The Student News Site of Ocean Lakes High School

The Current

The Student News Site of Ocean Lakes High School

The Current

The Student News Site of Ocean Lakes High School

The Current

2023-2024 Staff

Mrs. Fara Wiles
Newspaper Adviser

Mrs. Fara Wiles

Fara Wiles, newspaper adviser and journalism teacher, has been with The Current since 2002. She holds a BA from Virginia Tech in English and a minor in communications. She was the poetry editor for Virginia Tech's Silhouette literary...

Khadija Sissoko
Editor-in-Chief

Khadija Sissoko

Khadija Sissoko is a second-year journalist and Editor-in-Chief of The Current. As a middle child of six, she enjoys traveling and spending time with her family. She is the SCA Secretary, FBLA President, Latin Honor Society Editor,...

Congratulations to our September Reporter of the Month, Co-Editor-in-Chief, Barrett Scharfe!
I love the friendly community among the group and the eager willingness to learn and improve, said Barrett.
To read more about Barrett and other members of our staff, click on Reporters of the Month in the staff drop-down menu.
Co-Editor-in-Chief

Barrett Scharfe

Barrett started journalism as a sophomore. He is entering his third year as co-editor-in-chief. He's captain of the volleyball team, president of both Spikeball Club and Pickleball Club and also a member of the varsity soccer...

Chloe Purvis
Webmaster

Chloe Purvis

Chloe Purvis is a second-year journalist and webmaster for The Current. Outside of school she enjoys traveling, baking and hanging out with friends. In the future, she hopes to attend Old Dominion University.

Andrew Wu
Copy Editor

Andrew Wu

Andrew, a junior, is a third-year journalism student and copy editor for The Current. He enjoys playing basketball and hanging out with friends outside of school. After high school, he plans to pursue a psychology or mechanical...

Nash Phillips
News Editor

Nash Phillips

Nash Phillips is a first-year journalist for The Current and a junior. He is a fanatical follower of all things sports, and he hopes to pursue sports writing at The Current and beyond. Nash also plays basketball at Ocean Lakes...

Nathanial Swindle
News Editor

Nathanial Swindle

Nathanial Swindle is a junior, second-year journalist and the news editor for The Current. He enjoys helping out his mom at his local VFW post, volunteering and taking care of his two golden retrievers. Nathanial wants to study...

Riley Gomez
Features Editor

Riley Gomez

Riley Gomez is a second-year journalist and co-features editor for The Current. Outside of school, she is dedicated to running track and field, as well as cross country. When she finds the time she enjoys traveling, watching the...

Alyssa Libasci
Features Editor

Alyssa Libasci

Alyssa began journalism as a sophomore. She is entering her third year as a journalist, and her second year as features editor. She has started for varsity lacrosse since freshman year and has Irish danced her whole life. She...

Halle Packard
Opinion Editor

Halle Packard

Halle Packard is a fourth-year journalist and the opinion editor for The Current. In her free time, she enjoys going to the beach at sunset, blasting music in the car with the windows down, and going exploring.

Marlie Smith
Girls Sports Editor

Marlie Smith

Marlie Smith is a second-year journalism student and girl's sports editor for The Current. As a multi-sport athlete, she is inspired by any story involving sports. She enjoys playing soccer and hopes to continue her athletics...

Jade McAboy
Boys Sports Editor

Jade McAboy

Jade McAboy is a junior and a second-year journalism student. This year is her first year as the boys sports editor. Jade is also an athletic trainer for Ocean Lakes Athletic Training Team. In her free time, she enjoys beach trips,...

Aboubakr Sissoko
Video and Podcast Editor

Aboubakr Sissoko

Aboubakr Sissoko is a second-year journalist. He enjoys playing soccer, cooking and sleeping. He loves warm weather and juggling on the beach. He is motivated to expand on the video and podcast section.

Dominic Zdan
Entertainment Editor

Dominic Zdan

Dominic Zdan is a freshman and first-year journalism student. Outside of school he enjoys listening to music, specifically punk and older rock music, watching movies, reading classic literature and hanging out with friends.

Mihika Sakharpe
Design Editor

Mihika Sakharpe

Mihika Sakharpe, a freshman in the Math and Science Academy, is a design editor and first-year journalist for The Current. She loves sushi, cricket and learning languages (seven so far). Apart from journalism, she is involved in Mod...

Natalie Ritz
Design Editor

Natalie Ritz

Natalie Ritz is a sophomore in the Math and Science Academy, and a first-year journalism student. Natalie is the fourth of five siblings, and enjoys all things summer and outdoors. Outside of school, she enjoys baking, shopping...

Lily Lipsky
Staff Writer

Lily Lipsky

Lily Lipsky is a junior and a second-year journalist for The Current. Outside of school, she enjoys going to the beach, shopping and hanging out with her friends. Lily is also on the Ocean Lakes gymnastics team, cheer team and...

Anna Brown
Staff Writer

Anna Brown

Anna Brown is a junior and second-year journalist for The Current. Outside of journalism, Anna is the second vice president on the SCA Executive Board, a varsity basketball cheer captain and a part of Leadership Workshop staff....

Kaylynn Hawkins
Staff Writer

Kaylynn Hawkins

Kaylynn Hawkins is a junior and second-year journalism student. Outside of school, she enjoys reading mystery and romance novels, road trips, hanging out with friends and swimming. She enjoys going to the beach to watch the sunrise,...

Ryne Bracknell
Staff Writer

Ryne Bracknell

Ryne is a second-year journalism student who loves to exercise, hike, and spend time with friends. Ryne enjoys writing sports and opinion for The Current.

