On April 20, 2024, the North Carolina School of Science and Math hosted their annual Welcome Day to orient the incoming NCSSM-Durham students, or the class of 2026. Along with starting their flight at NCSSM in the PEC, taking photos for IDs, and dorm tours, and Students and families were invited to participate in the school’s Club Fair, in which the current students of the classes of 2024 and 2025 showcased nearly 80 student-led clubs on the Durham campus.
Ranging from the Balkan Cultures Club to Quiz Bowl to Smath Tutors to NCSSM Rocketry and more, this club fair is the first of many fairs for the new class of 2026.
In this broadcast, The Stentorian reporter Teresa Fang interviews students Natalie Jones ’24, Hayden Moritz ’25, Avanesh Vijayakumar ’24, and Tejasvi Shirolkar ’26 about their hopes and experiences on Welcome Day 2024.
On October 30, the Chapel Hill Youth Council hosted a forum for the mayoral and town council candidates for the then-upcoming municipal elections. (Teresa Fang/Stentorian)
Many young people lament the polarized national politics we are set to inherit. But are we worthy of lamenting when we don’t even care about local politics first?
I am a product of what I know as journalism and Chapel Hill civics. I worry less about the health of US democracy than I do about the deteriorating health of interest in it. Too many times have I heard a fellow high schooler voice their opinion about a recent national policy, but when confronted, they stare and cite a TikTok influencer or a popular podcaster. This response is exaggeratedly worse for local politics; local political apathy tears young people from reality and sets a precedent for misinformation.
I single out social media as one of the largest facilitators of political apathy. A survey from Gallup reports that over half of US teens (ages 13-19) spend a minimum of four hours on social media every day. That’s four hours of being exposed to conformity influences, from beauty standards to cancel culture to the polarization of national politics. With social media becoming ever increasingly accessible, anyone can exercise their laws of free speech on social media while the consequences of spreading baseless claims become nigh invisible.
Anyone can complain about an issue, but can just anyone change anything about said issue? People may be knowledgeable on national politics, but if a citizen has concerns about a bus route or stormwater runoff, their representative in Congress can’t help them. But their local town council member can. If a student notices a decrease in the quality of their education at a public school, that’s just an observation supporting the recent national trend. If that student notices a difference in education at their school relative to other schools in the district, then that’s a different story.
Local politics impacts day-to-day lives. If young people can change our nation’s future, why don’t we try paying closer attention to our town first?
By NCSSM Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA)
On March 21-23, 2024, NCSSM-Durham FBLA competed at the North Carolina Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) State Leadership Conference in Greensboro, NC. (Khushi Bhatt/NCSSM FBLA)
A couple of weeks ago, NCSSM-Durham FBLA traveled to Greensboro to compete in the North Carolina FBLA State Leadership Conference on March 21-23, 2024. Students competed among 70 schools and over 4,000 high school students from across the state. This 2-night, 3-day long conference is one of the biggest events NCSSM FBLA competes in over the course of the school year.
Chapter President and Founder Khushi Bhatt states, “As a first-time chapter, all of our winners and finalists should be incredibly proud of themselves! All the hard work and late nights of paperwork and registration are worth it when someone from our school gets up on that stage.”
NCSSM FBLA had over 45 out of 70 students place in the Top 10 within their respective events and even have 30 students planning on competing at Nationals in June in Orlando, Florida. These are extremely high numbers for a newly founded chapter, and students from our school showed out from events like Marketing to Network Design!
This is such an incredible feat, and NCSSM FBLA would like to thank Veronica Vazquez, their sponsor, as well as NCSSM Academic Programs for funding and support. Furthermore, we would like to give a huge shout-out to all of the amazing FBLA officers who have been working since the summer to make this possibility a reality. Thank you to Khushi, Charit, Aryan V., Kenan, Vishvum, Aryan C., Zoe, Tanuli, Prisha, Rehan, Cat, and Aspen for all your hard work!
Congratulations to all the winners, see a comprehensive list below!
