Spotlight: Jamie Swickard
By: Caylee Lindsay
NORTHRIDGE- As the 2016 school year dwindles to an end, the senior class is brought closer to bidding farewell to high school with each passing day. Graduation certainly creates a pensive atmosphere for students and teachers as our seniors depart, but one thing is certain: there is a bright and optimistic future ahead.
Jamie Swickard (‘16) is one of Northridge’s many students that are graduating this year. Swickard has been very involved throughout her high school experience, and has made memories like no other. She encourages underclassmen to get involved as much as they can. According to Swickard, some of her best memories came from being involved at her school. Apart from holding the position as Web Editor-In-Chief and third-year Viking Vault staff member, she has participated in volleyball, basketball, Spanish Club, and the National Honor Society.
The high school aspect that Swickard will miss the most is being a part of a team, she says. “When you’re on a team, you get so close to everybody. I’m going to miss meeting new people and being with my friends all the time.”
Outside of Northridge, Swickard has actively participated in her church’s youth group. Through her church, she has gone on many mission trips. Swickard enjoys sewing, being a part of 4H, hanging out with her friends, showing market rabbits at the Hartford Fair, and taking long walks on the beach. She is an avid Netflix-watcher, and expert at spending her parents’ money.
High school will always be home to some of Swickard’s favorite memories. When asked what her favorite high school memory was, a smile grew upon Swickard’s face. “My favorite memory was when Savannah Legg (‘16) tried to do a backflip off the high dive at the Heath Pool to impress guys, and back-smacked.” Another favorite memory of Swickard’s took place in the Newark Catholic gymnasium. Swickard says, “We had a volleyball game at Newark Catholic and Dayna Martin (‘18) said that she wasn’t feeling the magic in the gym. Right after she said that, she slipped on water that was on the floor and face-planted. It was karma.” Apart from these comedic moments with her friends, another one of her favorite memories was during sophomore year, when her basketball team took the title of Sectional Champions.
Although Swickard has made amazing memories at Northridge, she is looking forward to the future. Swickard remarks, “I’m really excited to leave high school. I’m sad to leave my friends, but I’m really looking forward to something new to happen in my life.”
Swickard definitely has set some goals in place for the future. She plans to have a “smokin’ husband” and Megan Dalton (‘16) for a roommate. In 10 years, she sees herself in a big house with a newfoundland dog, working in a trauma center as a physician’s assistant.
All joking aside, Denison University has been chosen as the destination for the next four years of Swickard’s education. She plans to major in biology at Denison, then receive her master’s degree in science in order to become a physician’s assistant.
While Northridge will always be near and dear to Swickard’s heart, she considers it just as the foundation for the rest of her life. Denison holds many opportunities for Swickard, and she’s excited for what those opportunities have in store.
Jamie in Her Own Words
Dear Northridge,
First and foremost, I would like to thank everyone who helped make my high school career here so memorable and successful. I have been able to experience so many different things, which have helped shape me into the person I am today.
People say they have grown up with this school, but when I say it, I literally mean it. Ever since I was a baby, I have been coming to all of the sporting events and staying after school with my dad during those long conference nights. It is from these experiences that I believe I was able to make the most of my time here; people new to Northridge became friends, and friends truly became family to me throughout my years growing up around the school. I can 100% say that this Northridge community is like my family and will always hold a special place in my heart.
I would like to thank all of the teachers, administrators and coaches at Northridge for helping make me a better person. To the teachers, thank you for spending time with me after class to talk about topics that flew right over my head and for not getting too frustrated with me when I would make you explain the same thing five different times. Had you all not seen the potential in my ability to learn and understand I would not have been as successful in high school. Also, thank you for being my friends; thank you for listening to me talk about some problems in my life and for offering advice. Your wisdom outside of the classroom has helped me become a better person. To the administration, thank you for all of your behind the scene support and all of your tireless effort in making the school as great as it is. From picking amazing teachers to offering college classes, you are a big reason this school is as great as it is. Finally, thank you to all of my coaches. No matter what sport it was for, you all pushed me to be the best I could be. Thank you for not letting up on me when I was tired and for always expecting more out of me. By teaching me not to settle, I was able to become not only a better athlete, but person.
I would also like to thank my friends. Thanks for making me cry from laughing so hard every time we hang out and for making memories with me that will last a lifetime! Thanks for not only encouraging me to do embarrassing things, but for doing them with me; I’m glad our lives were able to be so embarrassing together.
While Caylee mentioned some of my favorite high school memories already, there are some other experiences that I will never forget. It was one of the first football games of my senior year and it was freezing with pouring down rain. We were playing Mt.Gilead and the score had been close the whole game; the game ended up going to overtime where we won by one touchdown. The whole student section flooded the field and after everything settled down the coach gave a great speech about community. It’s memories like this that made high school so much fun for me!
I would like to give one final thank you to everyone at Northridge; you all have impacted my life significantly and I cannot thank you enough for that. Once a Viking, always a Viking!!
Jamie Swickard
By: Caylee Lindsay
NORTHRIDGE- As the 2016 school year dwindles to an end, the senior class is brought closer to bidding farewell to high school with each passing day. Graduation certainly creates a pensive atmosphere for students and teachers as our seniors depart, but one thing is certain: there is a bright and optimistic future ahead.
Jamie Swickard (‘16) is one of Northridge’s many students that are graduating this year. Swickard has been very involved throughout her high school experience, and has made memories like no other. She encourages underclassmen to get involved as much as they can. According to Swickard, some of her best memories came from being involved at her school. Apart from holding the position as Web Editor-In-Chief and third-year Viking Vault staff member, she has participated in volleyball, basketball, Spanish Club, and the National Honor Society.
The high school aspect that Swickard will miss the most is being a part of a team, she says. “When you’re on a team, you get so close to everybody. I’m going to miss meeting new people and being with my friends all the time.”
Outside of Northridge, Swickard has actively participated in her church’s youth group. Through her church, she has gone on many mission trips. Swickard enjoys sewing, being a part of 4H, hanging out with her friends, showing market rabbits at the Hartford Fair, and taking long walks on the beach. She is an avid Netflix-watcher, and expert at spending her parents’ money.
High school will always be home to some of Swickard’s favorite memories. When asked what her favorite high school memory was, a smile grew upon Swickard’s face. “My favorite memory was when Savannah Legg (‘16) tried to do a backflip off the high dive at the Heath Pool to impress guys, and back-smacked.” Another favorite memory of Swickard’s took place in the Newark Catholic gymnasium. Swickard says, “We had a volleyball game at Newark Catholic and Dayna Martin (‘18) said that she wasn’t feeling the magic in the gym. Right after she said that, she slipped on water that was on the floor and face-planted. It was karma.” Apart from these comedic moments with her friends, another one of her favorite memories was during sophomore year, when her basketball team took the title of Sectional Champions.
Although Swickard has made amazing memories at Northridge, she is looking forward to the future. Swickard remarks, “I’m really excited to leave high school. I’m sad to leave my friends, but I’m really looking forward to something new to happen in my life.”
Swickard definitely has set some goals in place for the future. She plans to have a “smokin’ husband” and Megan Dalton (‘16) for a roommate. In 10 years, she sees herself in a big house with a newfoundland dog, working in a trauma center as a physician’s assistant.
All joking aside, Denison University has been chosen as the destination for the next four years of Swickard’s education. She plans to major in biology at Denison, then receive her master’s degree in science in order to become a physician’s assistant.
While Northridge will always be near and dear to Swickard’s heart, she considers it just as the foundation for the rest of her life. Denison holds many opportunities for Swickard, and she’s excited for what those opportunities have in store.
Jamie in Her Own Words
Dear Northridge,
First and foremost, I would like to thank everyone who helped make my high school career here so memorable and successful. I have been able to experience so many different things, which have helped shape me into the person I am today.
People say they have grown up with this school, but when I say it, I literally mean it. Ever since I was a baby, I have been coming to all of the sporting events and staying after school with my dad during those long conference nights. It is from these experiences that I believe I was able to make the most of my time here; people new to Northridge became friends, and friends truly became family to me throughout my years growing up around the school. I can 100% say that this Northridge community is like my family and will always hold a special place in my heart.
I would like to thank all of the teachers, administrators and coaches at Northridge for helping make me a better person. To the teachers, thank you for spending time with me after class to talk about topics that flew right over my head and for not getting too frustrated with me when I would make you explain the same thing five different times. Had you all not seen the potential in my ability to learn and understand I would not have been as successful in high school. Also, thank you for being my friends; thank you for listening to me talk about some problems in my life and for offering advice. Your wisdom outside of the classroom has helped me become a better person. To the administration, thank you for all of your behind the scene support and all of your tireless effort in making the school as great as it is. From picking amazing teachers to offering college classes, you are a big reason this school is as great as it is. Finally, thank you to all of my coaches. No matter what sport it was for, you all pushed me to be the best I could be. Thank you for not letting up on me when I was tired and for always expecting more out of me. By teaching me not to settle, I was able to become not only a better athlete, but person.
I would also like to thank my friends. Thanks for making me cry from laughing so hard every time we hang out and for making memories with me that will last a lifetime! Thanks for not only encouraging me to do embarrassing things, but for doing them with me; I’m glad our lives were able to be so embarrassing together.
While Caylee mentioned some of my favorite high school memories already, there are some other experiences that I will never forget. It was one of the first football games of my senior year and it was freezing with pouring down rain. We were playing Mt.Gilead and the score had been close the whole game; the game ended up going to overtime where we won by one touchdown. The whole student section flooded the field and after everything settled down the coach gave a great speech about community. It’s memories like this that made high school so much fun for me!
I would like to give one final thank you to everyone at Northridge; you all have impacted my life significantly and I cannot thank you enough for that. Once a Viking, always a Viking!!
Jamie Swickard
Spotlight: Carrisa Sweetman
By: Mrs. Garee
NORTHRIDGE - There are many expectations Carrisa Sweetman had about what high school would be like that make her smile now, on the eve of graduation – both because they turned out to be true for her and because they didn’t.
“I thought it would be most important to have a very large group of friends. I thought it was most important what other people thought of me,” she remembers. Four years later, she is comfortable with how it all went down. Her memories of marching, pep, and concert bands, FFA, 4H, and National Honor Society create a montage of memories that make her both upset about leaving NHS and excited about starting a new chapter in her life.
Sweetman, the daughter of William and Toni Sweetman, hales from the Alexandria area. She is proud to have always had slightly different, even old-fashioned, hopes and dreams for her life. “I actually never wanted to go to college,” she admits, “but I wanted to get married and have kids and make a home.”
