjoyable is how much game variety there is. You’re able to be very open-minded, express your ideas freely, and there were a lot of different people with unique personalities. I loved Densford as a teacher and president of Games Club because he is a very kind and warm person,” he said.

Ponsford said the club helps members be more creative, too.

“My favorite part is that it’s a place where many people, no matter their social status, are able to meet up, have fun, express creative ideas, expand game culture, socialize, and really open people’s minds to different games in general,” said Ponsford.

Junior Kenneth Norton, who’s in his second year of Games Club, agreed that Games Club is a wonderful place to meet new people.

“I love that this club allows me to play games with the people that I like, as well as people that I haven’t ever met before,” said Norton. “I’ve gotten to learn and experience games with other amazing students that I didn’t know very well beforehand.”

Junior Kenneth Norton plays Magic The Gathering during a Games Club meeting in the media center. Photo by Ashton Walcott.

20 Oct 2026 by jhshyphen

Policewoman turned scientist inspires lives beyond the classroom

by Noah Keserovic

Birthday: May 6, 1999
Hometown: Corydon, Indiana
Favorite sport: Softball
Favorite food: Pasta
Favorite movie: “Iron Man“
Favorite music genre: Pop music
Hobbies: Reading, arts and crafts
Time spent teaching: Two years.

Biology and PLTW Human Body Systems teacher Karson Cecil sits at her desk, checking emails and grading assignments as the students in her seventh period Human Body Systems class work, constructing an origami diagram of a bone. A Louisville Police badge sits on her desk in a case.

One may walk past Cecil’s classroom without a second thought, just thinking that she is any ordinary science teacher; however, that isn’t the case here.

At a first glance, no one would know that she once worked as a crime scene technician for the Louisville Police.

“My experience as a crime scene technician was fantastic; it was a fulfilling job and it was always something new each day. I left that position due to the schedule being too chaotic,” Cecil said.

However, one may wonder why she would take up such a job, with so much danger and unpredictability.

“I just applied and showed up. But the biggest influence is ‘Criminal Minds’, the show,” Cecil stated.

After quitting her job as a crime scene technician she took her career in a completely different direction.

“I chose science because my degree is in science, and it’s my favorite subject,” she answered.

Despite the troubles and annoyances of being a teacher, she has still decided to stick with this career as a science teacher.

“I like getting to help students find something that’s interesting to them and discover that science can be pretty fun.”

Cecil had to take various different classes in high school and then college in order to be able to pursue her career in teaching, biology, and human anatomy.

“In high school I took Advanced Science classes and then in college I took a lot of biology and chemistry classes. I also took an education class, not with interest in teaching, just to fill a space, but then I went to grad school and took anatomy classes,” Cecil said.

Cecil is still a new teacher, at least compared to others, having chosen to teach at JHS for a simple reason.

“Yeah, because it’s close to my home and they were looking to hire a science teacher,” Cecil stated.

Her students have had many positive impacts on her life.

“My students impact my life by brightening my day and they always keep me learning too, they teach me new things which are important. They teach me slang, and I’ve learned some TikTok dances,” she said.

However, Cecil has also had impacts on the lives of her students as well.

“I say she’s taught me a lot and helped me learn a lot of information I need to know for my career,” said sophomore Haylee Schwarz, a student in Cecil’s PLTW Human Body Systems class.

Cecil has also been an inspiration for her students.

“She inspires me to be a better person because of the way she teaches,” stated sophomore Layla Dizdar, another PLTW Human Body Systems student.

Cecil thinks that science is a very important subject, especially in today’s world.

“Science explains the world and how it’s always changing. It is also important that people are able to keep up with new information,” she stated.

Some may find biology and human anatomy to be boring, so one may wonder how Cecil keeps her class fun and interesting.

“I try to incorporate different styles of learning and different games,” she said.

But, do her methods really work at all?

“I find it fun because I like learning the stuff but I find it interesting because of the people,” said Schwarz.

Cecil also has a way to motivate her students to work efficiently.

“Knowing we can have fun after our work is done is a big motivator for everyone,” said Dizdar.

Many people seem to have a positive opinion of Cecil as well.

“I think she’s a very funny and kind individual,” stated Dizdar.

Despite Cecil having a rather chaotic history, and teaching such an important and complicated subject, she has one, very simple goal in her life.

“My biggest goal in life is to have a small hobby farm with miniature cows.”

1 Oct 2026 by jhshyphen

Charles Patton transfers love for science to his students

by Akiya Flynn

Principles of Biomedical Science and Biomedical Innovations instructor Charles Patton works hard to teach a wide range of scientific material in his classroom. Patton uses his genuine persona to engage his students.

“The way he teaches is understandable, and he goes into detail and makes things make sense,” said freshman Gem’maica Hunter-Lawrence.

No one would have guessed that Patton had prior work experience in science before teaching it.

“I worked in various healthcare systems in the Atlanta healthcare market for about 15 years, and four years prior to teaching, I was with a healthcare startup system called VillageMD,” said Patton.

Patton has been teaching for two years; he is currently in his third year.

“You kind of grow and learn and make changes in real time. Changes as needed,” he stated.

Patton keeps a healthy classroom environment and uses patience.

“I try to be as approachable and honest as possible.”

Patton actively works to build a relationship with each student. He uses the students’ work as a way to learn, understand, and even help them.

“There’s a lot of depending on how the day goes; there is no set schedule,” he stated. “Some days are more controlled than others.”