Name
event
place
Lalit Julapali
Financial Planning HS – Test Recognition
Finalist
Khushi Bhatt
Advertising
1
Zain Patel
Agribusiness
3
George Cheng
Agribusiness
1
Reid Burgess
Agribuisness
Finalist
Pranav Mettu
Agribusiness
2
Adrian Bedeley
Banking and Financial Systems
Finalist
Catherine Russ
Business Law
Finalist
Kush Mehta
Business Law
2
Edward Zhang
Business Law
1
Tanuli, Prisha, Zoe
Business Management
1
Rishi, Aditya
Business plan
Finalist
Pranav Nair
Coding and Programming
Finalist
Gokul Kannan
Computer Problem Solving
2
Shourya Kudaravalli
Computer Problem Solving
4
Sanjana Ram
Cybersecurity
2
Jacey Odero
Economics
4
Eric Su
Economics
Finalist
Amy Lei
Health Care Administration
Finalist
Malcom Louigards
Health Care Administration
3
Andrea Dela Pena
Health Care Administration
Finalist
Rehab Moham
Help Desk
Finalist
Alina Sohail, Janvi Patel
Hospitality and Event Management
3
Charit Singalreddy
Human Resource Management
1
Adarsh Magesh
Insurance and Risk Management
2
Grayson, Cash, Chris
International Business
2
Caroline Stallings
Journalism
4
Thrista Venkat
Management and Information Systems
4
Ethan, Mantra
Marketing
4
Kenan Thornton
Organizational Leadership
Finalist
Tanush Sriam
Organizational Leadership
1
Kahaan Khatri
Personal Finance
Finalist
Ananya Agarwal
Public Policy and Advocacy
3
Neel Date
Public Policy and Advocacy
1
Olivia Chen, Bindi Parikh
Sales Presentation
4
Andy Sun
Securities and Investment
Finalist
Jameson Manning
Securities and Investment
4
Viroop Kuncham
Securities and Investment
3
Vishvum Sriram
Securities and Investment
1
Ronit Dey, River Kucheiria
Social Media Strategies
Finalist
Preston and Henry
Sports Management
Finalist
Sreetha Gajula
Supply Chain Management
1
Aryan Vinnay
UX Design
1
Taylor Eason
Website Coding and Development
Finalist
Chapter President Khushi Bhatt ’24 (right) and Chapter Advisor Veronica Vazquez (left) on the first day of the conference after passing out registration materials. (Khushi Bhatt/NCSSM FBLA)NCSSM FBLA light their section in the stands up with neon glasses, wrist bands and foam accessories during the opening and closing sessions, enjoying the music and competitive vibes during the conference as the timer ticked down. (Khushi Bhatt/NCSSM FBLA)
On February 29, Blue Mirror and editors Victor Chin ’24 (center), Gracie Lagerholm ’24 (left), and Harshitha Vadlamani ’24 (right) hosted their annual Winter 2024 reading to the NCSSM student body in celebration of the Winter 2024 issue release. (Harshitha Vadlamani/Blue Mirror)
On the eve of 2024’s Leap Day, a rain covered Hill Street bit at the ground-grazing pant legs of all students with baggy jeans and oversized pants. Not very far away, tucked in the dry security of Ground Beall, NCSSM’s literary and arts magazine Blue Mirror celebrated the release of their Winter 2024 issue.
Established in 1982, this issue of Blue Mirror marked the beginning of their forty-second year dedicated to the literary and visual artwork of NCSSM’s creative community. A pinnacle of the humanities at Science and Math, every issue has held countless creative visions that may have been bubbled up in the classroom- all in Strawbridge Studio’s glossy print.
This year’s editors, Victor Chin (editor-in-chief), Gracie Lagerholm (managing editor) and Harshitha Vadlamani (layout editor) worked hard to deliver nothing less of a monument, a memoir, and a muse (that welcomes cutting and pasting on dorm walls) to fulfill its purpose.
Students crowded Beall 1 and listened to student artists and writers present their published works in celebration of the Winter 2024 issue release. (Harshitha Vadlamani/Blue Mirror)Lita James ’24 poses with her painting on the cover of the Winter 2024 Blue Mirror edition. Editor’s Note (8/7/2025): Lita James has stated that her painting was heavily inspired by artist Ganja’s 2011 work. (Harshitha Vadlamani/Blue Mirror)
NCSSM’s Asian Student Association (ASA) is committed to celebrating and sharing the diverse Asian cultures within the NCSSM community as well as educating others about the current issues people within the AAPI community face.
Pictured are some of the events we have hosted this year!