Nevertheless, Sweetman is headed to Mount Vernon Nazarene University in the fall, probably to study Communications, but she isn’t sure yet. Going to college now, she explains, will allow her to keep her options open for her entire life, though her primary goals have not changed. “At my ten year reunion, I hope I’m married and have at least one child,” she said. She hopes to work as a secretary in a business environment.
As a student, Sweetman reflects that she has often been “that student most likely to sit in the back and suffer until someone comes and helps me.” She says, if she can’t figure it out on her own, she’s “toast.” This approach to learning, she says with a smile, has made her more confident in using resources and working out problems on her own.
Within the walls of NHS, she says her best times have been in Mrs. Garee’s room. “I feel like I can trust her and talk to her,” Sweetman says, and she notes she particularly enjoyed Creative Writing. Outside of school, Sweetman’s favorite high school memories involve spending time with her Uncle Jeff at the Dairy Expo at the Ohio State Fairgrounds. “We washed cows, fed and watered them, slept in the barn with them, took cold showers,” she recalls with a smile. “But it was the time and the talking that I really loved.”
In the end, Sweetman says she has learned the importance of friendship. Specifically, she says, “it’s important to have friends, but it’s even more important to have one really true friend, the person you tell everything without having to worry it will be spread everywhere.”
Also, her advice to underclassmen seems simple but is not often followed: “Make sure the things you’re doing in school are actually things you love. Don’t do things just because your friends are.”
Carrisa in Her Own Words
Planning my whole future has been stressful. I wouldn't be where I am now if it wasn’t for my family, friends and Northridge High School. While being at Northridge I have made many friends, and I will miss all of you. I hope that we can continue our friendship as we venture to the next step of our lives.
Often people say that “high school rushes by” or “I can’t wait until it is over.” I can even admit that I am guilty of saying it, but I will miss high school. Getting the chance to talk to friends in the hallway, and play clarinet in the morning in concert band. I will miss sitting in Profe’s room and learning Spanish and working in the FFA shop.
Band… I will miss all of the musical groups I got to be apart of. Music has been a huge part of my high school career and I will miss my band family. You will go on to do great things and I am so glad I got the chance to be apart of it. PS: sorry if any of you thought that I was mean. I was just very serious and wanted to be the best we could be.
FFA... has also been a huge part of my development as a person. Being an officer gave me the chance to be a leader and I really appreciate getting to lead Northridge’s chapter. I had a lot of fun and I will hold onto the great memories I made in the FFA.
I am excited to attend Mount Vernon Nazarene University and complete the next step of my life. Good Luck future seniors and fellow graduates!
Carrisa Sweetman
By: Mrs. Garee
NORTHRIDGE - There are many expectations Carrisa Sweetman had about what high school would be like that make her smile now, on the eve of graduation – both because they turned out to be true for her and because they didn’t.
“I thought it would be most important to have a very large group of friends. I thought it was most important what other people thought of me,” she remembers. Four years later, she is comfortable with how it all went down. Her memories of marching, pep, and concert bands, FFA, 4H, and National Honor Society create a montage of memories that make her both upset about leaving NHS and excited about starting a new chapter in her life.
Sweetman, the daughter of William and Toni Sweetman, hales from the Alexandria area. She is proud to have always had slightly different, even old-fashioned, hopes and dreams for her life. “I actually never wanted to go to college,” she admits, “but I wanted to get married and have kids and make a home.”
Nevertheless, Sweetman is headed to Mount Vernon Nazarene University in the fall, probably to study Communications, but she isn’t sure yet. Going to college now, she explains, will allow her to keep her options open for her entire life, though her primary goals have not changed. “At my ten year reunion, I hope I’m married and have at least one child,” she said. She hopes to work as a secretary in a business environment.
As a student, Sweetman reflects that she has often been “that student most likely to sit in the back and suffer until someone comes and helps me.” She says, if she can’t figure it out on her own, she’s “toast.” This approach to learning, she says with a smile, has made her more confident in using resources and working out problems on her own.
Within the walls of NHS, she says her best times have been in Mrs. Garee’s room. “I feel like I can trust her and talk to her,” Sweetman says, and she notes she particularly enjoyed Creative Writing. Outside of school, Sweetman’s favorite high school memories involve spending time with her Uncle Jeff at the Dairy Expo at the Ohio State Fairgrounds. “We washed cows, fed and watered them, slept in the barn with them, took cold showers,” she recalls with a smile. “But it was the time and the talking that I really loved.”
In the end, Sweetman says she has learned the importance of friendship. Specifically, she says, “it’s important to have friends, but it’s even more important to have one really true friend, the person you tell everything without having to worry it will be spread everywhere.”
Also, her advice to underclassmen seems simple but is not often followed: “Make sure the things you’re doing in school are actually things you love. Don’t do things just because your friends are.”
Carrisa in Her Own Words
Planning my whole future has been stressful. I wouldn't be where I am now if it wasn’t for my family, friends and Northridge High School. While being at Northridge I have made many friends, and I will miss all of you. I hope that we can continue our friendship as we venture to the next step of our lives.
Often people say that “high school rushes by” or “I can’t wait until it is over.” I can even admit that I am guilty of saying it, but I will miss high school. Getting the chance to talk to friends in the hallway, and play clarinet in the morning in concert band. I will miss sitting in Profe’s room and learning Spanish and working in the FFA shop.
Band… I will miss all of the musical groups I got to be apart of. Music has been a huge part of my high school career and I will miss my band family. You will go on to do great things and I am so glad I got the chance to be apart of it. PS: sorry if any of you thought that I was mean. I was just very serious and wanted to be the best we could be.
FFA... has also been a huge part of my development as a person. Being an officer gave me the chance to be a leader and I really appreciate getting to lead Northridge’s chapter. I had a lot of fun and I will hold onto the great memories I made in the FFA.
I am excited to attend Mount Vernon Nazarene University and complete the next step of my life. Good Luck future seniors and fellow graduates!
Carrisa Sweetman
Spotlight: Kyle Stermer
By: Olivia Carpenter
NORTHRIDGE - Being a senior takes a certain amount of responsibility, and you adapt an attitude that is on a much higher level than when you first began high school. At Northridge High School, among the senior class this year, is a guy you may know.
Kyle Stermer (16’), a senior and companion to his two friends Daniel Neff (16’) and Hugh Prentice (16’) enjoyed this year, and for the most part, high school in general. Kyle has gone to Northridge his entire life and said the saddest thing about leaving is how he could “Live life without much responsibility, but after you turn 18 you have to grow up.” He has played soccer at Northridge before and used to participate in ski club. Unfortunately, this year, due to low amounts of snow, Ski Club was not as active.
When asked what his favorite class in school was, he said it would definitely have to be Newspaper. Also, when asked what he enjoyed most about these last four years, he responded: “Our vacation to Myrtle beach.” Stermer, Neff, and Prentice went together to Myrtle Beach over last summer. Kyle also told us that, “It was like living on our own for a week. We went and rented mopeds and I almost got hit by a bus.”
One of Kyle’s biggest accomplishments, or proudest moments, he said, would have to be when he did a backflip with a snowboard.
When asked about his worst memory from his four years in high school, he thought for a long time, almost claiming that there was nothing quite that bad, until Hugh reminded him about a day almost everything went wrong. Kyle explained: “Backing out of my driveway, I turned and scraped my car against another car. Then, when I got out of my car to check the damage, I guess my phone was on my lap or something, because it fell into the door as I was closing it. I broke my car and my phone at the same time.”
One thing Kyle said he would definitely miss the most about highschool would have to be his two best friends. Or “these two idiots,” as he phrased it. And, when asked about something he’d change if he could, he said “My freshman year.. I should have tried harder. I didn’t take it seriously and I should have tried to get better grades.”
After high school, Kyle doesn’t have a cemented plan, but he intends on going into the military and eventually going to a good college. When asked what he wanted to do, he responded with: “I’m not sure.”
One thing Kyle suggests incoming freshman and other high school students should keep in mind as they journey through their high school career is : “Get good grades, but don’t stress, and try to have fun. I guess it’s kind of hard not to stress.” And one last thing Kyle would like to do before he graduates this year would have to be… winning senior tag.
Kyle in His Own Words
As we quickly approach graduation, the Senioritis is setting in, along with the shock and awe of soon not being in high school anymore.
Looking through the years is a weird thing to do. When I think about the years of elementary school, I immediately think of the days of easy sailing. Naptime, otherwise known as “silent reading,” recess, and fun gym classes were some of my favorite memories of those days.
Fourth grade comes around, and all is well. I remember when the superintendent of Northridge came in to announce that Homer, Hartford, and Alexandria were joining into what is now known as the modular buildings. That next year, fifth grade, was filled with the memories of learning the infamous “pride song”, and of course meeting new friends, including the best friends I have still today.
Middle school, the most awkward years of all of our lives. Filled with memories we don't want to forget, but pictures we don't want to remember. One of my favorite memories from the middle school years was the seventh grade trip. Heading out to Cincinnati and staying in a hotel room, having a dance, and going to King’s Island was by far the best field trip. That could have been topped with the DC trip, but of course our class didn't get too go.
High school came around, and if I could say one thing about it, it's that the time flew by. Freshman year feels like it was just a couple months ago, but in reality it has been four entire years. The reality of this still hasn't set in, and I'm hoping that time slows itself down soon. The good thing is that high school was the highlight of the school grades. There were so many good things happening in such a short time, like getting your license, responsibility, and many other things. But there are also some rough and stressful things, like keeping your grades up, and figuring out what to do after graduation.
Here we are now: Senior year, looking back into the past. Graduation in less than a month, and then we all depart and move our separate ways. It's weird thinking that the people you spent 18 years growing up and seeing everyday are all going to be gone and out of your lives within a day. Life is interesting, I guess.
Hugh Prentice
By: Olivia Carpenter
NORTHRIDGE - Being a senior takes a certain amount of responsibility, and you adapt an attitude that is on a much higher level than when you first began high school. At Northridge High School, among the senior class this year, is a guy you may know.
Kyle Stermer (16’), a senior and companion to his two friends Daniel Neff (16’) and Hugh Prentice (16’) enjoyed this year, and for the most part, high school in general. Kyle has gone to Northridge his entire life and said the saddest thing about leaving is how he could “Live life without much responsibility, but after you turn 18 you have to grow up.” He has played soccer at Northridge before and used to participate in ski club. Unfortunately, this year, due to low amounts of snow, Ski Club was not as active.
