Senior Sunrise
by Audrey Alarcon
A memorable morning, where a lot of memories were made. Senior Sunrise was August 27, 2026, on a Thursday, around 5:30 am. This activity was only for seniors. This took place in Warrior Park, organized by the Class of 2027 and its sponsors. The event allowed seniors to come together and spend time with their friends, take pictures, eat, and hang out.
During this activity students had different options of what to do. Most of the students who participated in this activity showed up in “Senior Jeans” and their “Senior Backpack.” Senior Jeans read “2027” with a certain cartoon or movie theme of your choice. Senior Backpacks are also a cartoon or movie theme of your choice. A lot of pictures were taken at this event, students made their own sunglasses with “2027” on them, some made their own painted picture frames, with different sayings of this being our last year of high school, there was also a balloon arch and a mirror to take pictures in. Some students brought blankets to lay on the grass. This event also provided a coffee truck, to buy caffeine and sweet pastries, and they also provided free burritos for the students who participated and showed up to this event.
Senior Natalie Reyes who participated in this event and she said Senior Sunrise was one of the best and most unforgettable events that she’s been to while attending Fresno High school and she’s glad, she had the opportunity to share this memory with the people she’s closes to.
Suicide Awareness Month
by Qaim Hli Her
September is Suicide Prevention Awareness month. During this month, Fresno High School students are encouraged to check in on loved ones and friends. Many teachers and staff members take this time of the year to help educate others about possible suicidal warning signs and how to act when the signs are detected. Resources are available for people everywhere around the school—at all times, and the stigma around mental health is discouraged because it only serves to cause more harm than good. If left ignored, someone's mental health can very quickly lead to suicidal thoughts, and Fresno High's team, COST (Coordination of Services Team), makes sure to help prevent this.
Many cultures view mental health conditions or mental illnesses as a sign of weakness and as something that is embarrassing to have and should not be talked about. As a result of this, many Fresno High School students who are experiencing hard times in life find it difficult to voice how they feel to friends and even trusted adults. This stigma around mental health should not be encouraged because it delays the care for people in need of support. People with deteriorating mental health often display warning signs, consciously or subconsciously. It is their way of asking for the support they need because their mouth cannot quite seem to voice it. These signs can include a person having an increase in irritability, a lack of interest in hobbies that they always loved to do, a decline in their academic performance, or even saying that they feel like a burden.
Sometimes, people miss these warning signs after it is too late because they brush it off and think of it as ordinary. Ordinary or not, you should always be able to tell whether someone is their usual self or not. Mental health and suicide are serious matters, and if you know someone or are someone who is displaying some of these warning signs, please ask for help. It is never too late to seek assistance, nor should it ever be viewed as a sign of weakness or a flaw. You can get further help by asking your counselor to meet with a COST member or by texting or calling 988, the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, any day.
Teacher Feature: Mrs. Melissa Bangerter
by Delylah Figueroa
Mrs. Melissa Bangerter, known as ‘Mama B’’ was born on January 31. She is an only child and comes from a small family. She was born and raised in Fresno, California. She always wanted to be a teacher. She attended Fresno High School and was involved in leadership, senate, score keeper for softball, and ASB officer. Her favorite subject in school was English and leadership. Her favorite teacher was Debbie McCann, her physics teacher because she was her senate advisor, and she knew that this teacher cared more about her than just a student and showed her compassion.
Mama B attended Fresno State College because she was accepted into the teaching program and got a scholarship. She majored in English because she knew she wanted to be a teacher. Back in 2007-2008, she worked at Central West High School because there was not a job available for her at Fresno high school at that time.
Her best quality is that she is always positive even on bad days. She has been married for 20 years. Her favorite hobbies are spending time with her son and going on adventures. Her biggest influence is Jesus Christ because she tries to be giving and loving as much as he is. In 10 years, she sees herself where she can still serve and help the community.
New Uniforms for a New Year
by Sage Perez
The Fresno High School Warrior Marching Band and Color Guard have officially debuted new marching uniforms for the 2026-2027 school year. This year, the group was able to select and purchase updated attire for their students, finalizing their choices after reviewing and deciding on physical design samples. This year's uniform acquisition was made possible through a collaboration between Fresno High School and Stanbury Uniforms.