ASA Block Party – November 10, 2023
ASA officers and advisors celebrate the first ASA Block Party on November 10, 2023. (Jessily Chen/ASA)Jerin Mathew ’24, Shirley Chen ’25, Jessica Yang ’25, and Ryoh Saotome ’24 attend an ASA meeting. (Jessily Chen/ASA)NCSSM students participate in student-organized festivities, food and game booths, and performances at the ASA Block Party on November 10, 2023. (Jessily Chen/ASA)
Asiafest 2023 – April 2023
NCSSM students display flags of countries across the globe during the March of the Flags performance at the ASA-organized Asiafest 2023. (Jessily Chen/ASA)NCSSM students perform at the annual March of the Flags performance at the ASA-organized Asiafest 2023. (Jessily Chen/ASA)
Our biggest annual event, Asiafest, is coming April 20th, so be on the lookout for that 😀
Additionally, ASA is looking for successors for next year that are passionate about advocating for positive change and creating opportunities for the AAPI at ‘SSM and across NC… Our application is open on our Facebook page!
According to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, one in five women and one in 16 men are sexually assaulted while attending college. Additionally, the American Psychological Association states that part of the reason college campuses are such high-profile locations for sexual assault cases to occur is due to something called the “Red Zone.” (The Gender Policy Report)
Mentions of sexual assault and harassment are common themes throughout the article.
College campuses are supposed to be where lives truly begin. They are meant to be a place to learn and discover who you are as an individual, a spot to gain an education, and a home away from home for the students attending. But underneath the beautiful fantasies of college campuses, many troubling things are occurring.
One of the most prevalent problems that occur far too often on college campuses are sexual assault and sexual harassment incidents. Sexual assault incidents can range drastically from person to person, making it difficult to assign a singular definition to the term “sexual assault” but even though each person’s experience may differ, they are all valid and the topic needs to be addressed more to prevent it from becoming overlooked. When someone has suffered from a sexual assault experience, it immediately creates an environment where that person feels incredibly unsafe. Unfortunately, people often do not come forward about their experiences, whether that be due to their concerns about whether people will believe them, because they blame themselves, or because they are in denial about the situation.
While sexual assault occurs everywhere, on college campuses there is an exceptionally large issue. According to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, one in five women and one in 16 men are sexually assaulted while attending college. Additionally, the American Psychological Association states that part of the reason college campuses are such high-profile locations for sexual assault cases to occur is due to something called the “Red Zone.” This term refers to the first few weeks of each new school year when large amounts of events are being held on campuses, and as a result of this, the number of sexual assault cases rises during that period of time. During the “Red Zone” at the start of each school year, 50% of campus sexual assault cases occur, and students who are new to the campus are shown to be at even more risk.
When one thinks of sexual assault cases that they hear about in the news, the first thing coming to mind is probably going to be a rape case, and it’s likely going to be a case involving a man and a woman. However, the Office of Justice Programs states that the most commonly occurring forms of sexual assault on college campuses are unwanted sexual contact and sexual coercion. Coercion is a particularly complicated form of sexual assault. Often the victims feel as though it is partly their fault that this happened or that they’re making too big of a deal out of something because they “gave in.” No one should ever have to feel that kind of emotional turmoil and confusion in the aftermath of being a victim of assault, and it needs to be talked about more
Similarly, while there are forms of sexual assault that are overlooked, there are groups of people suffering from sexual assault cases that are also being overlooked. Based on the evidence provided by the American Psychological Association, gay and bisexual men reported similar rates of on-campus sexual assault as heterosexual women, and LGBTQ+ students also reported having a higher risk of sexual assault than heterosexual and cis students.
These facts, while extremely uncomfortable and difficult to read about, are important to be aware of, because the reality is anyone could be a victim of sexual assault, and often certain marginalized groups that deal with high rates of sexual assault get overlooked and forgotten. With all of the seniors heading to colleges across the country next year, the topic of sexual assault is so important to keep people safe and allow for the best college experience possible.
A protest against gun and knife crime in Brixton, London, in May 2024. (Peter Marshall/Alamy)
In 2023, on a Sunday night in the midsts of North London, a gang of thugs burst into a rural chicken shop and slashed a young man with their machetes as customers (and other employees working behind the counter) fled during the attack. The young man desperately crawled under the counter, hoping to hide from the lively mob. Sadly, it was no use. The group of thugs climbed over the top and, according to an article published by The Sun, “continued their attack on him” (Duffy). After the ordeal had ended, the young man was reported staggering away, with one of his pant legs appearing to have been viciously ripped from a machete blow. When police arrived at the scene (around 9:15 PM), two men – aged 20 and 17 – were taken to the hospital to treat their stab wounds. Fortunately, neither of their injuries were life-threatening.
