As a state, North Carolina does not practice initiatives or referenda, instead utilizing ballot measures proposed by the legislature to introduce or make amendments to the state constitution and statutes. In this year’s midterm elections, North Carolinians may choose to vote for or against three distinct measures regarding property taxes, income taxes, and Voter ID.

The AI question has arrived at Watauga High School: ‘to use or not to use?’ It’s a hot topic in the news at the moment, and most anyone you talk to will have an opinion. Employees of major Artificial Intelligence corporations recently expressed their concern over the speed at which it is advancing and one even warned that it may kill us within ten years. On the other side are fears that China out-paces the United States in advancement, diminishing the country’s position as a

Visitors flock to the streets of downtown Boone to indulge in the novelties of every season. While this is great for the tourist-centered businesses in Boone, it results in high volumes of congestion and traffic during these times. To combat this issue the Town of Boone has recently focused on making corrections to the flow of traffic, allowing for more accessibility downtown. However, many businesses are being negatively impacted due to these changes in traffic flow. Howard

As the leaves begin to turn and the weather gets cooler, college applications are top of mind for many of Watauga’s seniors. And with college applications come application fees, often through the Common App. What many college hopefuls don’t know, though, is that many of these fees can be waived by simply checking a box.

Have you ever wanted a career in hair and nails? Cosmetology is one of the many unique programs and pathways at Watauga High School that allows students to get their state license and join the workforce directly after graduation.

They look like any other security camera. And they are, in most ways. They take pictures of license plates and track the speed of drivers. Really, it’s nothing new. What is new is the ever-growing network of these searchable cameras that can be used to track anyone, anywhere.

Students across the county are waking up and leaving for school even earlier than before. This is because Watauga County Schools have implemented more hours in the school day in both K-8 schools and at Watauga High School beginning this school year. The reasoning behind this has to do with multiple factors. The county needs to be in compliance with the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) in order to have enough time scheduled for early literacy in K-8 schools, and the adde

It's never too early to start preparing for your future, and this doesn't just mean applying for college. It also means preparing for the workforce. RISE does just that. RISE is a partnership between Caldwell Community College and Watauga High School that allows students to complete internships and pre-apprenticeships in a CTE field in which they are interested.

On September 4, Donald Trump announced mass importing of foreign beef into America, without triggering higher tariffs. This order was put in place to lower beef prices and make it more accessible for American consumers, who consume roughly 30 billion pounds of beef each year. Local cattle farmers and livestock agents are feeling the effects of this executive order in various ways. For some it’s a temporary inflection, for others it's a difficult addition to the already turbul

A decidedly tumultuous midterm election season is upon us. Two years into President Trump’s second term and the United States’ political climate is tense. For many, it may seem as though having a conversation with a person opposing them politically is off the table. It is out of this environment that Dr. Johnnie Lotesta, Assistant Professor of Sociology and Dr. Phillip Ardoin, Professor of Political Science, decided to work with Appalachian State University’s Civic Literacy p

Like many college towns, Boone, North Carolina has a town-gown divide between locals and the resident university. Recently, this has spilled into local election politics. Redistricting troubles and accusations of gerrymandering followed a new voting map introduced by the North Carolina Legislature in 2023. Critics contend that dividing Boone and Appalachian State University between two districts splits liberal voters and gives a significant advantage to conservative candidate

Every day teachers call roll, and every day, classrooms sit in awkward silence as the student in question fails to appear. Student absences are a chronic and growing problem for school systems across the state, especially for one like Watauga, where students miss additional days due to the winter snow and ice year after year. The district’s tendency for snow days makes students being present on the days they can even more important, forcing administration to adopt a hardline

A new year brings new teachers, new classes, and new routines. And, for Watauga High School’s administrative team, 3 new members. For Dante Binotto, Leslie Pope, and Jennifer Wilson, the 2026-27 school year will be their first full year at Watauga as assistant principals.

Currently, North Carolina ranks last in the nation in public school investment. As such, budgeting surrounding education is frequently difficult, and broader budgeting issues exacerbate this. NC was the only state in 2025 to not pass a full budget, which led to reliance upon outdated budgeting information. Teacher pay is also an issue, with pay in the state ranking 43rd, and the state struggling over whether to increase teacher salaries or cut taxes. The connecting line throu

Thirteen Days. Thirteen Days were spent at home with students stuck behind computer screens, trying to engage with lagging internet, and distracting family members. This is the reality of school in the winter months.

Every other year, North Carolina’s state legislature passes a new budget for the coming 2 years. At least, that’s what’s supposed to happen. But the legislature hasn’t passed a full budget since 2023, and there’s no compromise in sight at the state capitol in Raleigh. On the ground, that means that public schools are feeling the burn.

Rachel Ingram, who plans to attend the North Carolina School of the Arts for Stage Management, speaks at the Watauga Board meeting about the impact the Watauga Theater Department has had on her time at the high school. Photo credit: Charlie Stumb, Watauga Yearbook Carrie Bradbury, Review Desk Lead and Selah Greer, Editor of The Spark 175 students enrolled this year. Over 100 rehearsal hours for the spring musical. 65 Ross Auditorium events staffed by technical theater student

Many polling places give out stickers for voting. These stickers are often coveted, and even collected by voters in America. Photo credits: Unsplash Aspen Hickman, Staff Writer for The Powderhorn On March 3, 2026, many of Watauga’s seniors voted in North Carolina’s primary elections. Voting is an important part of living in a democracy like the United States, and as students turn 18, they can exercise their right to vote and have their voices heard at the local, state, and na

An image of paper and pen that is sparsely used in classrooms due to the introduction of technology in education. Photo Credits: Marissa Groots, Unsplash. Andrew Larsen, Staff Writer for The Powderhorn Since the 2011-12 school year, students at Watauga High School have used computers in the classroom. The standard later shifted from Dell laptops to the familiar Chromebooks in the 2017-18 school year. With Canvas courses, NCVPS, and Caldwell classes, nearly every class utiliz

Watauga High School was recently awarded by the College Board for high AP test scores and increased enrollment in AP classes. Last year 89% of the students at WHS who took an AP class scored a 3 or higher on their exam, a 7% increase from the previous year. There were also a total of 339 AP students.