The McIntosh Trail Student News Site

The McIntosh Trail Student News Site The official page of the McIntosh Trail, the news site at MHS. Visit mhstrail.org

The McIntosh Chiefs varsity football team opened the 2026 season Friday night with a 13-3 victory over the Fayette Count...
08/19/2026

The McIntosh Chiefs varsity football team opened the 2026 season Friday night with a 13-3 victory over the Fayette County Tigers in the annual “Fight for 54” rivalry game.

McIntosh’s defense set the tone, holding Fayette County to three points and keeping the Tigers out of the end zone. The Chiefs started slowly, but head coach Derek Smith said the team settled in as the game progressed.

“We started out a little cobwebby,” Smith said. “We had to dust off the cobwebs.”

Senior defensive end Marcus Swoope helped lead the Chiefs’ defensive effort. With McIntosh struggling early, Swoope said his message to his teammates was to remain focused.

“Keep up the good work, keep up the good effort,” Swoope said. “We haven’t been doing so good, but, you know, stay focused. Game’s not over yet.”

Smith credited Swoope and his twin brother, Maurice, for continuing to pressure opposing quarterbacks. He was also impressed by the Chiefs’ inside linebackers, a position group he wanted to see improve from last season. Clink the link in bio for more on Friday nights game or visit mhstrail.org Connor La

Grace Lovejoy will be attending Georgia Southern University and majoring in Communications. Lovejoy’s favorite memory fr...
06/07/2026

Grace Lovejoy will be attending Georgia Southern University and majoring in Communications. Lovejoy’s favorite memory from her time on staff was when one of the Trail’s staffers won a Best of SNO award. She recalls running from her English class to Ms. Woolf’s room, where they celebrated together with a hug. Lovejoy is proudest of helping maintain the Trail’s SNO Distinguished Site streak, continuing the hard work started by former editors. Her advice for upcoming editors and staff is simple: have fun and enjoy making memories together because those experiences are some of the best parts of being on the publication. In her free time, Lovejoy enjoys calligraphy and can often be found creating signs, gifts, and crafts with her calligraphy pens. Graphic made in Canva by Jozlynn Smith. Responses gathered from a Google Form.

Nyla Kërr will be attending Georgia State University and majoring in psychology as she works toward her goal of becoming...
06/07/2026

Nyla Kërr will be attending Georgia State University and majoring in psychology as she works toward her goal of becoming a forensic neuropsychologist. During her three years on the Trail, Kërr contributed more than 70 stories and spent two years serving as News Editor. She credits her time on staff with helping maintain the publication’s SNO Distinguished Site status, earning a GSPA Superior website rating, and fostering a welcoming and supportive environment for student journalists. One of her favorite memories was the “It’s just Pepsi” incident at the National Scholastic Press Association convention in Nashville, where staff members recreated a photo of Ms. Woolf drinking Pepsi instead of her usual Coke Zero. Kërr says she is most proud of her personal growth throughout her years on staff, developing as a writer, photographer, videographer, and communicator. Her advice to future staff members is to challenge themselves by trying new things, even when they feel uncomfortable, because growth often comes from stepping outside familiar boundaries. Outside of journalism, Kërr enjoys creative writing, storyboarding, and developing fictional worlds through books, art, and video games. Graphic made in Canva by Jozlynn Smith. Responses gathered from a Google Form.

Yasemin Kalpakci reflected on her time at the Trail by sharing the advice she received from Ms. Woolf: always leave the ...
06/07/2026

Yasemin Kalpakci reflected on her time at the Trail by sharing the advice she received from Ms. Woolf: always leave the publication better than you found it. Throughout her years on staff, Kalpakci worked to apply lessons learned from GSPA and NSPA conferences while supporting her fellow staff members and future leaders. One of her favorite memories was attending her first NSPA convention with Nyla Kërr and Grace Lovejoy, where they explored the city, enjoyed memorable meals, and strengthened their friendships while learning ways to improve the Trail. Kalpakci is proud of the recognition earned by both herself and the publication, including her GSPA All-Georgia awards, Best of SNO recognition, and the Trail’s SNO Distinguished Site designation. Her advice to future staff members is to enjoy the time spent with fellow journalists, take pride in creating meaningful stories, work hard, and always remain kind because every word written and spoken has an impact. Outside of journalism, Kalpakci enjoys drawing, writing, and exploring creative pursuits. Graphic made in Canva by Jozlynn Smith. Responses gathered from a Google Form.