Patton conducts his classroom based on the behavior of the students in it. He prefers to work with the students rather than against them.

“He’s nice and seems like a genuine person,” according to freshman Elise McCormack.

“I love science. I think that science is something that brings us tons of experiments and some sort of truth at the end.”
Principles of Biomedical Science and Biomedical Innovations Teacher Charles Patton

Patton sees his students as more than just students; he sees them for far more than what they write down on a paper.

“I like that he is bubbly and lights up a room. He listens and tries to put his feet in your shoes,” said freshman Harmoni Staton.

Because Patton cares so deeply for his students, he intends to welcome them with the same warm, welcoming personality every day.

“Everyday is what you make it, and the positive feedback from the kids keeps me going,” he stated.

Seeing the impact he makes on the students during the duration of teaching keeps Patton eager and ready to come back and work. He has a deep love for science and hopes to share a little of that scientific truth with his students.

“I love science. I think that science is something that brings us tons of experiments and some sort of truth at the end.”

1 Oct 2026 by jhshyphen

FCA allows students to strengthen their faith

by Lorelei Bingham

As Friday morning begins, students gather before school, ready to start their day off with breakfast, games, and conversations about their faith.

For members of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA), these Friday mornings are more than just a way to start the school day. They are an opportunity to connect with their peers and grow closer to God.

“FCA means quite a lot to me. It’s a time for me to connect with my peers, play games, eat breakfast, but it is also so much more. I’m able to grow closer to God even at school, and I look forward to every Friday morning for this exact reason,” stated senior Macyn Jackson.

Through games and discussions, FCA gives students opportunities to grow both as athletes and in their faith.

Main sponsor Pamela McCoy shared, “FCA is about athletes being able to come together to practice teamwork and commitment. Being able to have a space to gather together, pray, and learn about Jesus is important. We meet as a group for FCA, but the hope is that it will go out to the teams. FCA’s goal is to see the world transformed by Jesus Christ through the influence of coaches and athletes.”

On Sept. 4, 2026, sophomore Alyssa Anderson talks about loving one another and putting differences aside to come together at a morning meeting of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes in the library. Photo by Lorelei Bingham.

Although FCA centers around sports and faith, every student has a different reason for being involved.

Freshman Eli Smith said that joining FCA has helped strengthen his relationship with God while helping him become a better person.

Jackson shares a similar reason for joining FCA. “I joined FCA because this is a community of people I can always have for support, and I’m there to support them too. I also knew joining would help me grow to be a better person all around.”

Student leaders play a big role in FCA. They grow in their faith while helping others grow theirs.

“Being a student leader is challenging, but I love it,” said junior Clara Theriault. “I go through my Bible, make devotionals, and questions from scratch, so it really tests my knowledge, but I get to share that with my fellow peers who may not know what I’m talking about. That part makes it all extremely rewarding.”

The student leaders contribute to making FCA meaningful for its members.

“My favorite part of FCA is getting to hear our high school leaders talk about my religion and what it means to be Christian. It’s so meaningful to hear people my age or younger speak about the Bible and the connections we can make to our high school life. It shows me that even at school, I can be living through Christ,” Jackson shared.

Members also encourage their peers to attend, saying they can experience the community and learn about their faith.

McCoy explained, “At FCA we want to try and invite others to come to know more about Jesus and to form a community of peers that can join together and share their faith with each other.”

For some members, Friday mornings have become a meaningful part of their week.

Theriault said, “My favorite part about FCA is being able to devote every Friday morning to God and spreading the gospel.”

FCA allows students to strengthen their own faith while encouraging them to share it with others.

McCoy hopes that message continues beyond the Friday morning meetings.

“I hope that they come away knowing that Jesus loves them and that they can take that and share it with other students,” shared McCoy. “I also hope that they invite others so they can know more about Jesus as well.”

29 Sep 2026 by jhshyphen

Life of a High School Counselor

Shelby McCorkle strives to help her students every day

by Anicko Griffin

Counselor Shelby McCorkle greets her students with a smile, answering questions they and others may have for that day.

“Hey girl! How can I help?”

McCorkle carries herself like any other person at Jeff High. Most people would never notice the hundreds of students’ pain, dilemmas, and anger she carries with her every day.

Although it seems difficult, McCorkle completes her job with a positive demeanor.

Some may see McCorkle as just another staff member. It’s invisible to the blind eye that she has been a school counselor for just over 14 years, finding her job the most enjoyable and important thing to her after her two kids.

“I love working with kids. It’s never boring, and you all bring something new to the table every day. Are there things I would change about it? Yes, but I wouldn’t trade it for the world,” stated McCorkle.

McCorkle plans on being a JHS counselor until retirement.

“I genuinely want to help every student who comes through my door and help change their life for the better.”

McCorkle’s father was in education as well. She also took the counselor career path.

“Now more than ever, a lot is going on with family, school, and teachers, and it’s important for everyone to have their safe space,” said McCorkle.

Her students appreciate her dedication.

“She always makes my day better,” said junior Brooklynn Weston. ”No matter what the topic is, she always knows what to say.”

McCorkle is always trying to gain students’ trust and give them a safe space. She genuinely values her job, and helping students with their next big step is a priority to her.

“I love helping students figure out what path they want to take when they get out of high school. The person they are changes so much between 14 and 17, and I love being able to be there every step of the way.”

Graphic by Anicko Griffin.

29 Sep 2026 by jhshyphen