When asked what his favorite class in school was, he said it would definitely have to be Newspaper. Also, when asked what he enjoyed most about these last four years, he responded: “Our vacation to Myrtle beach.” Stermer, Neff, and Prentice went together to Myrtle Beach over last summer. Kyle also told us that, “It was like living on our own for a week. We went and rented mopeds and I almost got hit by a bus.”
One of Kyle’s biggest accomplishments, or proudest moments, he said, would have to be when he did a backflip with a snowboard.
When asked about his worst memory from his four years in high school, he thought for a long time, almost claiming that there was nothing quite that bad, until Hugh reminded him about a day almost everything went wrong. Kyle explained: “Backing out of my driveway, I turned and scraped my car against another car. Then, when I got out of my car to check the damage, I guess my phone was on my lap or something, because it fell into the door as I was closing it. I broke my car and my phone at the same time.”
One thing Kyle said he would definitely miss the most about highschool would have to be his two best friends. Or “these two idiots,” as he phrased it. And, when asked about something he’d change if he could, he said “My freshman year.. I should have tried harder. I didn’t take it seriously and I should have tried to get better grades.”
After high school, Kyle doesn’t have a cemented plan, but he intends on going into the military and eventually going to a good college. When asked what he wanted to do, he responded with: “I’m not sure.”
One thing Kyle suggests incoming freshman and other high school students should keep in mind as they journey through their high school career is : “Get good grades, but don’t stress, and try to have fun. I guess it’s kind of hard not to stress.” And one last thing Kyle would like to do before he graduates this year would have to be… winning senior tag.
Kyle in His Own Words
As we quickly approach graduation, the Senioritis is setting in, along with the shock and awe of soon not being in high school anymore.
Looking through the years is a weird thing to do. When I think about the years of elementary school, I immediately think of the days of easy sailing. Naptime, otherwise known as “silent reading,” recess, and fun gym classes were some of my favorite memories of those days.
Fourth grade comes around, and all is well. I remember when the superintendent of Northridge came in to announce that Homer, Hartford, and Alexandria were joining into what is now known as the modular buildings. That next year, fifth grade, was filled with the memories of learning the infamous “pride song”, and of course meeting new friends, including the best friends I have still today.
Middle school, the most awkward years of all of our lives. Filled with memories we don't want to forget, but pictures we don't want to remember. One of my favorite memories from the middle school years was the seventh grade trip. Heading out to Cincinnati and staying in a hotel room, having a dance, and going to King’s Island was by far the best field trip. That could have been topped with the DC trip, but of course our class didn't get too go.
High school came around, and if I could say one thing about it, it's that the time flew by. Freshman year feels like it was just a couple months ago, but in reality it has been four entire years. The reality of this still hasn't set in, and I'm hoping that time slows itself down soon. The good thing is that high school was the highlight of the school grades. There were so many good things happening in such a short time, like getting your license, responsibility, and many other things. But there are also some rough and stressful things, like keeping your grades up, and figuring out what to do after graduation.
Here we are now: Senior year, looking back into the past. Graduation in less than a month, and then we all depart and move our separate ways. It's weird thinking that the people you spent 18 years growing up and seeing everyday are all going to be gone and out of your lives within a day. Life is interesting, I guess.
Hugh Prentice
Spotlight: Aili Barbee
By: Kayla Butler
Many of you may think you know Aili, but what she wants everyone to know before she leaves is that she is trying to make a difference. She wants to be able to help others and make the world better.
Aili’s favorite high school memory is participating in HOBY, (Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership), because she learned a lot about team building and relationships. During her high school career, she also participated in musicals, worked on the school newspaper, was a school board representative, and she is the Leadership Development Director for the Youth Leadership of Licking County.
When it comes to high school, there is lots to love and lots to hate, according to Barbee. Her least favorite thing about high school is the competitiveness for success.
“Everyone around you may seem successful, but you can be, too,” she points out.
Her favorite things about high school are learning new things, the experiences, and the people you get to have those experiences with. Aili says high school “helps you become the person that you are.” Her favorite teacher is Mr. Bennett, because he taught her and made her realize her potential to change the world. He inspired her.
Her advice to underclassmen is to challenge yourself, but know your limits. “You can’t do everything,” she says. “If you stress yourself out too much, it won’t be fun.”
Some of that stress can come from taking classes that are just too much for you to handle. Aili says a regret she has is taking some AP classes that were too overwhelming and ended up taking her focus away from her other classes.
Aili looks forward to going to college, but there’s a few things she will miss here at Northridge. “The school is quite small and everyone knows each other. It will be an adjustment to get used to the big campus and new people at OSU,” she says.
Also, she will miss her friends but plans to stay in contact with them. “I’ve grown up with everyone in my grade and it will be a hard change,” she notes.
Currently, she plans to go to The Ohio State University to major in nursing and work in the the Health Sciences Scholar Program. She received a full-tuition scholarship to OSU.
Aili in Her Own Words:
Dear Northridge,
Thank you for teaching me who I am and that it is okay to be me. A lot of people judge Northridge for being a “hick-school,” but really Northridge is just a school where people are not afraid to be who they are. Students come to school in whatever they are comfortable in: whether that be cowboy boots and muddy jeans, or Sperrys and dresses. Kids from Northridge are not afraid to be smart or athletic, silly or serious, and introverted or extroverted. Most kids here actually have a lot of those qualities all mixed together. Of course Northridge is not perfect, but we are at least not afraid to be who we are. Northridge allowed me to see not only who I already was, but who I hoped to become. Programs here helped me learn that my passion falls within volunteering, that it is okay to not always belong to a “friend-group,” and that it is okay to be nerdy. Pretty much I just learned that it is okay to let the real me out since everyone else already was.
The academic competition in the Class of 2016 made me strive to achieve. It did become quite stressful at times, and at some moments I just wanted to give up, but I do not think I would have tried as hard if it were not for the intelligence and drive of my peers. Seeing others get great grades and understand hard concepts made me want to do so as well. It took almost four years for me to realize that I could still be academically competitive without comparing myself to others. And, underclassmen, please do not ever compare your weaknesses to other’s strengths and vice versa. Each of you are different, and that is perfectly okay. Please don’t ever forget that.
One piece of advice I would leave to Northridge students is to learn to lean on those around you. The teachers and staff are here for you. Learn from each of them, especially those you click best with. They know what high school is like, and they want to help you. I honestly do not know how I would have survived these four years without those teachers who quickly became my life-mentors. Don’t forget them when you leave because they will miss you too. Also, please don’t exclude anyone from anything. If you see someone alone, or if you are making plans next to someone, invite them along. You might save someone from being perpetually lonely, and you might just make a new best friend.
Finally, don’t forget that the world is much bigger than this small town. A lot of students get caught up with high school, but there is so much more beyond. If you choose to stay here that is fine, but there are a lot of opportunities on the outside as well. Don’t miss out on them just because you are afraid to leave home.
Love,
Aili Barbee
Spotlight: Daniel Neff
By: Emma Scritchfield
NORTHRIDGE - It’s here. The moment we dream of from day we set foot in high school: Graduation. The milestone is decorated with caps and gowns, parties, diplomas, and tearful farewells. But for The Viking Vault, it means saying goodbye to some of the most influential and important members of our staff.
Daniel Neff is the Entertainment Editor for The Viking Vault and, now, a 2016 graduate.
He is graduating from Northridge High School and plans to continue his studies at The Ohio State University’s Newark campus. Confidently sharing his after-high school plan, Neff states, “After my first year, I want to transfer to the main campus, or The University of Cincinnati. My goal is to study computer science.”
Neff has enjoyed school sports greatly in his time spent at Northridge, involving himself with Ski and Board Club all four years of high school, and playing soccer his freshman and sophomore year. “The moment that sticks out as an embarrassing one took place during my freshman soccer season. We had this cheer where we would all put our hands in the center and a single individual would yell out, ‘One, two, three Vikes!’ And I got to lead the cheer. But on ‘three,’ my voice cracked really loudly in front of everyone and the whole team laughed at me” recalls Neff.
The graduate thoroughly enjoys writing for The Viking Vault and spending time with his best friends and fellow Vault staff members, Hugh Prentice and Kyle Sterner. “Some of my favorite memories from high school have taken place right here [newspaper room] with Hugh and Kyle. I love goofing off with them during our publication parties and in class,” says Neff with a smile.
But what has helped this flourishing student through the past four years?
“Wikipedia,” exclaims Neff with a laugh.
He also adds that Prentice, Stermer, and his mother have kept him going, along with loyal friends who have let him copy their homework throughout the years.
However, leaving high school and moving on to the next chapter of his life leaves Neff with a lot to think about and mull over. “I regret not being more involved with the place I just spent the last four years of my life in. I’ll really miss the feeling that I have of fitting in here with my own group of friends,” Neff thoughtfully expresses.
As he completes his last several weeks of his senior year, Neff keeps the future in mind. “My ultimate goals in life are pretty simple. I want to have a good, well-paying career, a nice family of my own, and I want to do something worth remembering. You know, have an impact on the world in some way.”
As he departs from this portion of his life and embarks onto the next, Neff wants to leave a message behind for the generations that follow him. “The major keys to doing well in high school are to be yourself and to always bring snacks to school.”
Daniel in His Own Words
NORTHRIDGE: Two years ago my brother graduated high school. It was pretty crazy to me that my older brother, who I’d spent countless hours with playing video games or staying outside playing until the last sliver of light fell below the horizon, was done with grade school. I remember putting on his cap and looking at myself in the mirror, thinking “this will be me, two years from now.” At the time it seemed like so far away, but it went by so fast and it’s pretty surreal that now I graduate in less than a month.
I don’t remember much from elementary school, except that it was a much simpler time. Wake up, go to school, go home, entertain myself for a few hours, eat dinner, entertain myself some more, go to sleep. Almost no responsibilities, and school wasn’t insanely stressful. Next was middle school, but I’m just going to skip over it just because those years were way too awkward.
They say high school goes by so fast, and no matter how cliche it is, it really does. Day by day it seems so slow, but looking back now that I’m in my last few weeks of high school, it seems like no time at all. One of my favorite shows, How I Met Your Mother, introduced me to the idea of graduation goggles. Right before graduation, all the things you hated all the work you had to do suddenly doesn’t seem so bad, because you know you're never going to experience it again. I don’t have graduation goggles yet, but I can see them coming sometime soon.
I still don’t think I’ve fully wrapped my mind around that fact that in about 4 months, I’ll be a college student. College has always seemed so far away, but now it's right in front of me. High school has been a ton of fun. I’ve made so many great memories with people I’ll never forget, spent more time procrastinating than I’ve spent working, met teachers I’ll never forget, and also learned a bunch of lessons I’ll take with me through life. However I think most importantly, throughout these past four years I’ve truly found myself. I’ve developed my style, personality, and flair, to reflect who I really am. But it’s time to move on to bigger and better things.