Grace Lovejoy will be attending Georgia Southern University and majoring in Communications. Lovejoy’s favorite memory fr...
06/07/2026

Grace Lovejoy will be attending Georgia Southern University and majoring in Communications. Lovejoy’s favorite memory from her years on The Trail was when a staff member won a Best of SNO award and she ran from her English class to Ms. Woolf’s room to celebrate with a hug. Lovejoy is proudest of helping maintain The Trail’s SNO Distinguished Site streak and continuing the work of previous editors. Her advice for upcoming editors and staff is to have fun and make memories together because those moments become the best parts of the publication experience. In her free time, Lovejoy enjoys calligraphy and loves using her calligraphy pens to create gifts, signs and crafts. Graphic made in Canva by Jozlynn Smith. Responses gathered from a Google Form.

Yasemin Kalpakci hopes she has left The Trail better than she found it by applying lessons learned from journalism confe...
06/07/2026

Yasemin Kalpakci hopes she has left The Trail better than she found it by applying lessons learned from journalism conferences and supporting fellow staff members whenever possible. While she is still deciding on her future college and career path, Kalpakci remains excited about the many possibilities ahead. Her favorite memory on staff was attending her first National Scholastic Press Association convention with close friends Nyla Kërr and Grace Lovejoy, where they explored the city, learned new skills and created lasting memories together. Kalpakci is proud of the many awards earned by both herself and The Trail, including her All-Georgia honors, a Best of SNO award and The Trail’s SNO Distinguished Site recognition. Her advice for future staff members is to enjoy their time together, take pride in their work and always lead with kindness. In her free time, Kalpakci enjoys drawing and writing as creative outlets. Graphic made in Canva by Jozlynn Smith. Responses gathered from a Google Form.

Nyla Kërr will be attending Georgia State University and majoring in psychology as she works toward her goal of becoming...
06/07/2026

Nyla Kërr will be attending Georgia State University and majoring in psychology as she works toward her goal of becoming a forensic neuropsychologist. During her three years on The Trail, Kërr served as News Editor for two years, contributed more than 70 stories and helped lead the staff to achievements including maintaining SNO Distinguished Site status and a GSPA Superior website rating. One of her favorite memories was the iconic “It’s Just Pepsi” incident during the National Scholastic Press Association convention in Nashville. Kërr is proudest of her personal growth as a writer, photographer, editor and communicator throughout her time on staff. Her advice for upcoming editors and staff is to embrace new experiences, step outside of their comfort zones and not let the phrase “I can’t” hold them back. Outside of journalism, Kërr enjoys creative writing and spends much of her time developing stories, characters and fictional worlds. Graphic made in Canva by Jozlynn Smith. Responses gathered from a Google Form.

Maddie Hines will be attending Bowie State University and majoring in Communications. Hines believes she made The Trail ...
06/07/2026

Maddie Hines will be attending Bowie State University and majoring in Communications. Hines believes she made The Trail a better program by educating her peers and community about Black culture while serving as Social Media Manager and helping strengthen The Trail’s brand. One of her favorite memories was celebrating The Trail’s Distinguished Site recognition and laughing when “Distinguished” was misspelled on the celebration cake. Hines is proudest of earning a Superior rating for her podcast and celebrating the many accomplishments of The Trail staff. Her advice for upcoming editors and staff is to remember that their work matters, support one another as a team and not put too much pressure on themselves. In her free time, Hines enjoys playing volleyball and spending time with friends. Graphic made in Canva by Jozlynn Smith. Responses gathered from a Google Form.

CJ Boxhill will be attending Howard University and majoring in Political Science. During his time on The Trail, Boxhill ...
06/07/2026

CJ Boxhill will be attending Howard University and majoring in Political Science. During his time on The Trail, Boxhill helped expand the publication’s multimedia presence by setting a strong example for video and podcast production and ensuring stories were told in engaging, visual ways. His favorite memory on staff was participating in weekly editorial meetings, where the team collaborated and worked together to make decisions that benefited both the staff and the publication. Boxhill is proudest of his award-winning podcast, which earned a Best of SNO award for highlighting political perspectives from across the aisle and encouraging young people to become involved in politics. His advice for future editors and staff is to take risks, try new things and never doubt their potential. Outside of journalism, Boxhill is a dedicated Bob Marley fan. Graphic made in Canva by Jozlynn Smith. Responses gathered from a Google Form.

Nicholas “Ryan” LeVan contributed to The Trail by helping teach others and build a stronger sense of teamwork among staf...
06/07/2026

Nicholas “Ryan” LeVan contributed to The Trail by helping teach others and build a stronger sense of teamwork among staff members. One of LeVan’s favorite memories from his time on staff was attempting to record podcasts, even when things did not always go according to plan. He is proudest of the awards he earned during his time on The Trail. LeVan’s advice for upcoming editors and staff is simple: “Don’t give up.” Outside of journalism, he enjoys fighting and staying active. Graphic made in Canva by Jozlynn Smith. Responses gathered from a Google Form.

Address

Atlanta, GA

Telephone

(770) 631-3232

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when The McIntosh Trail Student News Site posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Category