Knife violence incidents are extremely prominent in the United Kingdom, with Home Office data, in March of 2022, showing that there were “261 homicides (currently recorded) using a sharp instrument, including knives and broken bottles. This meant sharp instruments were used in 405 of the 594 homicides that occurred in 2021-22” (UK Parliament). In 2023, in the city of London alone, 21 teenagers were killed – with 18 of them passing away from brutal stabbings.
Famous English actor and rapper Idris Elba joined protestors from the “Don’t Stop Your Future” campaign outside Parliament, dressed in clothes in shoes that are characteristic of those who have been murdered by knives. “I can’t stay silent as more young lives are lost to these brutal and heartless crimes,” Elba said. “As school returns, too many young people will not be joining their classmates and too many grieving families have lost a young person they love in recent years” (AP News).
The term “knife crime” has started to become a common phrase used in the media, yet the very definition of this phrase has become ambiguous. Knife crime can refer to a variety of circumstances, ultimately making it difficult to define and even comprehend its popularity in our society. To put it simply, knife crime refers to any illegal act that involves the appearance of a knife. This means that scenarios ranging from sexual assault and robberies can be deemed as a “knife crime.”
Recently, the media (news portals, media influencers, politicians, and more) have claimed that crimes involving the use of a knife are an “epidemic” and are detrimentally influencing the younger generation. A research report posted on the National Library of Medicine’s website titled “Exploring UK Knife crime and its associated factors: A content analysis of online newspapers” provided statistics that support this notion by mentioning the emergence of stabbing instances in the United Kingdom and other neighboring countries, “Knife crime offenses in England and Wales have increased by 80% in the last five years, reaching levels not seen since 1946. Offenses involving knives or sharp instruments rose by six percent from 47,388 to 50,019 in England and Wales before the first Covid-19 lockdown was imposed… Most of the victims and the perpetrators of these crimes were Black and Asian, especially young people aged to 10 to 25” (Vinnakota, Rahman, Sathian, etc. al.).
Quoted from a report written by Joshua Askew and Sudesh Baniya, ‘violence is like a virus.’ As cases of knife violence continue to surge in England’s society, the sense of fear that is associated with these stabbings will become contagious. That fear is often accompanied by a strong urge for security. Pointed out by Patrick Green, Chief Executive Officer of the Ben Kinsella Trust (an anti-knife crime charity), ‘The vast majority of young people don’t carry knives. They know it is wrong. But there are some who we as a society have failed to keep safe and help make better decisions. Social exclusion, poverty, deprivation, inequality, racism – a whole number of factors make people vulnerable to being drawn into crime and, ultimately, violence. Once it becomes established, it grows quickly.”
But, the United Kingdom isn’t the only country that is facing these colossally high knife crime rates. In fact, knife violence is also a prodigious problem in the United States. While the majority of the homicides committed in our nation are done so with the use of a firearm, recent federal research studies have displayed that knives are the second most used weapon of choice in murder cases.
So, while the UK government has been heavily criticized for their inability to maintain their high knife-crime rates in their streets, it is worth mentioning that knife violence is not just a local issue on the streets of London or Manchester, but rather a global complication concerning several countries and their citizens. A write-up created by Robert Kaiser named “The Global Rise of Knife Crime” jumped into this idea by providing statistics pertaining to certain countries that have shockingly high knife crime instances, “Let me highlight just a few headlines and dates of some rather horrendous violent incidents involving edged weapons from around the world, helping us to understand that it is a global issue, not limited to a certain belief, language, culture or country… Germany: Newspapers reported about a serious increase in knife crime, telling us that ‘…more than 1,600 knife-related crimes were reported in Germany during just the first five months of 2017, an average of 300 each month, or 10 each day.’ On the 20th of July this year (2018), at least 14 people have reportedly been wounded, two of them seriously, in a knife attack on a bus in Lubeck, Germany… Israel: Only a few days ago, on the 14 November 2018, a terrorist wounded seven police officers in a stabbing attack in Jerusalem… Australia: On November 9th, 2018, a man set a car on fire and stabbed three people in Melbourne, one fatally. He died in hospital after being shot by police.”
Knife violence is a problem that is rarely mentioned or thought about when talking about global issues. Understanding the prominence of knife crimes, not just in the United Kingdom but throughout the world as a whole, can help several communities pay more attention to the gruesome (and frequent) consequences of knife violence.