I really can’t wait for college. From friends who graduated last year I’ve heard how much better college is than high school, and that's not hard to believe. College brings much more freedom, but also much more responsibility. That’s just a part of becoming an adult though. I’m not quite there yet, though. As of right now, all I’m planning on is relaxing through the end of the year, taking my diploma with pride, and having the best summer of my life.
Daniel Neff
By: Emma Scritchfield
NORTHRIDGE - It’s here. The moment we dream of from day we set foot in high school: Graduation. The milestone is decorated with caps and gowns, parties, diplomas, and tearful farewells. But for The Viking Vault, it means saying goodbye to some of the most influential and important members of our staff.
Daniel Neff is the Entertainment Editor for The Viking Vault and, now, a 2016 graduate.
He is graduating from Northridge High School and plans to continue his studies at The Ohio State University’s Newark campus. Confidently sharing his after-high school plan, Neff states, “After my first year, I want to transfer to the main campus, or The University of Cincinnati. My goal is to study computer science.”
Neff has enjoyed school sports greatly in his time spent at Northridge, involving himself with Ski and Board Club all four years of high school, and playing soccer his freshman and sophomore year. “The moment that sticks out as an embarrassing one took place during my freshman soccer season. We had this cheer where we would all put our hands in the center and a single individual would yell out, ‘One, two, three Vikes!’ And I got to lead the cheer. But on ‘three,’ my voice cracked really loudly in front of everyone and the whole team laughed at me” recalls Neff.
The graduate thoroughly enjoys writing for The Viking Vault and spending time with his best friends and fellow Vault staff members, Hugh Prentice and Kyle Sterner. “Some of my favorite memories from high school have taken place right here [newspaper room] with Hugh and Kyle. I love goofing off with them during our publication parties and in class,” says Neff with a smile.
But what has helped this flourishing student through the past four years?
“Wikipedia,” exclaims Neff with a laugh.
He also adds that Prentice, Stermer, and his mother have kept him going, along with loyal friends who have let him copy their homework throughout the years.
However, leaving high school and moving on to the next chapter of his life leaves Neff with a lot to think about and mull over. “I regret not being more involved with the place I just spent the last four years of my life in. I’ll really miss the feeling that I have of fitting in here with my own group of friends,” Neff thoughtfully expresses.
As he completes his last several weeks of his senior year, Neff keeps the future in mind. “My ultimate goals in life are pretty simple. I want to have a good, well-paying career, a nice family of my own, and I want to do something worth remembering. You know, have an impact on the world in some way.”
As he departs from this portion of his life and embarks onto the next, Neff wants to leave a message behind for the generations that follow him. “The major keys to doing well in high school are to be yourself and to always bring snacks to school.”
Daniel in His Own Words
NORTHRIDGE: Two years ago my brother graduated high school. It was pretty crazy to me that my older brother, who I’d spent countless hours with playing video games or staying outside playing until the last sliver of light fell below the horizon, was done with grade school. I remember putting on his cap and looking at myself in the mirror, thinking “this will be me, two years from now.” At the time it seemed like so far away, but it went by so fast and it’s pretty surreal that now I graduate in less than a month.
I don’t remember much from elementary school, except that it was a much simpler time. Wake up, go to school, go home, entertain myself for a few hours, eat dinner, entertain myself some more, go to sleep. Almost no responsibilities, and school wasn’t insanely stressful. Next was middle school, but I’m just going to skip over it just because those years were way too awkward.
They say high school goes by so fast, and no matter how cliche it is, it really does. Day by day it seems so slow, but looking back now that I’m in my last few weeks of high school, it seems like no time at all. One of my favorite shows, How I Met Your Mother, introduced me to the idea of graduation goggles. Right before graduation, all the things you hated all the work you had to do suddenly doesn’t seem so bad, because you know you're never going to experience it again. I don’t have graduation goggles yet, but I can see them coming sometime soon.
I still don’t think I’ve fully wrapped my mind around that fact that in about 4 months, I’ll be a college student. College has always seemed so far away, but now it's right in front of me. High school has been a ton of fun. I’ve made so many great memories with people I’ll never forget, spent more time procrastinating than I’ve spent working, met teachers I’ll never forget, and also learned a bunch of lessons I’ll take with me through life. However I think most importantly, throughout these past four years I’ve truly found myself. I’ve developed my style, personality, and flair, to reflect who I really am. But it’s time to move on to bigger and better things.
I really can’t wait for college. From friends who graduated last year I’ve heard how much better college is than high school, and that's not hard to believe. College brings much more freedom, but also much more responsibility. That’s just a part of becoming an adult though. I’m not quite there yet, though. As of right now, all I’m planning on is relaxing through the end of the year, taking my diploma with pride, and having the best summer of my life.
Daniel Neff
Spotlight: Savannah Legg
By: Kaycee Campbell
NORTHRIDGE - “Wait, don’t put that in the paper …!” That’s what Savannah Legg spends almost half of an interview saying. When the Class of 2016 leaves, along with it will go the newspaper staff writer and photos editor known as “V” or “Vannah.”
She will be attending The University of Cincinnati to major in Biomedical Engineering. Her interest in this major/ career field was sparked from her love of science. “I think it will be really awesome because I’ve always loved science class and one time Mr. Smith showed a video of a heart being 3D printed and I thought ‘holy-guacamole, this is really cool.’” Along with her interest in the biomedical engineering, she’ll also be left with many options post-graduation of different careers within the field.
Anyone who knows Legg knows she’s very funny, athletic and has a love for the Star Wars series. “I really like to watch Star Wars, like in my free time. I love it,” she says of her favorite hobby. She also enjoys going to an elite board game night in Pataskala on Wednesdays.
“I am who I am, and I just want to have fun. Like if you’re an 18 year old girl and you like Star Wars and superheros, then wear it proud,” Legg says of how people shouldn’t be ashamed of their favorite things.
One thing she’s spent a lot of her time in high school doing is playing sports. She played basketball freshman year and has lettered in volleyball and softball all four years. When it comes to sports she thinks she’ll miss, “working out and being active because I eat a lot of bad food. Plus, it’s a great way to make friends.”
When it comes to “leaving a legacy behind” in high school, Legg highly disagrees and feels that you're preparing yourself in high school for the legacy you’ll behind in the future. Her best advice to the upcoming freshman would be to, “make people laugh because it’ll get people to like you and they’ll excuse your mistakes.” One thing Legg has always been good at is making people laugh with her funny stories and witty sense of humor. When it comes to advice for the upcoming seniors she says to relax senior year. “I was always obsessed with getting good grades but my senior year I tried to just take a little break. I wanted to focus on my senior year because it’s basically the last year I’m going to have with the people I’ve known all my life,” Legg adds to her advice to the upcoming seniors.
When it comes to high school, she feels that the part she’ll miss most is her parents being there to bail her out… oh, and the school’s mac n’ cheese. V’s favorite part of NHS has to be the fact that, “you know everyone and everyone knows you. So if you’re having a bad day the teachers give you a free day, plus you’ve had the same friends since you were five years old.”
So even though she’ll miss hanging out with her life-long friends, being taken care of by her parents, going to school with her little sister, and dedicating a lot of time being apart of a sports team, Legg is ready to start the next chapter of her life and put a close on this one.
Savannah in Her Own Words
Dear Northridge,
Thank you for all of the memories. Thank you for teaching me how to live on my own and how to spend more than 20 mins away from my parents’ side. Thank you for teaching me how to come out of my shell and transform me from being a shy little girl that keeps her head down, to going out of my way to talk to people that I have never met. Thank you for making me a better student and person. You have changed me from being the girl who thought school was for “chumps” to running to every class on the first day of school to ensure that I got a seat in the front row.
From my first day of school when I was a 6 year old to now that I am 18 years old, this school has meant a lot to me. Throughout my years here I have learned a lot of things. I have learned how to work hard and be a better person. Walking through the doors on the first day of kindergarten, I remember being scared to leave my mom's side. I was afraid that I wouldn’t make any friends and that it wouldn’t have any fun. And now, here I am 13 years later, and I am again scared. But I am scared because I am afraid to leave the people and memories from Northridge behind. But I am also excited for the future and what it holds for me. I’m excited to go out into the world and become the person who I was meant to become. Looking back through the years, I can honestly say that I have no regrets because all of the choices that I have made have benefited me in some way.
Thank you Northridge for seeing me grow up and becoming the person that I am today. Thank you Northridge for providing me with teachers who helped me in getting this far and helping me in all of the ways that they did. You have introduced me to 13 years of friendships, and laughs, and memories, and people that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.
As for advice …
The one thing that I did right in highschool was choosing my friends. Upon first entering Northridge I knew nothing. And I mean absolutely nothing. In middle school I was under the impression that school in general was a joke and the only inspiration that I had for getting up in the morning was the occasional good school lunch and to have fun with my friends between and sometimes even during classes. The thing about high school is that … things change. I went from being the bratty little middle schooler who sat in the back of the class and made jokes to the kid that rushes into all of the classes on the first day of school to ensure that I got
that front row seat. So what made me change?
The people that I have to thank for my success in school is my friends. My new friends in high school were all top-of-the-class individuals who traded study halls on their schedule for AP classes. And suddenly doing poorly for school and bragging about having four study halls in one day was something to be ashamed of. About four days into high school I remember going down to the office and requesting to be put in harder classes even if I wasn't ready for them. My academic freshman year basically consisted of me trying to keep my head above water and trying my best in all of my classes. I was so far behind everyone else because I had never really studied for tests, or took notes in class, so developing the skills to do all of that as it was happening was a lot of work. But the thing was I enjoyed it. I enjoyed learning about new things and getting better grades. I enjoyed my teachers not rolling their eyes at me when I walked into class
and actually developing relationships with them. And through that my teachers have helped me decide what I want to be when i grow up, how to score better on tests, and just give me good life advice. What I am trying to say isn’t exactly “freshman advice” - it’s more of advice to anyone who settles for performing at the level that they are now. What I am saying is surround yourself with people that are better than you so that you have to strive to reach their level, and challenge yourself to take harder classes in life to better yourself. Because let me tell you something: it may be more work, but after four years when you are filling about college scholarships and applying to colleges, you will be glad that you did.
Savannah Legg
By: Kaycee Campbell
NORTHRIDGE - “Wait, don’t put that in the paper …!” That’s what Savannah Legg spends almost half of an interview saying. When the Class of 2016 leaves, along with it will go the newspaper staff writer and photos editor known as “V” or “Vannah.”
