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The official student news site of Highlands High School

The Hilltopper

The official student news site of Highlands High School

The Hilltopper

The official student news site of Highlands High School

The Hilltopper

Student Life

Peyton Rice (9), Harper Wade (9), Olivia Nunery (9), Savannah Kelner (9) all coordinated their denim jean inspired outfits to celebrate Highlands’ Homecoming Spirit Week.

Students end spirit week in denim

Ava Purcell October 28, 2025

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Class of 2025 celebrates graduation by throwing their caps.

Debates about graduation location spark controversy

Meg Gallagher, Social Media Editor October 27, 2025

In 2007, the United States was in a time of mass population growth, better known as a baby boom. This has now translated into the class of 2026 being the largest that Highlands High School has seen in...

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Eva Weinel (12) and Addy Eifert (12) embrace their inner bikers with matching leather jackets during Surfers vs. Bikers day.

Waves meet wheels during the Homecoming spirit week

Ava Purcell October 24, 2025

Highlands High School students and staff showed off their creativity on Day 3 of Homecoming Spirit Week with the themes Surfers vs. Bikers for students and Grading Era for teachers. Hallways were filled...

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Photo of ChatGPT start screen- users can ask a nearly infinite number of questions to help with many topics.

Artificial Intelligence transforms the English department

Jude Freppon, Joshua deSylva, and Peytan Rice October 20, 2025

“How’s the essay coming along for you?” A student asks. “Wait, what?” his friend replies, confused. Just then, he remembers he still had to wrap up an essay due tomorrow. Dread and worry fills...

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Homecoming proposals never go out of style as students and teachers participate such as, Physics teacher Gordon Hallmark, his significant other Emily McGurn, Jack Heilman (12), Miley Williams (11), Phoebe Underhill (10), and Joe Oswald (11) (photo provided by Hallmark, Heilman, and Underhill).

Sweet Homecoming proposals: persuade students to go annual dance

Savannah Teismann, Ella Lesseuer, and Tatianah Cannady October 14, 2025

Phoebe Underhill (10) was getting ready to get ice cream with her boyfriend, Joe Oswald. The moment she walked through the door, the fresh scent of newly picked roses flew through the air. As she glanced...

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A series of photos showing the stages of the record player’s design.

Art Club competes in Crosley Cruiser competition

Bri Reis, Savannah Kellner, and Taryn Ripley October 13, 2025

The judges look up at the vibrant green, pink, and orange colors in front of them. They start to realize that picking the best painted record player would be harder than expected. There is a variety of...

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Suicide Prevention tips are posted around the school.

Staff works to educate teens on suicide awareness

Vera Knight, Ava Purcell, and Ava Chadderton October 9, 2025

Suicide is the second leading cause of death in teens worldwide. According to the Jed Foundation, 12.5 million people between the ages of 18 and 25 experienced a mental, behavioral, or emotional health...

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Siddhartha Jani (12), Nellie Albritton (12), and Noah Varland (12) prepare for how they will enter the stage at the start of the scene.

Peter and the Starcatcher brings a new energy to the stage

Alecia Cogsville, Photo Assistant October 7, 2025

On Monday, Oct. 29, assistant director; Noah Varland walked the actors through their scenes as they gathered to review and rehearse Act 1 of the Highlands fall play, Peter and the Starcatcher. During this...

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Edy Hobson poses for a photo with the book Fahrenheit 451.

How reading Fahrenheit 451 has affected sophomores’ views on social media

Edy Hobson and Meg Gallagher September 30, 2025

There exists a dark world in which books are prohibited. Any and all books are required to be burned, or else citizens face extreme consequences. Firefighters don’t put out fires in this society; they...

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