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VESTAVIA HILLS HIGH SCHOOL NEWS
For Students, By Students
Poetry in Performance
Photo Credits: Anjali Anantharam Poetry is literature in performance. It allows the reader, performer, and listener to dive into human connection and explore past experiences. By writing poetry, we are able to connect with our inner selves and express that to others. Poetry has always been present in human identity. The Poetry Out Loud Competition allows students a chance to explore past poets and themselves, sharing their discoveries with others. Our school sponsors Ms. Rob
The Man Who Walked Around the World
Photo Credits: BBC Imagine you actually set out on a goal that was so out there, so distant, so expansive. Well, Karl Bushby did. The goal? To walk around the world. The Manifest It's not so often that we hear a common child’s dream genuinely pursued. That's what makes this story so important to be heard. It all started when Bushby was a school student with severe dyslexia. He claims “I used to dream about great big journeys on foot. I started drawing lines on maps, and the
Album Reviews Pt. 2: ISOxo, Tinashe, Lucy Bedroque
Photo Credits: c - Album Cover by Lucy Bedroque The media below contains the opinion of an individual student and therefore does not represent or speak to the values of Vestavia Hills High School and Vestavia Hills City Schools. ISOxo’s sophomore album Hardcore Diva was released just a day before the annual Niteharts Festival in California. Hardcore Diva primarily serves as a hybrid trap EDM album with rage elements most similar to ISOxo’s first album kidsgonemad! Personall
What is your teacher superpower?
Photo Credits: Pixel What superpower would you want? It's a question that's been asked during millions of icebreakers. Answers vary, from flying to reading minds to time travel. But have you ever wondered what your teachers thought about having superpowers? Especially about superpowers that could help them teach? Faculty at VHHS were asked the question, "If you could have any superpower to help your teaching, what would it be?" Here are their answers: With the end of the fi
Student vs. Faculty Basketball Game: Ballers or Airballing?
Photo Credits: Kelly Chen As homecoming season at Vestavia Hills High School comes to a close, the SGA has been working hard to fundraise for this year’s fall charity, the Prescott House. One of the most highly anticipated events of the year, this year’s Student vs. Faculty Basketball Game certainly did not disappoint, uniting students of multiple grades as they let their Rebel spirit shine through against their common enemy, the faculty basketball team. The faculty team s
A Much Needed Break
Photo Credits: Irinia Fedorova on iStock At the end of every grading period, life gets very stressful for students. Freshman and juniors are tired from their first quarter of high school, sophomores have the pre-ACT coming up, and seniors are overwhelmed from college applications. Most students will agree that a break at this point in the year is not just wanted, but a necessity. Having a chance to enjoy themselves without the pressure of schoolwork, students did all sort
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A Harmonious Evening: This Year’s Annual VHHS Fall Choir Concert
Photo Credit: Ally Bryant The annual Fall Choir Concert is always a spectacle of the autumn season. On this distinct night in October, all seven choirs join together to produce a medley of harmonious music. This year’s concert was just as incredible as the last, for it contained several standout pieces and unforgettable moments. Here is an overview of the concert from start to finish, detailing each choir’s performance and everything special in between. The concert began w
Ally Bryant
Nov 24 min read
A Fun Switch
Photo Credits: Aim Academy Online Last year, the class of 2028’s APUSH students had an abrupt change of teachers (who typically teach a two-year-long course). Although the students miss their sophomore teacher, the teacher switch-up has also encouraged students to get closer to their new teacher, who has definitely done a fantastic job with the move-in. Mrs. Lewis has already made great connections with students in the first quarter, as Audrey Kim explains that, “It’s super
Astha Mehta
Nov 22 min read
Elective Highlight: AP Photography
Photo Credit: Wikipedia AP Photography is an advanced art elective taught by Dr. Fisk. This class is usually offered to juniors and seniors who have completed other photography courses throughout their time at the main campus. This elective allows students to express themselves through photography. Throughout this course, students learn different camera techniques, lighting, photo composition, and Adobe Photoshop, as well as other photo-editing skills. For students who enjoy
Marley Flannagan
Nov 22 min read
VHHS Wins Big at the Spain Park Robotics Tournament!