She will be attending The University of Cincinnati to major in Biomedical Engineering. Her interest in this major/ career field was sparked from her love of science. “I think it will be really awesome because I’ve always loved science class and one time Mr. Smith showed a video of a heart being 3D printed and I thought ‘holy-guacamole, this is really cool.’” Along with her interest in the biomedical engineering, she’ll also be left with many options post-graduation of different careers within the field.
Anyone who knows Legg knows she’s very funny, athletic and has a love for the Star Wars series. “I really like to watch Star Wars, like in my free time. I love it,” she says of her favorite hobby. She also enjoys going to an elite board game night in Pataskala on Wednesdays.
“I am who I am, and I just want to have fun. Like if you’re an 18 year old girl and you like Star Wars and superheros, then wear it proud,” Legg says of how people shouldn’t be ashamed of their favorite things.
One thing she’s spent a lot of her time in high school doing is playing sports. She played basketball freshman year and has lettered in volleyball and softball all four years. When it comes to sports she thinks she’ll miss, “working out and being active because I eat a lot of bad food. Plus, it’s a great way to make friends.”
When it comes to “leaving a legacy behind” in high school, Legg highly disagrees and feels that you're preparing yourself in high school for the legacy you’ll behind in the future. Her best advice to the upcoming freshman would be to, “make people laugh because it’ll get people to like you and they’ll excuse your mistakes.” One thing Legg has always been good at is making people laugh with her funny stories and witty sense of humor. When it comes to advice for the upcoming seniors she says to relax senior year. “I was always obsessed with getting good grades but my senior year I tried to just take a little break. I wanted to focus on my senior year because it’s basically the last year I’m going to have with the people I’ve known all my life,” Legg adds to her advice to the upcoming seniors.
When it comes to high school, she feels that the part she’ll miss most is her parents being there to bail her out… oh, and the school’s mac n’ cheese. V’s favorite part of NHS has to be the fact that, “you know everyone and everyone knows you. So if you’re having a bad day the teachers give you a free day, plus you’ve had the same friends since you were five years old.”
So even though she’ll miss hanging out with her life-long friends, being taken care of by her parents, going to school with her little sister, and dedicating a lot of time being apart of a sports team, Legg is ready to start the next chapter of her life and put a close on this one.
Savannah in Her Own Words
Dear Northridge,
Thank you for all of the memories. Thank you for teaching me how to live on my own and how to spend more than 20 mins away from my parents’ side. Thank you for teaching me how to come out of my shell and transform me from being a shy little girl that keeps her head down, to going out of my way to talk to people that I have never met. Thank you for making me a better student and person. You have changed me from being the girl who thought school was for “chumps” to running to every class on the first day of school to ensure that I got a seat in the front row.
From my first day of school when I was a 6 year old to now that I am 18 years old, this school has meant a lot to me. Throughout my years here I have learned a lot of things. I have learned how to work hard and be a better person. Walking through the doors on the first day of kindergarten, I remember being scared to leave my mom's side. I was afraid that I wouldn’t make any friends and that it wouldn’t have any fun. And now, here I am 13 years later, and I am again scared. But I am scared because I am afraid to leave the people and memories from Northridge behind. But I am also excited for the future and what it holds for me. I’m excited to go out into the world and become the person who I was meant to become. Looking back through the years, I can honestly say that I have no regrets because all of the choices that I have made have benefited me in some way.
Thank you Northridge for seeing me grow up and becoming the person that I am today. Thank you Northridge for providing me with teachers who helped me in getting this far and helping me in all of the ways that they did. You have introduced me to 13 years of friendships, and laughs, and memories, and people that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.
As for advice …
The one thing that I did right in highschool was choosing my friends. Upon first entering Northridge I knew nothing. And I mean absolutely nothing. In middle school I was under the impression that school in general was a joke and the only inspiration that I had for getting up in the morning was the occasional good school lunch and to have fun with my friends between and sometimes even during classes. The thing about high school is that … things change. I went from being the bratty little middle schooler who sat in the back of the class and made jokes to the kid that rushes into all of the classes on the first day of school to ensure that I got
that front row seat. So what made me change?
The people that I have to thank for my success in school is my friends. My new friends in high school were all top-of-the-class individuals who traded study halls on their schedule for AP classes. And suddenly doing poorly for school and bragging about having four study halls in one day was something to be ashamed of. About four days into high school I remember going down to the office and requesting to be put in harder classes even if I wasn't ready for them. My academic freshman year basically consisted of me trying to keep my head above water and trying my best in all of my classes. I was so far behind everyone else because I had never really studied for tests, or took notes in class, so developing the skills to do all of that as it was happening was a lot of work. But the thing was I enjoyed it. I enjoyed learning about new things and getting better grades. I enjoyed my teachers not rolling their eyes at me when I walked into class
and actually developing relationships with them. And through that my teachers have helped me decide what I want to be when i grow up, how to score better on tests, and just give me good life advice. What I am trying to say isn’t exactly “freshman advice” - it’s more of advice to anyone who settles for performing at the level that they are now. What I am saying is surround yourself with people that are better than you so that you have to strive to reach their level, and challenge yourself to take harder classes in life to better yourself. Because let me tell you something: it may be more work, but after four years when you are filling about college scholarships and applying to colleges, you will be glad that you did.
Savannah Legg
Spotlight: Megan Dalton
By: Katelyn Darby
NORTHRIDGE- High school is the just the beginning for senior Megan Dalton (‘16). Although she has a bright future ahead of her, she says she will miss the memories she will be leaving behind.
Dalton will be part of the 2016 graduating class this spring. Besides holding the Sports Editor position on The Viking Vault staff, through the years she has been involved in volleyball, track, softball and National Honors Society. Aside from school, she has donated her time to feeding the homeless and going on mission trips to Costa Rica, some of the most gratifying experiences she has been involved in. Dalton says that being involved in so many activities has helped her to make her time in high school more memorable.
Dalton has surely had a great high school experience. She says the thing she will miss the most when she goes to college will be her friends being so close all the time. Some of her best memories involve her friends, including a time when she planned to go to Max and Erma's with friends Savannah Legg (‘16) and Zach Smith (‘16), but Legg took a wrong turn and they ended up at the airport instead. Many more memories like this will always be remembered from her time at Northridge and will forever hold a place in her heart.
Dalton’s friends will also miss her when they go their separate ways next fall. Jamie Swickard (‘16) says she will miss her dancing lessons and heart-to-hearts with Dalton. Swickard reveals, “I will miss Megan when I don’t see her every day. I will always remember our special talks and when she taught me how to dance.”
Dalton’s volleyball team will also miss her during their upcoming season. Caylee Lindsay (‘18) speaks on behalf of the whole team when she says, “We will all miss Megan and the other seniors so much. They always made every practice really fun and made everyone laugh so hard.”
Friends aren’t the only thing Dalton will miss about home. “Graduation is exciting, but I’ll miss my mom,” she expresses. “Make sure you’re nice to your parents, you’ll not only miss them but you’ll also miss someone doing your laundry for you.”
Dalton’s biggest regret from high school was not rapping Fergie in her talent show performance, when she “knew it like the back of her hand.” Because of this, her advice to underclassmen is to be involved as much as possible.
After graduation, Dalton plans on attending the Ohio Wesleyan University to major in anthropology and international studies. With her degree, she hopes to join the Peace Corps and go to third world countries to make a difference. Helping others is an important part of Dalton’s life, and she hopes to continue doing so in her future.
Dalton has had a great high school experience, and she will never forget all of her funny and sincere memories. Though Dalton will miss her friends and memories made in high school, she has an exciting future ahead of her.
Megan in Her Own Words
Dear Northridge,
I have gone to Northridge Local Schools all my life; I grew up running the halls of Alexandria. I spent countless days with many of you, playing kickball at the old elementary. I was with many of you when we went through our Justice phases and transitioning glasses, where you were only cool if you had the magnetic animals that went around your wrist from the zoo. I remember it was Josie Bunstine’s (‘16) red frog that began the craze. Even Leyna Varney (‘16) claimed, “I had to beg my mom to get me one, because everyone of my friends had them and wore them everyday!” Somehow we made it, through the temper tantrums and velvet jumpsuits.
Together we went through the combining of schools in 5th grade. I was terrified of the change that was going to come into my life. I had no idea the new people would become lifelong friends. We joined all three small schools into one big class of goofy looking 5th graders, yelling the Pride song every morning. Somehow we made it, through the new school, and the new people.
Then we all somehow managed to make it through middle school. The voice cracking, and smelly kids that filled the hall, who didn't quite know how to speak to the other gender. We had our first "dances" where honestly we all just stood around in the gym and giggled with our friends. Then if we were lucky enough to have a “boyfriend” you would slow dance to the classic, "Big Green Tractor," as your friends awkwardly observed. Somehow we made it through puberty and the YOLO phase.
It was finally time to go to the high school. The place where dreams come true. Well, not exactly but it was some of the best and worst years of my life. Coming in as a little freshman I, along with many of you, was terrified. We were the bottom of the totem pole, we heard all through middle school, how ‘hard’ high school was going to be. At times they were right, it was a lot of work. I had to stay up doing a lot of homework and I would've rather been watching Netflix. But I don't want to talk about school work because, though it was a very crucial part of my, and all of your high school experiences, it wasn't the only thing I took away from high school. As I look back on my years, I see how much we all have changed. We all have faced a few hardships where we were supported by the classmates that surround us. We all have also had some triumphs, where we were on top of the world. Leaving high school left people with valuable lessons inside and outside of school. Noah Anderson(‘16) says high school taught him, “not to care what anyone thinks of you, do what makes you happy. Only you can make yourself happy.” Somehow we have made it. We made it through it all. We as a class have watched classes of our older friends graduate and leave before us; never truly grasping the fact it would soon be us. But it is almost our time. Time to say goodbye to the people we grew up with, many since preschool. We say goodbye to old friends, great teachers, friends in lower grades, and the past 12 years of our lives. It is time to go on with a life we want after high school graduation. Somehow we all made it, Class of 2016.
Megan Dalton
By: Katelyn Darby
NORTHRIDGE- High school is the just the beginning for senior Megan Dalton (‘16). Although she has a bright future ahead of her, she says she will miss the memories she will be leaving behind.
Dalton will be part of the 2016 graduating class this spring. Besides holding the Sports Editor position on The Viking Vault staff, through the years she has been involved in volleyball, track, softball and National Honors Society. Aside from school, she has donated her time to feeding the homeless and going on mission trips to Costa Rica, some of the most gratifying experiences she has been involved in. Dalton says that being involved in so many activities has helped her to make her time in high school more memorable.
