The Student News Site of South Forsyth High School

The Bird Feed

The Student News Site of South Forsyth High School

The Bird Feed

The Student News Site of South Forsyth High School

The Bird Feed

Sadie Rawlings

Sierra Wamsley, Editor-in-Chief

Sierra Wamsley is a senior at South Forsyth High School. She is beyond thrilled for her fourth year on The Bird Feed staff. You can often find Sierra splashing in the pool or writing a new story. She will be continuing on the South Forsyth Swim and Dive Team for the fourth year. She’ll always have a big smile on her face and a positive attitude. Sierra spends the majority of her free time engaged in music. She is usually jamming out to pop music with her brothers in the car. One item that has always been on her bucket list for the future is visiting Greenland. You can reach Sierra on Twitter at @wamsley_sierra or email her at [email protected].

Sofopalooza shenanigans. Rising freshmen Matt Craig, Caleb Singh, and Tamsen Hayden relax on a bench in the plaza after a long day filled with smiles and laughter. They cannot wait to become a South Forsyth War Eagle in the 2020-2021 school year.

South Forsyth’s annual Sofopalooza welcomes the rising freshmen

Maggie Craig and Sierra Wamsley April 16, 2020

On Saturday morning, the South Forsyth High School campus buzzed with teachers and student volunteers dressed in tie-dye uniforms as they prepared the school for Sofopalooza, an event to introduce...

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Bags of Love. Sophomore Kira Young displays the mental health kits that sparked her award-winning FCCLA project. They are meant to destress and uplift during a stressful time. Ive always been inspired to go into the field of mental health, she explains, so this was one way I could make a difference as a tenth grader.

FCCLA bags of love help with mental health

Sierra Wamsley and Naisha Roy March 26, 2020

Last month, Sophomore Kira Young created unique “Bags of Love” as part of her Region Star Events project for FCCLA (Family, Career and Community Leaders of America), spreading the importance of mental...

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Swimmer ready stance. After achieving the times required to compete at the state meet, senior Emory Betzer prepares to swim her final race of the high school swim season.

SOFO Wet War Eagles wrap up their championship season

Grace Drawdy and Sierra Wamsley March 12, 2020

This past February, South Forsyth Wet War Eagles competed in a few significant meets throughout the end of the competition season: the Forsyth County meet and State meet. This is where all teams in the...

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Moving waters. South Forsyth swimmers swiftly swam to the wall earning many state qualifying cuts. The meet prepares incoming swimmers for the competitive atmosphere of swim and dive.

SOFO Swim and Dive kick-start the season

Sierra Wamsley and Grace Drawdy December 2, 2019

People could hear the splashes from dives and flip turns from across the Cumming Aquatic Center on Saturday night as the beginning of the winter Swim and Dive season started. Swimmers cheered on their...

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All dressed in black. SOFO seniors were admitted into the senior night game with no admissions fee. With the winning score of 21-14, South Forsyth students and faculty were provided with a night of football and fun.

South shows spirit on senior night

Sierra Wamsley, Editor-in-Chief November 19, 2019

South students dressed in all black on November 1st to support the football team in their final home game of the season. South Forsyth administration admitted seniors who attended the event into the game...

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Dancing the Zorba. At the Greek festival, the Nicholas and Irene Greek Dance Troupe entertained guests with traditional Greek dances. Greek music also accompanied their dance.

Shout “Opa!” to the Cumming Greek Festival

Kate Haas and Sierra Wamsley November 8, 2019

Polished jewelry varying from tent to tent lays out in the open with a shopkeeper lurking near. The mysterious smells of homemade gyros and baklava drifting fill the air. One step off the bus and the mix...

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Teamwork makes the dream work. South Forsyth War Eagles work together in an attempt to defeat their rival team, the infamous Lambert Longhorns on the final day of Homecoming week.

South victory adds the final spark to the “Enchanted” evening

Sierra Wamsley and Naisha Roy October 21, 2019

The eventful evening began with the marching bands from Lakeside and South Middle School joining the South High School marching band to play "Fight Song". Two of South's choirs then sang the National Anthem...

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School Spirit. This year South celebrated its homecoming bigger and better than ever. Along with the annual traditions of homecoming week, the school also invited back its alumni to help celebrate its 30th anniversary.

SOFO HOCO: War Eagle spirit

Homecoming is an annual tradition at South Forsyth High School that many students and staff look forward to. Because of South's 30th anniversary, homecoming week was full of more spirit than ever before....

