Tag: Micah Nef

Senior leaders outline goals for the Class of 2027

by Areli Hernandez and Micah Nef

Seniors begin planning, facing responsibility, and making decisions for their futures after high school, but throughout it all, anticipation for exciting plans continue as this school year progresses. With the help of class officers and sponsors, they hope the year will be memorable for everyone. 

Class and Vice Presidents

Fourth-year class officer Camden White lists his goals that encouraged him to run for class president. 

Class President Camden White reflects on personal goals. “I want to live in the moment and enjoy my high school experience as much as possible. It makes me feel very nervous that I’m graduating and that I will be stepping out into the real world,” he said. Photo by Areli Hernandez.

“I wanted to be able to take charge and make sure we had good things going on for us. I also wanted to come up with ideas for events that students would be excited about and be involved in,” he said. 

As class president, White will represent the class of 2027 during graduation. He finds this responsibility both exciting and intimidating.

“I’m excited and I also think it’s kind of scary. I think it is scary having to talk in front of a lot of people but I will also like to share my experience with everyone,” he said.

Senior vice president Blessing James finds leadership in her involvement as a class officer. Her goal is to make this year exciting for all of her peers.

“I think it’s fun to be a leader of something and I also want to have a positive impact on the class and make sure everyone enjoys the things we do,” she explained. “I want people to walk away from senior year and be able to say they enjoyed it.”

James gives her advice to students who are looking to be leaders like her. She explained that it’s important to be confident and just “go for it.”

“Don’t be scared to do it. You get to know a lot more people and it’s cool to have a say in things your class will be involved with. Don’t think that the events we plan don’t matter, because they do make an impact on the class,” she advised.

Class Officer Sponsors

Through it all, commitment doesn’t only come from students but also from the contribution of sponsors. Class officer sponsor Michell Densford explained the connection she has with the students. Together, they brainstorm ideas and decide on events. 

“I like planning the activities with the class officers and I get to know different students every time. We help set up events like Powderpuff and Homecoming. Students get to decide the themes for certain things and I’m the facilitator,” said Densford.

2027 Class Officers: Maddie Chandler, Camden White, Blessing James Vonsenden, and Linette Vega Sanchez. Row 2: Mattie Barker, Yanqi Liang, Macyn Jackson, and Katie Nord. Row 3: Grace Lantrip, Cort Merkley, Stella Siewert, and Lily Morrill. Sponsors, Michell Densford and Stephanie Niemi. Photo by Areli Hernandez.

Densford’s involvement also includes sharing responsibilities with her class officer partner, Stephanie Niemi. With their involvement, they’re able to facilitate a flexible schedule for events. 

“Stephanie Niemi and I have been class officer sponsors before, and she encouraged me to join her. We are really good at splitting the responsibilities and we share who is responsible for each event. That way we make sure to get things done,” she said. 

Niemi agreed with Densford’s view on managing students’ ideas during the school year. She explained how the students plan the events and the sponsors take care of paperwork.

“A lot of times we have to help with coming up with themes. Sometimes we have to step in with what they want to do. Densford and I do the behind the scenes stuff like: DJ, food, setups, venues, and contracts. We handle the money aspect and make sure we are staying on budget,” she said.

Niemi said she enjoys helping the class officers plan events and allows them to take the lead when planning activities.

“I like getting to help with the senior activities like Senior Sunrise and Senior Formal, and I’m excited for Powderpuff since we last did it four years ago. I like to give the officers freedom to choose those things,” she said.

Class Officers

The class officers enjoy planning events and having the freedom to make decisions, especially class secretary Linnette Vega, who voices her and her peers’ opinions.

“I wanted to have the opportunity and have a say on certain topics. I wanted to make decisions that affect the class as a whole and also wanted people’s opinions to be voiced,” she explained.

Vega anticipates future events of her senior year. She’s excited to attend high school activities and see where her friends end up. 

“I am looking forward to finding out where we will be going. Seeing my friends become the people I think they can be, enjoying band events like Winter Fantasy, Anchor Club, and Prom. Overall, enjoying our youthfulness before graduation,” she said.

Class Treasurer Maddie Chandler, Class President Camden White, Vice President Blessing James Vonsenden, and Class Secretary Linette Vega Sanchez. Photo by Areli Hernandez.