Dalton has surely had a great high school experience. She says the thing she will miss the most when she goes to college will be her friends being so close all the time. Some of her best memories involve her friends, including a time when she planned to go to Max and Erma's with friends Savannah Legg (‘16) and Zach Smith (‘16), but Legg took a wrong turn and they ended up at the airport instead. Many more memories like this will always be remembered from her time at Northridge and will forever hold a place in her heart.
Dalton’s friends will also miss her when they go their separate ways next fall. Jamie Swickard (‘16) says she will miss her dancing lessons and heart-to-hearts with Dalton. Swickard reveals, “I will miss Megan when I don’t see her every day. I will always remember our special talks and when she taught me how to dance.”
Dalton’s volleyball team will also miss her during their upcoming season. Caylee Lindsay (‘18) speaks on behalf of the whole team when she says, “We will all miss Megan and the other seniors so much. They always made every practice really fun and made everyone laugh so hard.”
Friends aren’t the only thing Dalton will miss about home. “Graduation is exciting, but I’ll miss my mom,” she expresses. “Make sure you’re nice to your parents, you’ll not only miss them but you’ll also miss someone doing your laundry for you.”
Dalton’s biggest regret from high school was not rapping Fergie in her talent show performance, when she “knew it like the back of her hand.” Because of this, her advice to underclassmen is to be involved as much as possible.
After graduation, Dalton plans on attending the Ohio Wesleyan University to major in anthropology and international studies. With her degree, she hopes to join the Peace Corps and go to third world countries to make a difference. Helping others is an important part of Dalton’s life, and she hopes to continue doing so in her future.
Dalton has had a great high school experience, and she will never forget all of her funny and sincere memories. Though Dalton will miss her friends and memories made in high school, she has an exciting future ahead of her.
Megan in Her Own Words
Dear Northridge,
I have gone to Northridge Local Schools all my life; I grew up running the halls of Alexandria. I spent countless days with many of you, playing kickball at the old elementary. I was with many of you when we went through our Justice phases and transitioning glasses, where you were only cool if you had the magnetic animals that went around your wrist from the zoo. I remember it was Josie Bunstine’s (‘16) red frog that began the craze. Even Leyna Varney (‘16) claimed, “I had to beg my mom to get me one, because everyone of my friends had them and wore them everyday!” Somehow we made it, through the temper tantrums and velvet jumpsuits.
Together we went through the combining of schools in 5th grade. I was terrified of the change that was going to come into my life. I had no idea the new people would become lifelong friends. We joined all three small schools into one big class of goofy looking 5th graders, yelling the Pride song every morning. Somehow we made it, through the new school, and the new people.
Then we all somehow managed to make it through middle school. The voice cracking, and smelly kids that filled the hall, who didn't quite know how to speak to the other gender. We had our first "dances" where honestly we all just stood around in the gym and giggled with our friends. Then if we were lucky enough to have a “boyfriend” you would slow dance to the classic, "Big Green Tractor," as your friends awkwardly observed. Somehow we made it through puberty and the YOLO phase.
It was finally time to go to the high school. The place where dreams come true. Well, not exactly but it was some of the best and worst years of my life. Coming in as a little freshman I, along with many of you, was terrified. We were the bottom of the totem pole, we heard all through middle school, how ‘hard’ high school was going to be. At times they were right, it was a lot of work. I had to stay up doing a lot of homework and I would've rather been watching Netflix. But I don't want to talk about school work because, though it was a very crucial part of my, and all of your high school experiences, it wasn't the only thing I took away from high school. As I look back on my years, I see how much we all have changed. We all have faced a few hardships where we were supported by the classmates that surround us. We all have also had some triumphs, where we were on top of the world. Leaving high school left people with valuable lessons inside and outside of school. Noah Anderson(‘16) says high school taught him, “not to care what anyone thinks of you, do what makes you happy. Only you can make yourself happy.” Somehow we have made it. We made it through it all. We as a class have watched classes of our older friends graduate and leave before us; never truly grasping the fact it would soon be us. But it is almost our time. Time to say goodbye to the people we grew up with, many since preschool. We say goodbye to old friends, great teachers, friends in lower grades, and the past 12 years of our lives. It is time to go on with a life we want after high school graduation. Somehow we all made it, Class of 2016.
Megan Dalton
Normal Northridge students, or hidden celebrities?
NHS look-a-likes
By: Jamie Swickard
NORTHRIDGE- While many students have been compared to celebrities already, there are still many that have gone unnoticed. The students at Northridge who resemble some of the most famous people today continue to be revealed each day.
NHS look-a-likes
By: Jamie Swickard
NORTHRIDGE- While many students have been compared to celebrities already, there are still many that have gone unnoticed. The students at Northridge who resemble some of the most famous people today continue to be revealed each day.
The final Northridge look-a-like is Marie Severns (‘17) who looks like Krysten Ritter from the famous show Jessica Jones. Severns says she takes the comparison as a compliment because she seems cool in all of the shows and everyone always says she is pretty. Severns also says, “Everyone tells me I look like her, whether I’m meeting them for the first time or I’ve known them forever.” Either way, Severns says she doesn’t mind the comparison at all.
The Northridge students and famous people look-a-likes only continues with Jackson Wilson (‘19) who is sad to look like the famous singer, Ed Sheeran. Despite many claims from different people, Wilson argues that he doesn’t look like Sheeran and is his own person. Wilson says, “I don’t like to be compared to anyone else because I just want to be Jackson not Ed.” Wilson says having a famous look a-like can be annoying sometimes especially during sports. “Many times the student sections from other teams will chant things about me looking like Ed Sheeran to distract me. I’m used to it now, but at first it was very distracting!” Wilson says he hasn’t decided yet as to whether having a look-a-like can be used to his advantage or disadvantage.
The list of look-a-likes doesn’t end there. Next is Daniel Hatfield (‘17) who has been told various times that he resembles the famous TV scientist, Bill Nye the Science Guy. Hatfield says he was first compared to the scientist we all know and love by Addie VanKirk (‘18). While many would dread being compared to a scientist, Hatfield says it’s awesome and that he loves it. “I like to think I’m smart like him since I look like him. Maybe people will chant my name like they do for him!” He says he doesn’t mind when people tell him he looks like Bill Nye except when VanKirk says it.
This first example is Alex Chalfant (‘18) who is said to look like Bobby Morley from Home Alone. Chalfant says he takes this newly revealed comparison as an insult. He claims, “This guy doesn’t seem to be very attractive and I don’t want to be compared to an unattractive person; no one does.” Chalfant says he will use the fact that he looks like Bobby Morley to his advantage to try to convince people he doesn’t know that he is the famous person.
The next example is Adam Eckstein (‘16). Many say he looks like Joseph Morgan who is famous from The Originals. Eckstein says he can see the resemblance because their hair color is similar and they both maintain some facial hair. He claims, “I don’t really know how to feel about having a doppleganger. I guess I’m flattered because I’m being compared to someone famous.” Eckstein says while this is the first time he has been compared to Joseph Morgan, he has been told he looks like Captain America and Thor.
These are only a few of the hidden celebrities here at Northridge. Next time while you’re walking through the hallways, really take a good look at someone to see if they look like someone famous. You never know what you’ll realize!
-Jamie Swickard (’16) is a third-year Vault staff member and Web Editor-In-Chief. [email protected]
-Jamie Swickard (’16) is a third-year Vault staff member and Web Editor-In-Chief. [email protected]
Class of 2016 college plans
By: Dayna Martin
NORTHRIDGE- With the 2015-2016 school year coming to a close, everyone begins to wonder what the graduating seniors are planning for the next chapter of their lives. So here are the plans for the Class of 2016:
Noah Sumner Anderson: will be attending Denison University, Granville, OH.
Audrey Gold Ashbrook: will be attending Ashland University, Ashland, OH.
Ailli Hope Barbee: will be attending The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH.
Anna Michaeline Barndollar: will be working at Kindred Healthcare.
Katelynn Victoria Barron: will be attending Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH.
Hannah Louise Barton: will be attending COTC, Newark, OH.
Jacob Walker Baughman: will be working at Atlas Industrial Contractors.
Jeb Michael Board: will be attending NASCAR Tech Institute.
Laura Victoria Brown: will be attending Cedarville University, Cedarville, OH.
Josie Lee Bunstine: will be attending The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH.
Samantha Renee Castle: will be attending COTC, Newark, OH.
Ethan Alexander Chalfant: will be attending COTC, Newark, OH.
Bailey Michael Comisford: will be joining Marines.
Jamie Lynne Comisford: will be attending Indiana Wesleyan University, Marion, IN.
Christian Allan Corwin: will be attending Ohio University, Athens, OH.
Kaelin Elizabeth Curran: will be attending Kent State University, Kent, OH.
Gloria Nicole Dague: will be working at Great Clips.
Megan Ruby Dalton: will be attending Ohio Wesleyan University, Delaware, OH.
Sebastian Jack-Thomas Deer: will be attending CSCC, Columbus, OH.
Vincent Joseph Del Tedesco: will be attending Ohio State University, Newark, OH.
Walla Miguel Disbennett: will be attending The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH.
Samuel Augustus Doran: will be working at Mid Ohio Mechanical.
Allison Marie Dresher: will be attending COTC, Newark, OH.
Taylor Anne Dutton: will be attending COTC, Newark, OH.
Adam Christopher Eckstein: will be attending Seton Hall University, South Orange, NJ.
Colin Troy Evans: will be attending Miami University, Oxford, OH.
Seth Isaac Gilmore: will be attending Mount Vernon Nazarene University, Mount Vernon, OH.
Jacob Cody Grandon: will be attending DeVry University, Columbus, OH.
Kayla Ann Guy: will be attending Ohio University, Athens, OH.
Jaderian Erica Savanna Hallam: will be working at Great Clips.
Alexis Juliet Hannah: will be attending Mount Vernon Nazarene University, Mount Vernon OH.
Tori Sue Hart: will be attending Tennessee State University, Nashville, TN.
Morgan Rene Hatten: will be attending Denison University, Granville, OH.
Jordan Gregory Henslee: will be joining the Army.
Cheyenne Paige Hillyer: will be attending University of Northwestern Ohio, Lima, OH.
Nathan Michael Hiser: will be attending Otterbein University, Westerville, OH.
Michael Montana Holley: will be going into the Army.
Brenton Jacob Ickes: will be attending University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH.
Emily Marie Jesenko: will be attending Ohio State University, Newark, OH.