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All night long. War Eagle fans gather together in unified gold to support their school team.

Birds fight for gold

Sierra Wamsley, Editor-in-Chief October 8, 2019

In hope for a win, South supporters dressed in all gold. Gold shirts, ties, pants, hair accessories, and shoes stormed the hallways at the high school. Many teachers and faculty members dressed up for...

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Saving lives. South Suicide Prevention Day educated students, advising them to unite together to overcome the challenges of mental illness. Several symbols such as a heartbeat, semicolon, and yellow ribbon were advertised to show the value of continuing life.

More than just yellow shirts

As waves of orange and yellow flood the hallways of South Forsyth High School, the students bond together over a theme none should have to face alone.
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Living the American Dream. South Forsyth students and staff join in the stands to cheer on their favorite American team while celebrating red, white, and blue.

War Eagle American Dream

Sierra Wamsley, Editor-in-Chief September 18, 2019

American clothes, spirit and attitude roamed through the halls of South as students and teachers prepared for the exciting game at South Gwinnett.  The War Eagles kicked off their fifth game of the...

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All coming together. South students and faculty dress in jerseys to support their favorite team. The game was filled with renewed zeal from winning the 11Alive coverage.

11Alive catches a glimpse of the War Eagles in action

Sierra Wamsley and Regan Blood September 9, 2019

SFHS has recently entered the football season and brought a flood of school spirit along with it. Thousands of eager students whipped out their phones to vote South as Team of the week through the SuperFan...

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Shining Bright. After a day in neon, South students fill the stands with their brightly colored outfits to cheer on their favorite team.

Bright spirits come out to support the War Eagles

Sierra Wamsley and Regan Blood September 3, 2019

The crowd rises to their feet as South moves the ball upfield, getting closer and closer to the end zone, determined to score another touchdown. The audience roars as South crosses into the endzone. Neon...

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Hawaiian Out vs Sprayberry

Sierra Wamsley, Editor-in-Chief August 28, 2019

The Friday mood lightens as the South’s hallways explode with grass skirts, lei’s, Hawaiian shirts, and sunglasses. Beachy vibes are felt throughout the school as teachers decorate their classroom...

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Coffee with friends. 585 Cafe is open during FlexTime for students to purchase coffee and nutritious foods.

Flex time additions for the new school year

Grace Drawdy and Sierra Wamsley August 27, 2019

FlexTime is one of the numerous changes South Forsyth is implementing this year.  It was made specifically for students who opined that they need more time to relax during the school day. There are many...

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Friday Night Lights. After a day bringing back the old souls, South students gathered together to support and watch their very own football team begin their season with a scrimmage against Sequoyah. The day was memorable, full of excitement, and packed with school spirit.

Throwing it back with decades

Sierra Wamsley and Maggie Craig August 21, 2019

Friday, August 16, students and faculty of South Forsyth threw-it-back to the old days for the first spirit day of the year. Students and teachers alike sported fits from different eras to present their...

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Posing for a royal photograph. Matthew Tesvich and Kiera George stand side-by-side after accepting their titles as Prom King and Queen. Both didnt expect to receive the honor, but were happily surprised for the rest of the evening.

South crowns Prom King and Queen

Alyssa Freyman and Sierra Wamsley April 15, 2019

Students fill Lanier Tech, heading to the dance floor with their friends. Compliments for each other's dresses are heard as the DJ blares out the latest music tracks. April 13th was a night to remember...

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Remembering our past. Vietnam war veteran, Captain Beddingfield, talks with AP Lang students about his experience from the Vietnam war. Students listened to his stories and asked any questions that they had about his time in the war.

Vietnam war veteran shares stories with AP Lang classes

Sierra Wamsley and Kate Haas March 28, 2019

Students gather around, eager to hear the stories of Captain Beddingfield, a Vietnam war veteran. He shares his stories, as well as takes pictures with the students. His experiences seem completely foreign...

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True love. Souths cast finishes the musical with a ballroom dance. The former Beast dips his princess in the finale of the play.

South Forsyth Thespians Present Beauty and the Beast

Sierra Wamsley and Oliva Waletzke March 15, 2019

The velvet curtain closes and the lights flicker on. The roaring applause of audience members dies down until the only person clapping is that awkward man in the corner. Characters are welcomed onto the...

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Literacy Day on display. Tuesday, March 12 marked the day South Forsyth High School partook in a day surrounding academic discourse and its importance in the classroom environment. Many classes participated in Socratic Seminars and class discussions.