At the end of last year, it was up to the students to figure out what the uniforms of the marching season were going to be like. They were given three options for the potential design for the 2026-2027 school year. When they were given the options, they were stuck on two. But, they finally chose the marching band’s uniform for the 2026-2027 school year. They buy all the uniforms from the company Stanbury, which both Mr. Reynolds and other staff worked on. With the money they received from the school and the band budget, they bought them. It didn’t take long before they arrived with the sample of their final choice. They received the uniforms before the new school year arrived; they were satisfied with them. Now, finally, they have their new uniform for the 2026-2027 school year.
The general consensus of the new marching band is mixed between enjoyment and dissatisfaction. “They're not my style, also not too comfortable, but they're okay,” confided Erik Tolentino, and from the band, Brandon Mejia said, “I feel like I personally really like them, but I know the majority of the band doesn't really like them.”
Sportlight: Arianna West
by Brianna Fuentes
Arianna West, 17, is a Fresno High School tennis athlete. She has been on the varsity team for all four years and has been the #1 player for three of those. Her primary strength is in singles. When questioned about team victory, Arianna stated, “I prefer to have an individual win over a team win. Both make me proud, but I like to focus on personal accomplishments.” Arianna has had an astonishing record of 10-1 (singles) in her junior year, and this year has a stable record of 4-1.
Balancing athletics, education, and a job is incredibly difficult. Arianna said she balances it with ease. She enjoys challenging herself and takes rigorous courses such as dual-enrollment and AP classes. Outside of these responsibilities, Arianna enjoys hanging out with her friends and taking rest days. On these rest days, she enjoys watching TV and “kicking back and relaxing.”
Tennis matches can last around 1-2 hours. They can be physically as well as mentally draining. Arianna claims her motivation to finish these matches comes alongside her desire to win. She is a confident player and has some advice for future (or current) high school athletes: “Give everything you’ve got into your sport and make sure to put your whole self into it.”
Maybe Next Year for Hoco Dance
by Aryanna French
Since 2019, the Homecoming Dance has been a hallmark of Homecoming Week’s festivities. However, this year brought a disappointing shift for the student body as the traditional dance was officially canceled. According to Mrs. Melissa Bangerter, known affectionately as Mama B, the decision stems from a budgetary deficit caused by exceptionally low-ticket sales and poor attendance during last year's event. Without the necessary revenue carried over to establish an adequate budget, organizers were financially unable to fund a dance for this season.
Instead of the usual weekend celebration, the Homecoming energy shifted entirely to the sidelines of the football game where Fresno High faced McLane High School. The cancellation sparked mixed emotions across campus among both students and staff, though the overriding sentiment was one of disappointment. Many students expressed sadness over losing a major high school milestone, especially because there was a lot of excitement surrounding this year's creative theme.
Despite the setback, the campus community is looking toward the future with optimism. Both student leaders and faculty are voicing hope that high engagement at other school events throughout the year will help rebuild the activities fund. The ultimate goal is to generate enough student support and ticket revenue to clear the financial hurdles, ensuring that the traditional Homecoming Dance can make a triumphant, fully-budgeted return next year.
The Flea is Back
by El Larson
The Fresno High Flea returned on September 12 after a brief hiatus during the summer. The Flea was preemptively cancelled in June, July, and August due to heat concerns, with the highest temperatures reaching almost 113 degrees Fahrenheit in Fresno over the summer. In previous years, the Flea has turned to a different schedule to escape the heat, changing the regular hours of 10-2 during the day to 4-7 at night– but that wasn’t the case this year due to scheduling issues as well as the weather.
Upon its return, familiar vendors such as the Pie Mamas and Sizzle were there, and it was fairly well attended by people in the neighborhood and those passing by. “The Fresno High Flea was a fun experience, with the games and all of the booths. The wide variety of selection was interesting.” Commented Saffron Weaver, one of the volunteer students helping set up.
The next Flea is on October 10 in Fresno High’s parking lot; otherwise, it takes place every second Saturday of the month. For more information, check out the Instagram @fresnohighflea. If you are interested in becoming a vendor, contact fresnohighflea@gmail.com.