Kylor Cole Keaupuni Kauahi: will be attending Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH.
John Joseph Kelly: has applied to Ohio State University Newark, OH.
Bradley Michael Kiger: will be attending Lincoln College of Technology, Indianapolis, IN.
Matthew Brandon Krehel: will be joining the Marines.
Savannah Hope Legg: will be attending University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH.
Trisha Lynn McConnell: will be taking a year off and helping with the music programs at Northridge.
Kayley Lane McCormick: will be attending The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH.
Joseph Robert McDaniel: will be attending Mt. Carmel College of Nursing.
Jacob Michael McNamara: will be working at Dague Construction.
David Nicholas McNelley: will be joining the workforce.
Megan Jean Messer: will be attending Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH.
Peyton Steven Eugene Miller: will be attending University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH.
Spencer Rauch Miller: will be attending Wright State University, Dayton, OH.
Daniel John Neff: will be attending Ohio State University, Newark, OH.
Bradley Scott Palur: will be going into the Marines.
Logan Alexander Parker: will be attending Ohio State University, Newark, OH.
William Robert Patrick: will be attending Wilmington College, Wilmington, OH.
Megan Lee Phillips: will be attending University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati OH.
Ian Christopher Pokorny: will be attending Ohio University Athens, OH.
Austin Lee Eugene Powelson: will be attending Wilmington College, Wilmington, OH.
Hugh Alexander Prentice: will be attending Ohio State University, Newark, OH.
Zachary Edward Priest: will be a full-time employee at Penske Trucking Company.
Skyler Ryan Pritts: will be attending Youngstown State University, Youngstown, OH.
Tristam Glynn Reid: will be working at Worthington Industries.
Collin Lee Remy: will be going into the Marines.
Maddison Elaine Rose: will be attending Columbus State Community College, Columbus, OH.
Mason Roger Royer: will be joining the Navy.
Anita Marie Shultz: will be attending Ohio University Athens, OH.
Samuel Christopher Shults IV: will be attending University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH.
Skylier Asheleigh Small: will be attending COTC, Newark, OH.
Aubrey Nicole Smith: will be attending COTC, Newark, OH.
Breanna Rachelle Smith: will be attending COTC, Newark, OH.
Zachary David Smith: will be attending Kent State University, Kent, OH.
Carrisa Kae Sweetman: will be attending Mount Vernon Nazarene University, Mount Vernon, OH.
Jamie Nicole Swickard: will be attending Denison University, Granville, OH.
Derek Alan Tietz: will be attending CSCC, Columbus, OH.
Haley Layne Trimble: will be attending The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH.
Shelby Makayla Ulery: will be attending Otterbein University, Westerville, OH.
Leyna Rose Varney: will be attending Brigham Young University, Provo, UT.
Noah Joseph Wagner: will be attending CSCC, Columbus, OH.
Andrew Garrett Watson: will be attending CSCC, Columbus, OH.
Zachary Levon Weaver: will be attending Capital University, Columbus, OH.
Alexander Thomas Webb: will be joining the Air National Guard.
Ally Lacey Williams: will be attending Ohio State University, Newark, OH.
Taylor Elizabeth Williams: will be attending Ohio University, Athens, OH.
Emily Michelle Wilson: will be attending Ashland University, Ashland, OH.
Jordan Onorato Wolfe: will be attending University of Mount Union, Alliance, OH.
Ashley Nicole Wood: will be attending Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH.
Daniel Lee Woods: will be attending DeVry University, Columbus, OH.
-Dayna Martin ('18) is the Jr. Print Editor-In-Chief and Jr. Sports Editor. [email protected]
Valedictorians ... Yes, plural
By: Kaycee Campbell
NORTHRIDGE- The Valedictorian is the top person in the class, with a GPA of 4.3. This year's graduating class has more than one. There are 14 students that have at least a 4.0 or above. The official amount of valedictorians will not be known until the end of this nine weeks when the seniors’ final grades will be in.
It is estimated that there will be around five to seven valedictorians this year, for the class of 2016. Every one of them will be giving a speech during their graduation and will be recognized. The over-abundance of valedictorians goes to show just how high achieving the class of 2016 really is. When asked how she handles the pressures of knowing how academically successful her classmates are, potential valedictorian Josie Bunstine (‘16) said “I feel pressure to perform well in school, but having such a smart class has motivated me more than anything; it’s definitely more of a positive situation and I love it.”
Not only are the students proud of their successes, but the staff is also. “It certainly is remarkable of the number of students who have such high achieving standards and it goes to show their dedication and determination,” said vice principal, Mr. Grieger. Grieger also went on to say that he’s proud of the class and that the class of 2016 overall is filled with high achieving and successful students.
So, the potential valedictorians have a lot of pressure weighing on them in these last couple of weeks, with maintaining their current GPA’s or improving them. The final list of valedictorians will be announced at the academics award banquet on May 16th.
-Kaycee Campbell (‘17) is a second-year Vault staff member and Human Relations Manager. [email protected]
Exchange students reflect
By: Olivia Carpenter
NORTHRIDGE- At the beginning of the year they were completely new to the culture, and at the end, they’ve definitely grown to know it. Two exchange students attended Northridge High school this year (2015-2016) and express their opinions on how they’ve grown to know the people here.
Jesper Lund(‘17) and Sven Stalder(‘18) both agreed on what they thought American school would be like: The movies.
“I thought it’d be like all the movies you see, like 21 Jump Street, just every stereotypical movie about American schools”, said Jesper. Sven says it is not what he expected, but it is true that “a lot of cheerleaders are dating football players.”
When Sven and Jesper were asked about whether or not they wanted to make friends, the obvious answer was yes, but Jesper says “there are a lot of people I will never see again,” which can be a real challenge. And Sven reported “I wanted to make friends with everyone I saw.”
The two students are leaving for their homes in early July, and Sven said that “The process of leaving is making me sad, but I feel like once I get home I’ll be glad I’m home again.” Jesper had a similar answer, saying both yes and no to whether he’s sad to leave or not.
An interesting fact about the two students is that they’ve been to numerous landmarks all over the U.S. Jesper’s favorite is Niagra Falls and Sven’s favorite location is the Caribbean. Also, when asked what their favorite part of the school year was, Jesper responded with “Football season”, and Sven said “the beginning, when people were excited to meet me and it was warm.”
Looking back on the year, the two of them said that the first thing they would tell their family upon getting home would be, for Jesper, the differences between his home school and the Ohio school system (and Prom). For Sven, “I would tell them all about the people I’ve met and how open they were.”
One thing they agree on is that it is a good end to a good year for both of them.
-Olivia Carpenter ('18) is a first-year Vault staff member and Jr. Web Editor-In-Chief. [email protected]
Graduation parties
By: Kyle Stermer
NORTHRIDGE- We are counting down the days to the end of the year, and with that comes Graduation. Graduation can be extremely exciting and stressful, and one thing that relieves the stress is Graduation parties.
Northridge Graduation is May 22nd. Graduation parties usually fall on that weekend, but a more popular time to have them is in the following weeks, typically on a Saturday. Some students chose to have them in the weeks before graduation, but that all depends on preference. Grad parties usually happen around 12-6pm, but that is a very generic time frame. Depending on the style of party, they could be earlier in the day, or they could start later and go on through the night.
Many students have different styles and themed grad parties to attend.
Senior Noah Wagner opted to have a smaller party, with a more emphasis on close friends and family. These types of parties are great for people who have an exclusive group of friends, and will definitely be the easiest and most relaxed out of any grad party.
Other students, more specifically groups of friends, opt to have group Grad parties instead of just one person. These types of Grad parties are good for friends that have a lot of the same friends, and it also makes it a lot easier to attend one Grad party instead of two or three.
Usually, Grad parties consist of a lot of people standing around talking and eating food. Depending on the person, food could range anywhere from Chipotle or BBQ, all the way to Cane’s. Sometimes, they will have games like cornhole or other party games set up for entertainment. A lot of times, there will be a fire around which to sit.
Overall, Grad parties are the place to be at the start of summer. For many people, it will be the last time you see some of those people for quite a long time, and they are essential to ending a high school career.
-Kyle Stermer (’16) is a third-year Vault staff member and News Editor. [email protected]
Emma’s Journey to Zimbabwe: The Story of Nyasha
By: Emma Scritchfield
Many individuals dream of travelling the world, and this past spring break that dream became a reality. On March 17, 2015 I boarded a plane en route to Zimbabwe, Africa.
The flight was long and totaled about 24 hours in travel time. When we set foot in the hot, humid airport I was overwhelmed with the sensation of joy, partly because we had finally arrived and partly because I was ready to get off the plane.
We were greeted by our team members who are native to the country. Although we had never met them before, they smiled and embraced us like we were their own family.
The air in Zimbabwe was warm, but the breeze and rain drops in the sky was refreshing. Despite the obvious poverty and political distress of the country, the people were so kind and friendly.
In Zimbabwe, my team made an effort to visit several orphanages and drill and repair a few water wells, or boreholes, as they are called there.
We met so many children who were starving, without adequate water supply, and did not even have shoes to cover their feet from the broken glass that littered the streets, but they smiled and welcomed us in every way they could.
One child touched me the most. He was no more than two, spoke only Shona, and was selectively mute. His name is Nyasha. I first spotted him being lead out of the orphanage by one of our team members and I was captivated by him. His meek and gentle demeanor enchanted me and I was determined to know who he was. I introduced myself and offered him some stickers we had brought before he grabbed my hand and stood by me in contentment.
Seeing as this was a smaller orphanage, we purchased a few ice cream cones from a street vendor for the kids. I plopped Nyasha on my hip and handed him a cone, which he eagerly took and quickly ate. By the end, we were both covered in the sticky vanilla cream, but my heart could not have been more full. He stayed with me for the entirety of our visit and the most heartbreaking moment of the entire trip was the moment I embraced him one last time, kissed his cheek, tied my favorite bracelet to his wrist, and said goodbye.
He was special, not because he was underprivileged and living in an orphanage, but because of the look in his eyes. His quiet spirit gracefully radiated off of him like beams of bright sunshine. He was the highlight of my entire trip and he consumes my thoughts each day.
Zimbabwe gave me a new sense of gratitude. A new sense of what the word “Home” really means. It is a journey I am beyond appreciative of having gone on , and one I hope to soon embark on again.
