With the summer coming to a close and school bells on the horizon, it’s time for the dreaded back-to-school shopping that we’ve all been through countless times.

Band means a lot to me.

FlipSider Mary Barker took several photos of flowers in bloom this summer. How many can you name?

A popular getaway for people in West Virginia is the beach. Whether it is the water, sun or relaxation that entices, thousands of West Virginians to flock to all kinds of beaches when summer arrives, there are many dangers that accompany the fun of these trips.

There are some things in our culture that are so universal that you can find some version of them nearly anywhere on Earth. Popular brands, certain books and movies and particular yummy foods. Pizza, chocolate, coffee… you can find them in most other world countries without too much trouble.

Throughout the years, America has learned to evolve. In the late 1700s, we were slave to British rule. By the eighteenth century, we became our own slave masters. We went from fighting our oppressors to fighting our brothers. Yet the nation managed to come out the other side.

For those who live in the Charleston area, many are familiar with the multiple pools located near town. While at some you can pay a daily rate for admission, at others, the only way to get in is by paying a fee at the beginning of the summer.

Robben Island holds a piece of history that seems so recent, yet occurred more than two decades ago. The island captures a shadowed part of history, which includes the apartheid movement and years of civil turmoil leading into the decade before the new century.

On July 17, 1955, 11,000 exclusive guests were admitted to a small amusement park in Anaheim, California. It contained four specifically themed areas and a total of eight rides and attractions. Within ten weeks, it had become a host to one million visitors, and the ultimate travel destinatio…

For FlipSide’s first school year back, we had one senior on our staff — Mary Barker from Scott High School in Boone County.

Earth is home to five massive quantities of water. Those bodies are what we call oceans. Our oceans are home to a variety of marine life; the plants, animals and other organisms that thrive in the salty water. We love the ocean, the beach and the joy we feel when we experience it. So why hav…

Flowers, high temperatures and a cloudless sky are all signs of the one thing high school students constantly look forward to — summer break.

Earth Day is on Monday, April 22. As our planet is facing many issues, the best thing to do is to see how you can help.

A prominent issue facing the public today is anti-vaxx and the repercussions involved. Anti-vaxx is when people will not vaccinate their children due to personal beliefs.

In 1985, Alison Bechdel published a segment of her comic strip entitled “The Rule.” It showed two women discussing going to a movie, and one explaining that she will only see a film if it fulfills the following requirements: that the film contains at least two female characters who have a co…

West Virginia is filled with many photogenic sites. Since prom season is around the corner, many are wondering where they should take their prom pictures. Below is a list of locations where you can take great pictures.

As you know, we are getting closer to the end of the school year. That can only mean one thing — it’s finally prom season. Everything from the dresses and suits, to the price of a ticket, can be really expensive. Below are a few places where you can save a few bucks on your dress:

A few weeks ago, I was given the opportunity of interviewing the new mayor of Charleston, Amy Schuler Goodwin. I asked many people across the community what questions or concerns they wanted to bring to our city government, and how they thought the city in general was doing a few months into…

In the past, deaf culture was viewed in a vastly different light than it is today. Today, deafness is a celebration of a different sensory universe; not something to be seen as a disability. Deaf history is full of differing viewpoints and derogatory ideals written not by those who actually …

On Feb. 22, 2018, all schools in West Virginia closed their doors, and students across the state went nine days without education. Almost a year later, teachers’ needs hadn’t been met and tensions were rising. On Feb. 18, the teachers’ union leaders announced that a strike would begin the ne…

Every March 17, people around the world celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. We now associate the holiday with drinking and the color green, but its origins are far from that.

The foster care system crisis has been a problem for years. It not only affects young children, but it can severely impact the life of a teen.

Since the beginning of civilization, arts have been an integral part of human culture. From cave drawings depicting the predators of the time to Jackson Pollock’s No. 5, the arts will always have a place in society no matter the time period.

Once again we find ourselves facing a teacher strike in the state of West Virginia. By gathering comments from teachers and students alike, I am going to try my best to give all sides of the story.

School personnel members weren’t just standing up for what they thought was right for their students during the 54-county strike on Feb. 19 and 20. Some students also participated to show their teachers they supported them.

West Virginia has a long history of union strikes. Dating back to 1912, strikes are a part of our state’s heritage.

Most of us have heard of depression; a mental disorder that causes people to feel constantly sad because of an imbalance of chemicals in their brain. This is a disorder that has affected many people and comes in many different forms.

Many high schoolers need to volunteer for certain reasons, but finding a good place to do it is sometimes difficult. To make it easier, I have compiled a list of the top 4 places that teens can volunteer in the Charleston area.

With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, it can make you wonder what lengths some people in history have gone to show their love for their significant other. Nowadays, we give a card and maybe some candy to show someone how we feel, but history has proven others’ methods to be a little …

Valentine’s Day, a day that we either love or hate. But how did this well-known holiday come to be?

Lunch. At school, it’s not just a meal — it’s a social opportunity, a gathering place, a break from work… and a chance for kids to complain about the food they are served.

With Christmas over, there is something more pressing to focus on: midterms. Midterms are stressful, but there are some foolproof methods for studying that will get you a good grade.

West Virginia has a homeless population of 1,309 people and families, not including transients that pass through the state, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. A majority of the homeless population resides in the capital city of Charleston.

New Year’s resolutions are usually the punchline of jokes around Christmas, and with the good or bad they pose, there are many opinions surrounding them. To find out more about how teens look at New Year’s resolutions, I conducted a poll.

Holiday breaks can sometimes be boring. Below are productive things you can do during the time away from school.

Many high school students have worked a part-time job while attending school. Working a part-time job while going to school can take a toll on a student, depending on how many responsibilities they have.

The month of December is commonly associated with the holiday of Christmas, but other holidays occur this time of year. One of them is the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah.

The Appalachian Children’s Chorus is a local choir that has been in West Virginia for over 25 years. This year the choir discovered that their former executive director, Jacqueline Holly Portillo, had embezzled almost $100,000. I talked with the choir’s director, Selina Midkiff, to see how t…

Emma Carpenter, a freshman at George Washington High School, has big dreams. She has a lot of ideas on how to restore Charleston and West Virginia, to bring the area back to its former stature. With the odds stacked against her, she entered and won a contest called ChipStarter, run by famous…

One of the most attractive parts of Charleston is the outdoor art. In fact, it’s the art on our walls that bring people in. Charleston even has its own Public Art Office, which is responsible for approving and maintaining murals and other public art.

The West Virginia PROMISE Scholarship is a merit-based scholarship that is designed to make college more affordable to qualified West Virginia students.

During the September FlipSide meeting, staff members decided to ask readers to choose their favorite Halloween candy from a list of 26 options, some of which got no votes. As of Oct. 30, here are the results:

FlipSide photographer Chloe Cory, of Charleston Catholic High School, spent a recent September day taking photos of fall produce and decorative items at the Capitol Market in Charleston, West Virginia.

Being a teenager can be hard and stressful at times. Everyone has things that they’re worried or stressed about.

For much of the past 50 years, malls have been almost synonymous with teenagers, and since it opened in 1983, the Charleston Town Center has been a big part of Charleston — for shopping, dining, events and getting together.

Micro-scholarships, unbeknownst to many upcoming high school students, are scholarships that students can earn from select colleges and universities based upon their achievements in 9th through 12th grades. They are designed to make college more affordable for all students. More than 200 ins…