Photo Credits: Jason Ding On Saturday, October 24th, the VHHS Robotics Team competed at their first local tournament at Spain Park! From 7:30 AM open doors to the awards past 5 PM, our five teams had a long, full day of competition to show off the hard work they’ve put in so far. Photo Credits: Jason Ding Though the tournament was local, many competitive teams arrived on scene, creating great matches to both compete in and spectate. Moreover, this tournament being early on
Grace Ding
Nov 22 min read
Think Like A CEO!
Photo Credit: Mr. Davenport What do a business idea, a team of students and a panel of judges have in common? They're all part of the entrepreneurship experience at Vestavia Hills High School! The class gives students the opportunity to explore the process of starting and developing a business. Through hands-on projects, collaboration and real-world business concepts, students experience what it takes to develop an idea and bring it to market. Taught by Mr. Davenport, the c
Sophia Chen
Nov 23 min read
What is your teacher superpower?
Photo Credits: Pixel What superpower would you want? It's a question that's been asked during millions of icebreakers. Answers vary, from flying to reading minds to time travel. But have you ever wondered what your teachers thought about having superpowers? Especially about superpowers that could help them teach? Faculty at VHHS were asked the question, "If you could have any superpower to help your teaching, what would it be?" Here are their answers: With the end of the fi
Anjali Anantharam
Oct 192 min read
Student vs. Faculty Basketball Game: Ballers or Airballing?
Photo Credits: Kelly Chen As homecoming season at Vestavia Hills High School comes to a close, the SGA has been working hard to fundraise for this year’s fall charity, the Prescott House. One of the most highly anticipated events of the year, this year’s Student vs. Faculty Basketball Game certainly did not disappoint, uniting students of multiple grades as they let their Rebel spirit shine through against their common enemy, the faculty basketball team. The faculty team s
Kelly Chen
Oct 192 min read
Toga Day!
Photo Credits: Grace Ding Happy Toga Day! On October 8th, right before Fall Break, the senior class had their annual tradition of wearing togas for the pep rally against Hoover. Usually, the dress-up day, pep rally, and football game would all take place on a Friday, but because of the altered schedule for Fall Break, there were some changes: the dress-up and pep rally day took place on Thursday, while the football game occurred on Friday. Unfortunately, the schedule change
Abigail Wang
Oct 192 min read
Math Team Fall Trip: Colorado!
All photos provided by Hannah Chen At the end of this September, the VHHS math team took a trip to Colorado for a tournament at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS). Apart from the actual competition, math teamers were able to explore both Colorado’s rocky, mountainous landscape as well as the town Manitou Springs. On the first day, the team traveled to the Royal Gorge, where they rode the Royal Gorge Aerial Gondola. The aerial gondola featured a clear, glass
Audrey Kim
Oct 192 min read
A Much Needed Break
Photo Credits: Irinia Fedorova on iStock At the end of every grading period, life gets very stressful for students. Freshman and juniors are tired from their first quarter of high school, sophomores have the pre-ACT coming up, and seniors are overwhelmed from college applications. Most students will agree that a break at this point in the year is not just wanted, but a necessity. Having a chance to enjoy themselves without the pressure of schoolwork, students did all sort
Ollie Wilson
Oct 192 min read
Powderpuff 2026 and its History
Photo Credits: Pinterest This Wednesday, September 30th, girls came down to the football field wearing their grade colors: freshmen were yellow, sophomores were purple, juniors were teal, and seniors were hot pink. All the girls came together and cheered and took many pictures as their classmates participated in a traditional Powderpuff game against other grade levels. Powderpuff has been a tradition at Vestavia Hills High School for a very long time, but it has actually
Zara Ziauddin
Oct 52 min read
It's Britney, Rebels!
Photo Credits: Band Photography Committee “Drum majors, is your band ready?” Silence. If you’ve ever performed or witnessed a performance—orchestral concert, play, dance recital, you name it—you know the intensity in that moment before art is set in motion. The moment the curtain is drawn, and the room holds its breath in anticipation. On Saturday, nearly 200 members of our Rebel Marching Band took the field in competition at the Trussville Marching Invitational, the first
Ruth Graham
Oct 52 min read
Senior Report #1: Kicking it Off!