So, the next time that you find yourself participating in a discussion regarding difficult situations happening across the world, consider shedding light on knife violence and educating your peers on this topic. By talking about knife violence (and other sensitive subjects), we can help administer change by cultivating more attention around this problem.
A fallen tree lies uprooted at the entrance to Watts Circle on August 15. (Avery Prince/Stentorian)
Intense storms and winds surrounded the Triangle on August 15th, leaving fallen trees, broken power lines, and power outages across the area. Duke Energy reported over 56,000 power outages, most of which occurred in Durham County. Winds were up to 70 miles per hour, causing trees to fall and creating dangerous driving conditions that lead to multiple crashes and roadway incidents.Across NCSSM’s Durham campus there were several signs of the damage from the storm, fallen trees and broken power lines were amongst the various damage left in the wake of such an intense storm.
Before the chaos of this storm, students and faculty gathered in the PEC for NCSSM’s 44th convocation. For the first time in NCSSM history, convocation was centered on NCSSM’s second campus in Morganton, being broadcast over Zoom and projected in Durham. Just as the keynote speaker was about to speak, the power went out and the lights in the PEC shut. A wave of panic ran through the PEC, and faculty calmed students down, encouraging them to remain quiet and stay seated. To pass time, students shined their phone flashlights and sang together, making the most of a difficult situation. Eventually faculty helped students exit the PEC and return to their dorms, where the backup power lit the halls and the heat was intense.
The storm on August 15 left power lines and trees nearly on top of nearby houses on Broad Street. (Avery Prince/Stentorian)
NCSSM was faced with over 25 hours with no power. Emergency generators fired up and certain parts of campus had emergency power, covering only necessities.
Classes were canceled, and students found ways to pass the time and cool off across campus. Bryan Lobby was popular with many students, as it allowed students to charge their various devices and cool off with fans. Many students appreciated this time as an opportunity to bond, and distracted themselves from the unpleasant conditions by spending time bonding with friends by playing card games, socializing, and cooling off together. Late in the afternoon, power returned and the usual rhythm of NCSSM resumed, but the storm had left its mark.
While it was not an ideal start to the year for many students, NCSSM students were able to accept this great challenge and make the most of the storm and power outage.
For three days in October, Unicorns from all over the nation and world galloped to NCSSM in Durham. Nostalgia filled Bryan lobby as more than 470 NCSSM alumni returned for Alumni Weekend 2023.
Alumni Weekend is a tradition with 41 years in the running – nearly half a century of connecting Unicorns thanks to the generosity of alumni and the up-to-the-minute NCSSM alumni network. The event plans had been in the works since last year, and thanks to the Alumni Weekend 2023 ReUNIon Committee, Team NCSSM, and the NCSSM Alumni Association, the classes of 1983,’88, ‘93, ‘98, ‘02, ‘08, ‘13, and ‘18 enjoyed a “State of the School” remark, Alumni Awards, class activities and photo slideshows, and student-led campus tours.
Around the World, In the Network
When seniors graduate, they get automatically added to the NCSSM Alumni Network, which currently consists of 12,464 alumni (as of this article’s publication).
“It’s something that we have here that I think makes us truly special. Any school could have a database, but it’s hard to have the discipline and the persistence to do it over time,” said Brock Winslow, ‘86, the vice chancellor for external relations and chief of staff since 2007. The database traces back to the first graduated class of 1982.
While the Alumni Association’s Alumni Network is a self-updating network, the contact information is ultimately gathered to organize the Alumni Weekend. The event started on Friday with a Zoom meeting where more than 300 people would join from around the world.
“Literally, you could see people log in from Singapore. Around the world, you just name it.” Winslow said. “When alumni go to our Facebook page, they can watch this, see the [ReUNIon Committee] officers, get the ‘State of the School’ address, and more.” According to the Alumni Association, about 20 percent of all NCSSM alumni attend the meeting or watch its recording.
“What I loved the most? I think it was the community of nerds.”
When a student starts their “flight” at NCSSM, they join hundreds of students like them but are from all areas of North Carolina. Regardless of whether it was connecting with the students and teachers, or taking in the advantages and opportunities, alumni owe their post-high-school lives to their alma mater.
“Being here definitely grew my network, and helped me grow into myself as a person,” said Maya Mims, ‘18, who is now a math teacher in Washington, D.C. Surprisingly, prior to NCSSM, they hated math. Their classmates and teachers, especially Dr. Dan Teague, helped turn that attitude around. “They definitely helped spark a lot of my love for teaching, math, and academia, so that’s why I’m teaching now.”