Ari OBrien
Staff Writer

Ari O’Brien

Ari O'Brien is a junior and a second-year journalism student. Outside of school, she enjoys doing competitive gymnastics, traveling, watching the sunset and spending time with family and friends.

Logan Stanton
Staff Writer

Logan Stanton

Logan Stanton is a senior and a third-year journalism student. In his free time, he likes to go to the beach, surf and fish. He plays football and attends the Environmental Studies Program. After high school, he hopes to pursue...

Ryland King
Staff Writer

Ryland King

Ryland King is a second-year journalist and staff writer for The Current. Outside of school, he enjoys relaxing, hanging out with friends, watching sports and going to the beach. In the future, he hopes to attend the University...

Evelyn Wille
Staff Writer

Evelyn Wille

Evelyn Wille is a senior and second year journalist for The Current. Outside of school, she enjoys playing piano, reading and taking her dogs for walks.

Ellie Perkins
Staff Writer

Ellie Perkins

Ellie Perkins is a senior and a third-year journalist for The Current. She plays guitar and soccer, she loves music and the beach, and she loves to write. After high school, she hopes to attend a university and potentially go...

Larissa Almendras
Staff Writer

Larissa Almendras

Larissa Almendras is a sophomore and a first-year journalist for The Current. She enjoys taking pictures for Ocean Lakes sports, reading and watching movies. She hopes to attend James Madison University and pursue a career in...

Austin Stegerwald
Staff Writer

Austin Stegerwald

Austin Stegerwald is a sophomore and a first year as a journalist for The Current. He enjoys playing soccer for both Ocean Lakes and Beach FC. Austin also loves playing guitar and listening to all different kinds of music.

Anna Daubenspeck
Staff Writer

Anna Daubenspeck

Anna Daubenspeck is a sophomore and a first-year journalism student. She loves spending time with her friends and family. Anna has been dancing since she was two years old, and it is her biggest passion. Her hobbies include reading,...

Chris Litto
Staff Writer

Chris Litto

Chris Litto is a freshman and a first-year journalism student. In his free time, he enjoys going outside, spending time with his family and friends, learning about space, watching TV and playing video games. Chris is also a me...

Casey Weldon
Staff Writer

Casey Weldon

Casey Weldon is a sophomore and a first-year journalist for The Current. She loves her family and friends, she has one older sister and 2 cats. In her free-time, she loves to read, write, take photos, play guitar and listen to music...

Kaia Jackson
Staff Writer

Kaia Jackson

Kaia Jackson is a senior and a first-year journalist for The Current. She is the SCA president, a varsity cheer captain, a member of National Honor Society and the yearbook staff. Outside of school, she enjoys reading, dancing and...

Aya Smith
Staff Writer

Aya Smith

Aya Smith is a first-year journalist for The Current. In her free time, she enjoys reading, going on adventures and collecting CDs.

Ell Ruggles
Staff Writer

Ell Ruggles

Ell Ruggles is a sophomore and first year journalist for The Current. Outside of school, she enjoys cooking, drawing, creative writing, playing with her pets, reading, listening to music and shopping for new books and records....

Isaiah Omier
Staff Writer

Isaiah Omier

Isaiah Omier is a sophomore and a first-year journalist for The Current. When he's not in school, he enjoys hanging out with his friends and family and playing or watching sports. Isaiah is on JV boy's soccer team, and he plays...

Tameya Norton
Staff Writer

Tameya Norton

Tameya Norton is a sophomore and a first-year journalism student. Tameya plays volleyball, soccer and outside of school she plays volleyball for Club757. If Tameya is not at school or practice, she enjoys hanging out with friends,...

Nitza Lawler
Staff Writer

Nitza Lawler

Nitza Lawler is a sophomore and a first-year journalist for The Current. She enjoys playing soccer, biking, going to the beach, exploring new places and playing her violin. Nitza is looking forward to writing for The Current....

Kaylee Klumpp
Staff Writer

Kaylee Klumpp

Kaylee Klumpp is a freshman and a first-year journalist for The Current. In her free time, she enjoys watching horror movies and the TV show, Supernatural. She loves coffee, reading, watching movies, autumn, volunteering, hiking,...

Jamison Gutierrez
Staff Writer

Jamison Gutierrez

Jamison Gutierrez is a freshman and a first-year journalism student. He has two younger siblings and enjoys playing and watching football, basketball and lacrosse.  His other hobbies include going to the beach, bodyboarding,...

Kayla Carter
Staff Writer

Kayla Carter

Kayla Carter is a sophomore and a first-year journalist for The Current. She enjoys sports, the beach and hanging out with her friends and family. Kayla plays volleyball and JV soccer for Ocean Lakes, along with club volleyba...

Robert Bush
Staff Writer

Robert Bush

Robert Bush is a sophomore and a first-year journalist. He enjoys playing volleyball, lacrosse, and listening to music. In the future, he hopes to continue journalism.

Erin Broderick
Staff Writer

Erin Broderick

Erin Broderick is a sophomore and a first-year journalist for The Current. She plays basketball for Ocean Lakes, enjoys watching sports and spending time with her friends. In the future, she hopes to continue journalism.

Sophia Ventura
Staff Writer

Sophia Ventura

Sophia Ventura is a senior and a first-year journalist for The Current. Outside of school, she enjoys going to the beach, concerts and hiking with friends and family. She especially loves to read, bake, nap and re-watch her favorite...