Photo Credit: Kitty Watts Welcome to Pillar’s “Senior Report” series! Throughout this year, I, Grace, will do my best to document our grade’s favorite memories, discuss big transitions of this year, and give advice that we would’ve liked to hear. For this first report, we’re recapping how we kicked off this bittersweet chapter and our early thoughts on what’s next? This first quarter was packed with senior activities. Before the first day, we had Senior Sunrise and car pain
Grace Ding
Oct 54 min read
Faculty Highlight: Mr. Mundt
Photo Credits: iStock The faculty highlight for this issue is none other than Mr. Mundt… a 10th grade Algebra two teacher. In the years that Mr. Mundt has been at Vestavia, he has impacted so many young lives through a math class. And most importantly, he is a friend for quite literally anyone from the moment they walk into his A241 classroom. I had the privilege of being taught by Mr. Mundt last year, and it was unlike any math class I have ever had. Math as a high school
Tyler Simpson
Sep 283 min read
A Français Feature!
Photo Credits: Ollie Wilson What makes a class something you want to be a part of? Is it a lack of homework? A nice teacher? Easy work? For me and many other students, the answer is community. French is one of the five languages that are traditionally offered at Vestavia Hills High School, and in my opinion, it’s the best. Field trips to food days--it’s got it all. Students are offered six levels to take: French one through five, and AP. Many students that are in French, in
Ollie Wilson
Sep 282 min read
Vestavia Novice Debate Tournament
Photo Credits: Abigail Wang, Vestavia Hills High School On September 19th, Vestavia’s Speech and Debate team hosted their annual Novice Tournament. The tournament was a huge success with competitors from all over Alabama travelling to compete! The Novice Tournament is especially tailored for first year competitors, which gives them the opportunity to learn how a tournament works, and also compete against students with a similar experience level. The Speech and Debate coach
Astha Mehta
Sep 282 min read
A Not-So-Flowery Festival
Courtesy of VHHS Rebel Marching Band Instagram The media below contains the opinion of an individual student and therefore does not represent or speak to the values of Vestavia Hills High School and Vestavia Hills City Schools . Every year, in the nation's capital of Washington, D.C., a festival is held to celebrate the blooming of the city's cherry blossom trees and the coming of spring. However, the festival is not just a commemoration of joy and growth; rather, it has d
Alan Sheng
Apr 206 min read
SGA Elections
Courtesy of Vestavia Hills High School Student Government Association Instagram The media below contains the opinion of an individual student and therefore does not represent or speak to the values of Vestavia Hills High School and Vestavia Hills City Schools. You’ve definitely seen posters in the lunchroom or heard announcements telling you to vote for SGA officers. Hopefully you did your civic duty and actually voted. Maybe you were among those taping up posters, campaign
Tina Gao
Apr 203 min read
RISE Day 2026
Courtesy of VHHS RISE Instagram RISE (Rebels Impact Through Service and Engagement) is a semester-long, student-led fundraiser through Youth Leadership that raises over $200,000 each year for the Adolescent and Young Adult Oncology Program at the O’Neal Cancer Center at UAB. For 8 years, RISE has supported the least funded age group of cancer patients and is the sole supporter of this program at UAB. This year, students raised $217,332, an increase from last year, and partic
Evie White
Apr 202 min read
The Vestavia Singers Don’t Get A Day Off
All Photo Credits: Ruth Graham Our Vestavia Singers have had a great season. They hosted a successful Contempo at home, placed third in their division at the Hoover Showchoir Smackdown, scored second at the Albertville Diamond Classic, and landed third again at King of the Mountain—a special shoutout to Mary Pitts for winning best female performer! But honestly, show choir deserves respect and applause from the entire student body, not just this article. It might be one of
Ruth Graham
Feb 112 min read
CONTACT
Thanks for your interest in Pillar. For more information, feel free to get in touch and we will get back to you soon!
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