Other alumni made lifelong friends and memories. On Alumni Weekend, many current students noted there were many couples and families present. For example, although Gabriel “Gabe” Whaley and Amy Kim, both ‘08, never dated in high school, they recently got married.
Whaley, the class of 2008 student body president, is now the CEO and founder of MSCHF, a viral art collective. Despite his laments over the amount of work to do as a president, Whaley enjoyed having fun and connecting with the people at NCSSM, especially his cabinet.
“What I loved the most? I think it was the community of nerds. I felt like this was a great place to be myself and grow, other than doing things I should have gotten in trouble for…” He said, keeping his detailed mischiefs off the record. Behind him, his vice president Andrew Ngo quipped that one such deed included copying master keys and distributing them to seniors.
For Catherine Kirby Dunleavy, ‘88, she treasured her friendships: “I always felt like [NCSSM] was just the most accepting place I’ve ever been in my entire life.”
At the time of the interview, she was walking with a group of same-class alumni, the oldest friendship of which was with David Steinmiller, ‘88, when the two met while Dunleavy was reading a magazine in the ETC courtyard before the first day of school.
“We were just looking at the [alumni class] slideshows, and I remembered all the activities and cultural stuff we did, not just math and science,” Steinmiller said. “I don’t think you could recreate this like in fancy private schools, because those people aren’t drawn there. NCSSM are the dorks of North Carolina – and that’s the best thing. There’s nothing quite like this, really.”
Students lit up the out-of-power gym with their phone flashlights during convocation on August 15, 2023. (Teresa Fang/Stentorian)
The students of NCSSM were crowded into the gym bleachers on August 15, 2023, for convocation. As it came closer to 4:00 p.m., the instructors began to sit down on the floor of the gym. Many students thought it was meaningless for them to be in the gym since they couldn’t see the speakers, and it would have been the same experience if the convocation had been over Zoom like last year since the speaker wasn’t even in-person.
At 4:20 p.m., the lights began to flicker and soon after, the power went out. The students cheered as they would no longer be forced to listen to a speaker whom some of them couldn’t even see. As the students realized they were stuck in the darkness, they began singing songs while waving their flashlights – as many people do during concerts. As time went on students began to get more restless as they were stuck in a hot gym with more than 600 other people.
After the storm passed, the students were released by bleacher sections into the residential buildings. Most students came back to the PEC to get dinner. But by the time students were getting back to their regular routines, the day had gotten darker. Since only Bryan Lobby had working lights and outlets due to the backup generators, the lobby was filled with at least a hundred students. As it got closer to check, students who had friends who lived nearby went to their houses.
Everyone did what they could to cool themselves off. At one point in the night, frozen cheesecake bites were put out for students to grab them. In addition to it being free food, it was also a nice cold snack. Though the power outage was inevitable, it would have been nice for Durham’s convocation to have been postponed due to the weather.
The thunderstorm outside the Bryan lobby main entrance on August 15, 2023. (Sofía Alfaro/Stentorian)
August 15 and 16 were very chaotic days, but in those moments we were able to reflect. The PEC is a semi-permanent solution since the complete renovation of the auditorium will span over a few years. A solution that I would like to propose is two different convocations. Having two convocations would have made it easier to postpone it.
The convocation experience should be completely in-person for both campuses as is graduation. When I attended the convocation, I was sad to see that I couldn’t see the speaker and I wished that I could have. Neither Durham’s nor Morganton’s Fine Arts program was able to perform which I believe would have made the experience much better. Each campus’ orchestra and band are extremely talented and I would have loved to see them perform.
Junior Valentina Kimes talked about her experience of the power outage. Though she was very excited for her first day of school she was still stressed and the power outage added to the stress. Even though the power outage created a very hot environment, Kimes was still able to have fun and believed that it was a good way to connect with her classmates. Most of this bonding happened in Bryan Lobby. Due to classes being canceled, many students were in Bryan Lobby so they could charge their devices. Not only were they able to charge their devices but they were also able to spend time with their peers and take a break from the intense NCSSM school day.
The power outage was a bonding experience but many juniors and seniors alike were not able to experience it to its full extent. Convocation is the day when all the students and faculty come together to appreciate NCSSM; Durham and Morganton are completely separate campuses that have their own cultures. To appreciate NCSSM for what it is would be to have a convocation where the speaker and students can come together and appreciate the uniqueness of each campus.
