In the always true words of my good friend Ali Deal, “I thrive in the summertime.” … Summer is my jam. Summer is MY season. Summer is the feeling you get staring at a sunset while listening to the crickets chirp and watching the passing fireflies. I love nostalgically submerging myself back into my blissfully naive middle school days where I would run the streets on hot summer nights with my friends, then stay up with them until 4 am listening to our favorite summer songs playing on the tiny radio I had in my room.
We Be Trippin’ … So, it’s hot. The newness of out-of-school freedom is on the brink of completely wearing off for the children in your home and a change of scenery for all involved is long over-due. We’ve all been there, and if you haven’t been, you will at some point in your life. The solution: a summer adventure in the form of a vacation! … Some of my fondest memories are from times when I set out with my family and/or friends in search of good food, good fellowship and a good souvenir (or two).
According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, one in five American adults will have a skin cancer diagnosis by the time they reach the age of 70. Ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun is a major factor in the development of skin cancer. Repeated exposure can also lead to wrinkles, discoloration or noticeable spots. Yet, we all still want that healthy, golden bronze skin. Not only do we crave that glow, but a tan can make stretch marks, spider veins, scars and cellulite less obvious.
I remember walking the halls as an ambitious kid looking up to the seniors and thinking that it was a lifetime away that I would be in their shoes. They were so big, so grown, and so close to adulthood, yet young enough to be fun. I especially idolized the basketball players. All I wanted was to be like them one day. I started at Trinity Christian School in the fifth grade. Now eight years later, here I am, graduated and headed off to college. I sit here thinking about that scared little fifth grader who would have given anything just to be acknowledged by an upperclassman.
Some of the best things in life are free and they’re in Arkansas. The Natural State has unique locations that can be enjoyed for nothing but the time it takes to get there.
… • In the Ozarks, the Buffalo National River with its towering limestone bluffs is America’s first national river. Hiking trails traverse historic farmsteads, quiet stream valleys, wooded mountainsides, and offer bluff-top vistas.
When I was seven years old, my family went to meet the Roraback family to explore the possibility of Mrs. Roraback watching my sister and me while our parents were at work. They were a big family with four kids, and they lived on a lot of land with an assortment of animals. I remember that day because they had a daughter my age and I instantly connected with her. We have remained close throughout the years and Jessica (Roraback) Rich has become my lifelong friend. … During my first encounter with Jessica, she asked if I wanted to jump on her trampoline.
Nicholas Watson, Valedictorian … Madison Jo Atchley, Salutatorian … … Riley Bennett … Kayla Bradford … Karli Bruce … Jaelyn Bunch … Evin Burton … Brayden Bushman … Vanarith K.
I’ve said many times before, “I am ‘just Nick.’” I’ve never been someone who went along with the crowd or looked for validation from people. I was given rules and expectations from my parents, and I was never given an option to not follow those rules or meet those expectations. It was just understood. I know that is difficult for some my age because peer pressure is real, and everyone wants to feel like they belong. My brain just wasn’t wired to care about fitting in, and I’m glad.
Kate Elizabeth Woodard … Jenna Alyse Woodard … Damon Rhett Young … Nathaniel Joseph Morriss … Jane Elizabeth Rounds … Nicolai Khalel Ang … Catherine Joanne Rounds … Evelyn Grace Patterson … Mary Grace Elizabeth McAfee … Charlotte Norma Jeanne Hueter