More than a day for books: SFHS Literacy Day

Posters and wallpapers decorated the hallways advocating for Literacy Day on March 12th. Teachers and students have been preparing for this day to come, and now spectators are visiting classrooms and watching...

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Preparing for a new year. Ms. Hunt will take on the challenge of teaching the Mythology and Speech classes. She is excited for these semester-long classes and believes that they will become very popular among students.

New classes for a new school year

Alyssa Freyman, Sierra Wamsley, and Kate Haas March 5, 2019

As students come back to South in the fall, a lot of change will have occurred. New schedules, more challenging classes, and new literature classes. Some will be half semester classes, while others will...

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The Girls Basketball team dribbles evenly into regionals.

Girls Basketball team ends season with nothing but net

Sierra Wamsley, Editor-in-Chief March 1, 2019

A senior player dribbles the basketball down the court. Almost out of energy but so close to scoring, she keeps going. There are only a few seconds left of the game. She shoots and scores. The players...

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Making dreams come true. As the game drew to an end, all the players, cheerleaders, and organizers came together for a picture. The event was a huge success and helped Carter and Carlis dreams come true. I like it a lot because of how fun it is for both the students and faculty, says Nathan Miller, a junior who attended the game.

Making the dreams of Carter and Carli a reality

Naisha Roy, Sierra Wamsley, and Alyssa Freyman December 4, 2018

November 30th, a day students will never forget. Newscasters from CBS set up their cameras, ready to capture the best moments. Students walked into the Arena, wearing blue wristbands and ready to cheer...

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Sophomore Brinley Bramwell shares her story of helping with hurricane Florence.

[Photo] Helping Hands flood Florida

Sierra Wamsley, Editor-in-Chief November 10, 2018

Sophomore Brinley Bramwell shares her story of helping with hurricane Florence.

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Point-Counterpoint: Media Influencing the masses

Sierra Wamsley, Editor-in-Chief November 7, 2018

Our founding fathers wished to establish a country that protects and enforces the freedoms of its citizens. Created in order to do just that, the first amendment allows the freedom of the press and differing...

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Wearing the ribbon. South often brings in motivational speakers to inspire the students during important times. Red Ribbon Week began in 1988, when DEA Agent Enrique Camarena was murdered during his investigation of drug usage; angered parents and youth began wearing Red Ribbons as a symbol of their commitment to stop the destruction caused by drugs in America. You can only fulfill goals and dreams with correct choices, said John.

[Photo] Red ribbons; fighting against drug usage

Sierra Wamsley and Douglas Seely October 24, 2018

Wearing the ribbon. South often brings in motivational speakers to inspire the students during important times. Red Ribbon Week began in 1988, when DEA Agent Enrique Camarena was murdered during his investigation...

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Sudden mourning. Christopher finds Wellington, his four-legged friend, dead in an alleyway. Mrs. Shears, Wellingtons owner, found Christopher over the dogs body, and assumed he was guilty of the tragedy.

[Photo] Curiosity comes to life

Sierra Wamsley, Editor-in-Chief October 13, 2018

Throughout the show, many actors play a piece of Christopher's mind.

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German foreign exchange, Lara Herrmann, gives a presentation to the journalism class on the popularity of Schlager Music in Germany.

German students take on SFHS

Students arrive at the Atlanta airport, 4,671 miles away from their homes in Leipzig, Germany. This is their first tour of America, visiting Washington, D.C. a couple of weeks before. They meet their student...

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Three of the four founders of the recently new school club, Power in Words.

Featured Club: Power in Words

Sierra Wamsley, Editor-in-Chief October 3, 2018

Boxes as far as the eye can see sit, brimming with books where the words pour from the sheets. Smiles cover the children’s faces as they scramble to pick one from a pile, each one more interesting...

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Transitioning from high school to college can often be a hectic and chaotic time. Below, a college student can find the perfect style for his or her dorm room.

Dorm room decorating made easy

Graduating seniors take a new and fresh step into the beginning of adulthood when attending college. Harder classes, new friends, tight money budgets, and less time for friends and family come with the...

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Lucy Taylor, left, asks Anvitha Bommineni, right, to Prom through a promposal saying Of all the fish in the sea, Im so glad you swam with me. Whale you go to prom with me?

Point-counterpoint: Promposals, the next big thing

Sierra Wamsley, Editor-in-Chief April 7, 2018

Prom is just around the corner and promposals have begun. Every once in a while, crowds of students gather in the hallways to witness witty and cute promposals. Guys sometimes hold up posters with puns,...

