Laura Sledge, Editor-in-Chief

Senior Laura Sledge has been a part of The Panther’s Prey newspaper staff since the beginning of her sophomore year. Starting as sports editor, she has also served as content editor and is now the paper’s editor-in-chief.

When she is not working with the paper, Laura enjoys relaxing with a good book, writing recreationally, cooking, or spending time with her friends and family.

An animal lover and part of an in-home zoo, Laura has two pets (a parrot named Byrd and a dog named Button), among the eight that her family owns. She also loves to ride horses.

After high school, Laura plans to attend a Tennessee university where she will study English education, European history, or political science, an interest that was sparked preceding the 2008 presidential election.
In addition to continuing her study, Laura hopes to travel all over the world, starting in Kent, England, where she will visit Hever, the castle where Anne Boleyn grew up, and continuing all around the world. Laura has been reading about Anne Boleyn and the Tudor era for over three years, and plans to continue her research.

Ashley Fowler, Managing Editor

Senior Ashley Fowler is a three-year veteran of The Panther’s Prey. As opinions editor, Ashley used creativity in order to create unique ideas for the paper; however this year Ashley is managing editor. She also loves journalism because it helps her improve her writing and organization skills in other classes.

At school she remains active by being a senior class officer, participating in Pep Crew, and guiding freshmen in Big Brother/Big Sister. In her free time, Ashley enjoys spending time with close friends and family members. She also loves to cook, read, sing, and write songs.

Ashley began to sing at the age of eleven, and she hopes to become an entertainer one day. Although she is not in choir, she takes singing lessons once a week at The Bartlett Music Academy.

Like most students, Ashley takes her schoolwork seriously. She is often praised for her determination, drive, and leadership abilities. After graduation, Ashley plans to attend the University of Oklahoma where she will major in Computer Engineering and minor in Spanish. While attending college, Ashley will continue to sing in hopes of furthering her singing career.

Margaret Cross, Copy Editor

Senior Margaret Cross serves as the copy editor for The Panther’s Prey. This job requires her to check all the newspaper articles for grammatical errors and to suggest changes that might make the articles more interesting to the readers.
Cross is also a cartoonist for the paper. She mirrors the Japanese manga style, which she learned from many friends in middle school.

Cross is openly active in many school associations and clubs, such as National Honor Society, National Beta Club, Mu Alpha Theta, German Club, and Delta Epsilon Phi (German honor club). Her other activities include the church choir and the Bartlett swim team.

Cross has sung since she was two years old, and she has been involved with music in some way, shape, or form ever since. She was in the Bartlett Elementary School Fifth Grade Chorus and in the Elmore Park Middle School Band all three years.

Cross has swum with Bartlett since her freshman year, and she plans to continue swimming in college.

Although Cross has considered and discarded many career ideas, she now plans to work at the American consulate in Germany. Therefore, she will continue to study German in college, and she aspires to spend a year abroad in Germany.

Macy Linton, Opinions Editor

Senior Macy Linton, Opinions editor for the Panther’s Prey, has been a journalist for Bartlett High School’s newspaper since her junior year. She is a local volunteer in the Memphis area, a pre-semifinalist in the running for the National Merit scholarship, a black belt, and an active member of Bartlett’s academic team.

Last summer Macy spent four weeks studying at the Tennessee Governor’s School for the Humanities, where she and approximately eighty other students earned credit taking college courses. It was honor to be accepted to the prestigious school, and she was excited to be able to attend.

An ardent writer, she hopes to one day be a published author and therefore spends much of her time outside of school writing poems and stories towards that goal. She is also an avid enthusiast of drawing, painting, and making collages.

When she is not writing or drawing, you can usually find her listening to her iPod or reading.

Macy is very excited about being part of the newspaper’s first online staff and expects a great year!

Jessica Ferrell, News Editor/Head Photographer

Although transferring to a new school during her senior year has been difficult, Jessica Ferrell is determined to start out the year on the right foot. She believes that there is no better way to get to know Bartlett High School than through working on their newspaper staff. As News Editor of The Panther’s Prey, she not only keeps a knowledge of what is going on in the world but also in the school.

At her former school, Ferrell served as the editor and the staff photographer of her yearbook. She has participated in many writing competitions, as well as placing first in a statewide poetry contest. Writing allows her to fully express herself. After all, “The pen is mightier than the sword.”

In her free time, Ferrell enjoys personal photography and writing, but she also works part-time at McAlister’s Deli.

In addition to her high school career, Ferrell attends Southwest Tennessee Community College. By taking classes during the summer, she has finished a year of the general courses. After graduating, she plans to attend Union University in Jackson, Tennessee where she will continue her love for the English language.

Kimmy West, Assistant Photographer

Sophomore Kimberly West, more commonly known as Kimmy, joins the newspaper this year as a columnist and Head Photographer.

She likes to ride horses, dance, play baseball, and hang out with friends. She dislikes black jellybeans, asparagus, math, and rude people. West enjoys romance and horror movies, and loves anime.

West is the second oldest of five children. She has two younger sisters at other schools and a younger sister and older brother here at BHS. Her favorite movie is Untraceable, and her favorite song is “Broken” by Lindsey Haun. Her favorite subject is Science and her least favorite subject is Math.

West has played softball/baseball for five years, has danced for three years, and has helped run an anime club for three years. She draws inspiration from a quote by baseball’s first designated hitter, former New York Yankee and author Ron Blomberg. “Competing in sports has taught me that if I’m not willing to give 120 percent, somebody else will.”

West is not sure yet what she wants to do after high school, but she hopes to figure it out by senior year. The Panther’s Prey is proud to have Kimmy as a new addition to its staff.

Lauren Haley, Assistant Photographer

Sophomore Lauren Haley is the assistant photographer on The Panther’s Prey staff. This is her first year on the staff, and she is very excited to be a part of it.

Haley also plays on the junior varsity volleyball team and is taking three honors classes. When she is not playing volleyball or doing homework, she enjoys bowling and going to see movies, especially horror movies, with her friends. She also likes to listen to all types of music. There is nothing she enjoys more than going to a good concert.

Haley is a huge Hannah Montana and High School Musical fan, which she gets teased for regularly. Haley is a very friendly person who loves meeting new people. She is the third of eight kids, and has one pet, a boxer by the name of Jack.

Haley has wanted to be a journalist ever since she was a little girl. She plans to go to college at the University of South Florida after graduating high school, where she hopes to play volleyball and one day become a professional journalist.

Josh Ferrell, Reporter

As the only male member of “The Panther’s Prey,” sophomore Josh Ferrell attempts to create an understandable perspective in technology. Josh wants to be a graphic designer in the future, and he has already created several logos and websites for different companies and charity organizations. In fact, he designed “The Panther’s Prey” logo.

Josh also attends Southwest Community College after school in order to learn more about his future career. Josh plans to attend Rhode Island School of Design in the future. He likes to watch classic movies, such as “Citizen Kane” and “The Sting.” He would also like to create CGI for movies in the future. Josh is glad to be a member of “The Panther’s Prey” and hopes to stay a member in the future.