Executive board member Lily Morrill intends to make this senior year fun by working hard with her fellow class officers.

“We really want to make senior year as fun as possible, so we already did the work to plan Senior Sunrise, and we’re going to work hard on other events like Senior Formal,” she said. 

Morrill looks forward to the events of senior year. She values having fun and spending time with her friends.

“I’m really excited for Prom, because it is our senior prom so it’s even better than last year. I’m just excited to spend as much time as I can with friends before we all go in different directions.”

Niemi is proud of her graduated students and who they’ve become after high school. She has high expectations for this year’s class officers as well. She hopes that they give back to their community and continue to be leaders.

“I’m very pleased with where many past students are now. I’ve had a lot of interaction with the Class of 2024. I like seeing them give back to the community and coming back to the community,” said Niemi.

Niemi hopes White follows the important values and responsibilities of being a class president in his future. 

“Speaking out and having communication skills are very important. People who are dependable, work ethical, and responsible are great traits that embodies the characteristics of a good leader. I hope Camden White is a demonstration of those qualities in the future,” she said.

White said that persistence is an important trait for someone in a leadership position and gives his advice to underclassmen:

“I would say to apply yourself, be involved, speak out your ideas, and keep fighting for what you want, be persistent,” he said.

by jhshyphen

Art classes create expressive communities

by Micah Nef and Cella Hutton

Art has been around since 30,000 BP. It has been a stepping stone to the development of the human race and the world around us. When language failed to tell the story, art was there to turn the page. Today, art plays an important role in how society functions, as well as in the way people express their beliefs as individuals and as a whole. 

Art is essential to communities because it allows for expression in the school system. It allows for growth within the mind. Whether it’s poetry or digital design, it is vital to the development of high school students. It must be introduced; it is very important to their development, as it allows them to express themselves and helps them create new ideas and creations. And sometimes, the people behind the scenes help with this creative expression. 

Art teacher Hayleigh Gnagie is new this year at JHS; she’s been teaching for about a year and really loves her job. Before teaching at JHS, she was an art specialist at Franklin Square Elementary. She believes that art classes give students a break from busy school days.

“At Franklin it was a space to calm down and find peace of mind, and I want to bring that here,” she said.

Sophomore Anya Bushmann works on carving and stamping clay as part of her art assignment. Photo by Areli Hernandez.

Art is a great influence on students around the school and can help with real-life problems. Gnagie explained that art has helped her students improve problem-solving skills and creative thinking.

Sophomore artist Estella Young agreed.

“Art that takes a long time can improve patience. Not only that, but it can help with attention span and not giving up if you keep making mistakes,” said Young.

Young enjoys digital art. While she isn’t taking any art classes at school, she believes that art is important for high school students.

“Art can be a good creative outlet in case of stress. Lots of teens feel stress, and art is one of the Number 1 ways to get it all out,” she said.

In a world full of high stress, creative activities can also give students a way to escape or take a break. Similar to Gnagie’s peaceful elementary classroom, Young described art as providing a break from stress or bad moods.

“Making art can help give distractions for a bad day. You can draw things that make you happy, and/or you can use it to express yourself,” she stated.

Art is often about emotion, too. Art teacher Jennifer Beckman proves that. She has taught art for 23 years, with genuine love for her students. Beckman doesn’t hesitate to get her hands dirty or to work alongside her class.

Beckman explained that she wants to show her students that art isn’t about being perfect. While technique is important, the process of learning hands-on is the true takeaway.

In order to accomplish great things, artists have to work hard, said Beckman. She said wanted to be an artist since she was young. She got a degree in photography and later got a degree in art and began teaching.

“Art was one of three things I wanted to do as a kid. I wanted to be a photographer, artist, or a farmer,” she said.

Beckman shows that if you put your mind to something, you can do it. She hopes to leave her students in a creative place with open minds; she knows that it will be important for every student to see what art can be when the opportunities to create art are endless and always ready to begin anew.

Art teacher Jennifer Beckman engages with her ceramics students while working on their assignment on August 13. Photo by Areli Hernandez.
Junior Leland Lajoie, who is also a ceramics student, gives shape to his blueberry bowl as part of his assignment. Photo Areli Hernandez.
by jhshyphen