Madison Chandler: General Assignment, Arts & Culture, Immigration

Payton Daniels: General Assignment, Arts & Culture, Opinion

Spencer DuMontier: General Assignment, Sports, International News

Jim Lanier: General Assignment, Opinion, Cartoons & Graphic Art

Ali LeJeune: General Assignment, Arts & Culture, Sports

Mia Mayo: Editor, General Assignment, Arts & Culture, Environment

Will McLain: General Assignment, Sports, Political/International

Camden Pierce: General Assignment, Arts & Culture, Opinion, Sports

James Rumbley: General Assignment, Arts & Culture, Sports

Audrey Thrower: Editor, General Assignment, Sports

Olivia Vance: General Assignment, Arts & Culture, Opinion

Why the South Swings Right

By Will McLain

The southern United States is the poorest region in the country and is also the most conservative. Every state in the American South is “red.” My family’s longtime home state of Alabama leans far to the right, with more than 60 percent voting for Trump in 2024. This is a long-term trend; states in the South have voted Republican for the last 40 years. Read More

Interview: Altamont Teacher 50 Miles From Maduro’s Surprise Capture

By Madison Chandler

Altamont English teacher Susan Huffman was scuba diving at night with her family when her sister noticed a naval ship and what she first thought were meteorites, but were actually strike aircraft. Huffman was on the island of Bonaire, roughly 50 miles away from Caracas where Venezuelan President Nicholás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were captured in January. Read More

Alabama Sports Reclassification: Thoughts From Award-Winning Knight Coaches

By Will McLain

Altamont has a historic and award-winning athletics program. From deep playoff runs in basketball, state runner-up finishes in soccer, and state champion track and cross-country squads, Altamont has no shortage of great teams. Some believe, however, that an athletics reclassification that takes effect next season could set Altamont back. Read More

The Often-Hidden Help Behind Altamont’s Favorite Moments

By Ali LeJeune

Come spring, Altamont community members can always find exciting events. During second semester, sports like baseball, golf, soccer, tennis, and outdoor track are back in session, and the games, meets, and matches are popular attractions. Upper-school students can also attend dances like Homecoming and Prom. Then, at the end of the semester, there’s May Day: a day of fun that lets students soak up the sun and enjoy nice weather before school is out.

People often credit the student government association (SGA) for these events, and while the SGA does play a large role in planning, there are others behind the scenes who sometimes don’t receive recognition. Read More

The Death of Coral Reefs

By Jim Lanier

Coral reefs are declining across the globe. According to a 2025 article from Earth.Org, journalist and editor Martina Igini reports, “Since 2023, the world’s corals have been enduring the largest mass coral bleaching ever recorded, affecting 84 percent of reefs.” But what is “bleaching”? Coral bleaching occurs when the ocean becomes too warm for corals and they expel their algae. As a result, corals become “bleached” and are left completely white. While corals can survive and recover from bleaching, the likelihood is low. Read More

Best (K)Night Ever Series, Vol. 1: The Art of Side-Questing

By Camden Pierce

There is a plague of boredom running rampant through Birmingham. Young people are having trouble finding ways to spend their limited free time, unaware of the various options for fun around the city. While lots of activities around town are not available or easily accessible for Altamont students, Birmingham is not a boring city; you just need to know where to look. Read More

Opinion: Stop Sleeping on Sleep

By Spencer DuMontier

Nearly every animal on this planet sleeps. Because of our busy, work-filled lives, however, sleep has decreased drastically on people’s list of priorities. In light of alarming statistics like “32.8 percent of adults report getting less sleep than recommended,” and “nearly 10 percent of people have chronic insomnia,” everyone needs to start thinking about the effects of lack of sleep and how to change lifestyles to put more emphasis on protecting it. Read More

Featured Photo

Last month the seventh grade explored Turkey Creek Nature Preserve and later cleaned almost 180 pounds of trash, including that sign, out of Birmingham’s East Lake Park.