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A common St Patricks Day myth is finding gold at the end of a rainbow left by a leprechaun. In addition to the nonreligious aspect of this holiday, the Irish also celebrate St Patrick.

The true meaning behind St. Patrick’s Day

Sierra Wamsley, Editor-in-Chief March 12, 2018

As students walk through the halls, there is a feeling of excitement in the air. An athlete walks to the mods, showing off a glittery, lime-green tu-tu. Four-leaf clovers hang on the walls. A teacher wears...

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Teenagers often begin looking for job opportunites. Babysitting is one of the top suggestions.

5 easy tips to babysitting

Sierra Wamsley, Editor-in-Chief February 13, 2018

Once a girl or guy hits their teenage years, discovering a way to earn money is often a top priority. One of many ways they accomplish this is by babysitting for a neighbor or friend across the street....

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This years winter Olympics will be hosted by The Republic of South Korea beginning February 9th.

Athletes face the bitter cold as they prepare for the winter Olympic Games

Sierra Wamsley, Editor-in-Chief January 31, 2018

206 countries are participating, 102 different medal events are scheduled, six new events are premiering, all with one thing in common: Pyeongchang, South Korea, Winter Olympics 2018. The first ever...

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Families avoided the freezing temperatures by staying inside leaving this neighborhood completely empty.

[Photo] North Georgia Snow Day

Kate Haas, Senior Editor January 22, 2018

Families avoided the freezing temperatures by staying inside leaving this neighborhood completely empty.

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Speaker Logan Weber opens up his presentation about setting and reaching goals in Souths Arena this morning. The Arena was packed with students, forcing the faculty to move the projector and screen  back and adjust the speakers rotation.

Finding the keys to success through the X-Factor

  Logan Weber, a motivational speaker and a Georgian, paid a visit to South Forsyth’s student body to speak about making goals and following through with them. As a public speaker, Mr. Weber...

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South Forsyth students take the stage in their recent performance of the Hunchback with Charlie Webb as The Hunchback.

Hunchback takes the stage

Brittany Rodi, Sierra Wamsley, and Sophie Ralph December 20, 2017

As November approached, South Forsyth High School put on its first major production of the year. The cast and crew of the show had worked tirelessly since late August and now (since) have taken their final...

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As the snow begins to fall and the season slowly changes from fall to winter, there are so many wonderful things to do around Atlanta surrounded by loved ones.

14 Things to do this Christmas break in Atlanta

Lauren Bunker and Sierra Wamsley December 15, 2017

Lasershow Spectacular in Mountainvision- If you have a love for lights and family fun, you should visit the Lasershow Spectacular. It premiered on the 825-foot-tall granite outcropping in 1983 and...

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Many students use music as a way to stay focused and motivated while studying.

Point counterpoint: Studying to the sound of music

Sierra Wamsley, Editor-in-Chief December 4, 2017

With midterms quickly approaching, many are looking for a productive way to study. Some turn to study groups and others to parents and teachers for early morning help, but the majority of teens at South...

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10th grade Literature and Composition teacher, Mrs. Reid, is happy to share her feelings about safe places.

Safe places with Mrs. Reid

Sierra Wamsley, Editor-in-Chief November 15, 2017

Teens and adults alike are struggling with mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety. Some have expressed feelings that they do not have a safe place or person to talk to. Within our high school...

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As the leaves and weather begin to change and fall officially begins, there are so many wonderful foods and activities to engage in.

Fall fun with family and friends

Sierra Wamsley, Editor-in-Chief October 27, 2017

Fall is the time of year full of family, friend and holiday fun. The leaves change color, animals go into hibernation, and the holidays begin. From Apple Picking, to camping, to Pumpkin Pie, fall is a...

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Safe places with Mr. Reynolds

Safe places with Mr. Reynolds

Sierra Wamsley, Editor-in-Chief October 4, 2017

Many student around the world struggle with various mental illnesses. I interviewed many within our campus asking for a teacher they felt was a safe place for them. Numerous students mentioned a 10th...

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A 9th grade Biology teacher, Ms. Peace, is happy to share her feelings on safe places.

Safe places with Ms. Peace

Sierra Wamsley, Editor-in-Chief September 19, 2017

        One of the struggles for students is finding a safe person to trust when it comes to mental health. With September being Suicide Awareness month, I interviewed students asking if there was...

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