News

Photo Gallery: Senior year kickoff

Senior Sunset + First Day of School

Eric Lee, Makaylah Gerling, and Elsa Goodman • August 15, 2024

Seniors gather at Powerhouse Park on Aug. 11 to enjoy the sunset. They celebrated the approach of their final year as Falcons with friends. Photo courtesy of Audrey Davidson.

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Seniors gather at the beach and enjoy the sunset together. As the new school year kicked off, seniors experienced their last first day of high school. Photo courtesy of Alexandra David. TOP left to right: Brandon Hamadeh, Lance Schmidle, Stevens Mckinney, Jackson Geiserman, Eloise Cummins, Bradey Taub, Elsa Demko, Sydney Stewart, Lauren Mills, Taylor Munsch, Addison Higgins, Natalia Powierza, Ava Baldi, Audrey Korymlo and Alden Mubarak. BOTTOM left to right: Tyler Greene, Reid Habas, Cole Loizu, Zac Barger, Audrey Davidson, Luci Varguillas, Makaylah Gerling, Savannah Swanberg, Sam Anderson and Alexandra David.

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Wearing senior shirts on the first day of senior year is a tradition at the school. Friend groups dressed in matching, customized senior shirts. Photo courtesy of Edra Bello. Left to right: Edra Bello, Rainey Keegan, Sydney Meltzer, Lily Oliva, Ella Wisbach, Kelly Whelihan, Annika Pallia, Evelyn Fuqua, Tori Norell and Makaylah Gerling.

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Seniors pose for a photo in matching senior shirts. This marked the start of their final year of high school. Photo courtesy of Jack Renda. TOP left to right: Kate Ryann, Chloe Heideman, Londyn Brown, Skyler Ballantyne, Lily Coyne, Sienna Riggio, Alexandra David and Sophia Kabban. BOTTOM left to right: Riley Washington, Megan Mansukhani, Jack Renda and Nicole Simon.

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Seniors smile at the camera in customized senior shirts. A variety of senior shirts were seen on campus. Photo courtesy of Ava Baldi. Left to right: Eloise Cummins, Addison Higgins, Cambell Bush, Charlie O’Connell, Brady Taub, Natalia Powierza, Ava Baldi, Gigi Speziale and Chloe Malecha.

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Seniors gather for a photo in their senior shirts. As the end of high school nears, seniors celebrated the accomplishment through matching t-shirts. Photo courtesy of Maya Meyer. Left to right: Maya Meyer, Ellie Koff, Elsa Goodman and Faith Bailey.

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About the Contributors

Eric Lee, Asst. Editor-in-Chief, Design

Going into his third year on the Falconer and first year as AEIC of Design, Eric Lee looks forward to keeping the website as sleek and sophisticated as is fitting of a nationally ranked student news publication. Outside the newsroom, Lee can be found after school in the Performing Arts Center rehearsing alongside his fellow TP Players for the school’s seasonal play. During his free time, Lee also enjoys playing video games and watching anime and cartoons. Some media he enjoys include Overwatch 2, Stardew Valley, Undertale, Deltarune, Omori, most shounen animes, YouTube video essays, and other such topics that one could dub as “chronically online.” He is also enthused by anyone whose music taste is similar to his, so feel free to inquire about any song recommendations. Overall, Lee is excited for his last year on staff to be as productive as ever.

Makaylah Gerling, Editor-in-Chief

Last year, best year. The 2024-2025 school year will serve as Makaylah Gerling's third and final year as a so-called “Falconerd,” as she rises to the challenge of Editor-in-Chief for the nationally-ranked, award winning publication, the Falconer. Gerling is excited to contribute to the immense success of the Falconer and hopefully gain national recognition once again. Last year, Gerling made her mark in the newsroom as the sports editor, as she connected her love for athletics with her growing interests in the journalistic world. During the slight chance that she makes it out of room 311, you can find her competing on Ed Burke field as a senior captain and fourth-year member of the varsity women's soccer team. Despite the growing infestation of senioritis, she is determined and focused to make her last year at TPHS worthwhile by challenging herself with courses aligned with her future career as a registered nurse, following in her mothers footsteps. Outside of TPHS, she can be found in navy blue scrubs as a Palomar Health Pathmaker Intern and a bright orange jersey as a head coach for Soccer Shots. While excited for her next adventure, Gerling is sad to say goodbye to the community she has had the pleasure to call home for these past few years.

Elsa Goodman, Director of Social Media

As Elsa Goodman enters her third year on the Falconer, she is excited to carry on her journalism career as the Director of Social Media on staff this year. Last year, Goodman had the pleasure of serving as a Co-Entertainment Editor, an experience that she thoroughly enjoyed as it exposed her to new opportunities. Goodman is passionate about journalism and everyday happenings in the world, as she believes that staying informed fuels a drive to bring fresh, engaging content to the Falconer. Beyond the realm of journalism, Goodman loves traveling the world to experience different cultures and discover new aspects. Whether Goodman is at the beach with friends, practicing yoga, sewing an outfit or on an airplane to her next destination, she finds joy in life’s simple pleasures. With a passion for storytelling and a zeal for creating engaging content, Goodman is excited to dive into the dynamic world of social media. With a strong goal to build a vibrant online community that connects people, Goodman is eagerly looking forward to this next school year’s exciting changes ahead as the Falconer embarks on a new chapter.