On the hunt: Best burger in Winston-Salem
By Will Bumgarner and Briggs BrownEditor-in-Chief and Staff Writer We asked the RJR Pine Whispers Instagram followers to suggest the best burger in Winston-Salem and narrowed it down to the five most requested. With the list established, we set out to find the ultimate burger that reigns supreme in the area, leaving no stone unturned. […]
All-night revival at Puckett’s Yard
By Brandon SchroederSports Editor A cool breeze drifts across the atmosphere. You can hear the buzz of many people who are anxiously waiting for the show to start. The strum of guitars and humming of people warming up their vocal cords are in the background. The sun starts to set, and the back porch lights […]
Russell’s return to Reynolds
Will Bumgarner and Avery EhrmanEditors-in-Chief Twenty years later, former state champion and now head coach Mike Russell, makes his return to Bryson Gym for another season of R.J. Reynolds Men’s Basketball. After winning two state championships at RJR during the 2000 and 2001 seasons as a player, Russell was hired this past spring as head […]
Mid-August mayhem—Reviewing early results of the new WS/FCS calendar
By Olivia StubbsDesign Editor If you’re a big fan of the Pine Whispers, you would know that last February, I wrote about the potential pitfalls of the new Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools calendar. Now that we’re two months into the 2024-2025 school year, it’s time to update on the results so far. Unfortunately, it seems like […]
Hang up or hang on: WS/FCS’s new phone policy
Noora HosseinzadehStaff Writer It could be considered common sense that phones should be banned from the classroom. With teachers fighting a constant battle to get their students to focus, eliminating the hand-held distraction should be an easy decision; however, is banning phones as simple as it sounds? Ever since COVID-19 moved physical classrooms to Zoom, […]
Just a sign
Mackenzie AckerStaff Writer High-stress levels, the emergency brake, and colorful language are all in full swing during the morning carline. Packed into the small patch of drop-off territory is an environment of frustration that underclassmen have come to expect. Freshmen, sophomores, and upperclassmen who can’t drive encounter reckless drivers, distracted walkers, and cars trying to […]
ECNL inclusion: A new era of high school soccer
Maddy AckerStaff Writer Since its start back in 2009, the Elite Clubs National League, better known as “ECNL” boys soccer program, has been notorious for rostering the best players all around the country and training them to become highly skilled. While most would describe this program to be great, with lots of competition and top-of-the-line […]
Jon Sawyer: Reynolds journalism on the big stage
Briggs BrownStaff Writer In 1967-68, Jon Sawyer, founder and CEO of the Pulitzer Center, walked the halls of R.J. Reynolds High School as a tenth grader, unaware that his time there would later play a critical role in his career in journalism and global storytelling. Sawyer only attended RJR for one school year, but it […]
A Family Within Fencing Club
Lucy StoterStaff Writer Have you ever wanted to join a club with a tight-knit community, full of physical activity, and creative thinking? If so, join Fencing Club. The club helps encompass the sport that originated in 588 A.D. in the Byzantine Empire. A match lasts roughly three minutes or until a fencer has scored […]
Sports accessibilities for those with disabilities
Evie BealeStaff Writer The Paralympics provide high-level athletes with physical disabilities the opportunity to participate in sports. These highly competitive games occur every two years after the Olympics. The Paralympics might have students wondering what their high school does to make sports more accessible. At R.J. Reynolds High School, steps are being taken to make […]