-Emma Scritchfield is a first-year Vault staff member and Jr. Features Editor. [email protected]
Home is where the heart is
- An adoption story -
By: Kayla Butler
It is a dream for many to have a family of their own someday. Mothers want to dress up their daughters and fathers want to teach their sons all about sports. For some, this dream can be hard to reach. For those with difficulties starting a family, adoption can be a great option. It can also be a great choice, no matter the difficulty in starting a family. There are many children all over the world who are in need of a nice home with loving parents.
Kaleb Pugh is a junior at Northridge High School. Pugh is on the track team and participated in mock trial, and he was in this year’s musical, “Children of Eden.” He is also adopted. He was born on March 18, 1999 in Russia. February 25, 2000 is his “Gotcha day.” A “gotcha day” is the day when the adopted child finally gets to be with their family.
When asked about the most difficult part of being adopted, Pugh said, “The hardest part is not knowing my actual medical conditions or backgrounds since I don’t know my parents’ health.” This can be difficult in many cases where the adopted child may have health issues and not know it because they are unaware of their birth family’s medical history.
There is always some uncertainty and curiosity that comes with adoption, but there is also joy. A child gets a great home with a family that loves them, and two people get the amazing opportunity to become parents and share their love with the child they always wanted. Pugh says the best part about being adopted is knowing his parents really cared about him.
Adoption can be a great choice for a family. With adoption, there are some things you should keep in mind. Pugh says, “If you adopt a child, you should make sure you know about their birth parents’ health the best that you can, that way you will know if your kid will need glasses and things like that.” When asked if he would ever adopt, Pugh said, “Of course!”
Having a family is a dream of many people in the world. With so many people wanting children and so many children in need of families, adoption seems like a great solution.
-Kayla Butler (‘17) is a first-year Vault staff member and Copy Editor. [email protected]
Jacob Feightner, the kid who came back from the dead
By: Sven Stalder
NORTHRIDGE- Jacob Feightner (‘18) was dead for two hours when he was almost four years old. He was brought back to life with an experimental procedure by doctors in Montana.
Jacob and his family were spending their summer break in Montana. He went canoeing with his father and his older brother John Feightner (‘17), and the canoe swamped. Feightner’s dad took his brother to shore, but couldn’t find Jacob. Another man who was there found Jacob in the water without any signs of life, and by the time the medical helicopter arrived, Jacob was frozen and clinically dead.
Due to melted ice, the water was cold enough to cool Jacob’s body down enough to make his heart and lungs stop working.
Jacob doesn’t remember a lot about the experience, but he remembers the water being very cold and painful. And the next thing he remembers is waking up in a hospital.
In the hospital the doctors decided to try a new technique that has not been used very often.
Jacob was lucky because a body bigger than a 5-year-old would most likely have died or suffered from permanent brain damage. The doctors heated his body with warm fluids and filled his lungs with warm oxygen to make them able to absorb oxygen again.
The body of a person that froze to death needs to be heated up to a certain temperature so the doctors will declare a patient dead. This is to make sure that the patient actually died and the organs not just stopped working due to the temperature.
Due to his small body, Feightner could be heated up and his organs started working eventually. He had to stay in a hospital in Montana for a month or two for recovery. Feightner did not suffer any permanent damage besides a scar on his leg. When asked how he thinks he was influenced by the accident, Jacob says, “I guess I’m more tired sometimes and I like to sleep a lot, but that’s the only thing I can think of.”
Even though Jacob is one of the few people that have risen from the dead, he doesn’t feel any more special than other people. He doesn’t have any problem talking about what happened, but he said that most people don’t know about it. Jessica Koehler (‘19) said, “I had no idea that Jacob died when he was younger, but I think it’s really cool that he came back from the dead.”
-Sven Stalder (‘18) is a first-year Vault staff member and Jr. Public Relations Manager. [email protected]
People of Northridge
By: Aili Barbee
Spencer Miller (‘16) is currently a chef at the Italian Restaurant, Rosa and Roccaa’s, where he cooks anything from pizza to creme brulee. He really enjoys cooking and states that he has become a lot better at it since beginning this job. Miller’s favorite hobby is playing video games: Fallout is his favorite. “I really enjoy video games because of the whole atmosphere they have” he said. “Each game has a different world that you get to be a part of and a different person that you get to be become.” Miller’s favorite class is History because “Wentz is [his] dawg.” He especially enjoys learning about war history.
After Miller graduates this year, he plans to move out and get a place with Vinny Del Tedesco, while majoring in Network Security at Devry University. Believe it or not, his dream job is to become a Pistachio Tester. “If I ever got this job, I would sit there and test them until my thumbs bled” he stated in regards to his dedication to pistachio testing. Miller’s favorite quote is that “Some days you’re the statue, and some days you’re the pigeon.” He admits that “I like this quote because it helps remind me that some days are just going to be crappy for you, but other days are not.”
Most people at Northridge know that Max Berry (‘17) loves acting, but what most of his peers don’t know is that his passion also involves animals. Before he decided that he wanted to be a professional actor and writer, he wanted to work with animals in some way. “I always used to gravitate towards animal-based kids shows when I was little,” he said. “No matter where I went, I just always wanted to be around them.”
However, Berry’s new dream involves acting. The first time he remembers becoming involved in drama was in his 5th grade church production of David and Goliath where he played David. “I fell in love with what it felt like to become someone else and act out to music” he stated. Berry’s favorite production when he was little was The Wizard of Oz, and he used to religiously memorize the Tin Man-dance. Berry admitted that he “Loves drama because I know that I could be emotionally moving someone out in the audience and not even know why. Also, people who act are so accepting since they come from all over.”
Berry’s favorite class is Mrs. Garee’s Creative Writing Class. “It forces me to write something,” he said. “I usually give up on writing projects, but with this class I am forced to make something that I will be proud of. I also think Mrs. Garee thinks I’m disturbed because of my weird stories.”
Berry hopes to attend Marymount Manhattan after high school where he will major in musical theatre and minor in creative writing.
His favorite quote is “What’s the point of being alive if you don’t try to do something remarkable” by John Green. “It sums up my outlook on life” he smiled. “It’s how I want to live. I can’t fathom how people with amazing talent can just settle for a different job.”
-Aili Barbee (‘16) is a third-year Vault staff member and Print Editor-in-Chief. [email protected]
Camping plans
By: Karie Smith
NORTHRIDGE-With the weather turning warm and summertime coming, many people are considering camping adventures.Well, then this is for you. Not sure what to pack for the outdoors and need a checklist? Well, stick around and get some good ideas from some of your peers.
Ally Cromwell(‘16) says, “You should have food and plenty of water.” Essentially people often forget that water is one of the healthier things to drink. We don’t want anyone to dehydrate or starve. Have plenty of food and make sure of it. Cromwell also says that one of her favorite things to do is “look at the stars when it’s all peaceful, it’s just beautiful.”
Katie Applequist (‘18) says to “bring lots of bugs spray and sunscreen, you never know when it’ll be too hot or too buggy.” You wouldn't want to have too many bug bites or sunburns that’s for sure.
Andy Watson (‘16) suggests “Have common sense, many things in the woods like making a fire or keeping sanitary, are very simple if you know what you’re doing.” Don’t get upset when you’re setting up your tent. Push through the construction progress and have some fun while you’re at it.
During these summer months coming up, most of us will become bored eventually. Camping is not for everyone, but for people who like to camp. Or people who want to try it anyways, but there’s one particular NHS student who really hates camping.
Zoey Stout (‘18) says that “I hate camping, I got eaten alive by mosquito bites.”
She went to Alum Creek with her family and Baylee Wilson (‘18) and remembers, “We had to use the public showers and Baylee was too tall for the showers. The showers were very disgusting.” She said she was, “literally covered with mosquito bites.” She got to share a tent with Baylee and her little cousin. It was all fine and dandy, “but they all kick in their sleep.” Raccoons were sweeping in the night trying to steal their food. “The last night there was a lightning and thunderstorm with rain there was a tree, and it almost fell, we ran out in time, but when Baylee went running she broke the coffee pot. When we looked back, there was a tree on our tent. I hate camping and I almost died.”
Mr. Wentz, says, “We spent millions of years trying to get away nature, why would we willingly go back into it?”
Camping may not be for everyone, but there’s always someone who loves to camp.
As Jamie Swickard (‘16) made the comment of “I hate camping” as she was explaining how she would rather have an RV or a cabin, and that she could not sleep outside.
Trevor Roach (‘17) says, “How could you hate camping?” Mosquito bites apparently make him feel alive.
Hunter Corbin (‘17) says, “I love camping, I love camping enough to skip my friend’s birthday.” Which prompted a conversation of how he skipped out on a friend's birthday just to have a fun time camping deep into the woods.
Watson (‘16) had said that he just recently went camping at AEP Recreation Lands, and he highly suggests going there.
-Karie Smith (‘18) is a first-year Vault staff member and Jr. Opinions Editor. [email protected]
By: Dayna Martin
NORTHRIDGE- With the 2015-2016 school year coming to a close, everyone begins to wonder what the graduating seniors are planning for the next chapter of their lives. So here are the plans for the Class of 2016:
Noah Sumner Anderson: will be attending Denison University, Granville, OH.
Audrey Gold Ashbrook: will be attending Ashland University, Ashland, OH.
Ailli Hope Barbee: will be attending The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH.
Anna Michaeline Barndollar: will be working at Kindred Healthcare.
Katelynn Victoria Barron: will be attending Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH.
Hannah Louise Barton: will be attending COTC, Newark, OH.
Jacob Walker Baughman: will be working at Atlas Industrial Contractors.
Jeb Michael Board: will be attending NASCAR Tech Institute.
Laura Victoria Brown: will be attending Cedarville University, Cedarville, OH.
Josie Lee Bunstine: will be attending The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH.
Samantha Renee Castle: will be attending COTC, Newark, OH.
Ethan Alexander Chalfant: will be attending COTC, Newark, OH.
Bailey Michael Comisford: will be joining Marines.
Jamie Lynne Comisford: will be attending Indiana Wesleyan University, Marion, IN.
Christian Allan Corwin: will be attending Ohio University, Athens, OH.
Kaelin Elizabeth Curran: will be attending Kent State University, Kent, OH.
Gloria Nicole Dague: will be working at Great Clips.
Megan Ruby Dalton: will be attending Ohio Wesleyan University, Delaware, OH.
Sebastian Jack-Thomas Deer: will be attending CSCC, Columbus, OH.
Vincent Joseph Del Tedesco: will be attending Ohio State University, Newark, OH.
Walla Miguel Disbennett: will be attending The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH.
Samuel Augustus Doran: will be working at Mid Ohio Mechanical.
Allison Marie Dresher: will be attending COTC, Newark, OH.
Taylor Anne Dutton: will be attending COTC, Newark, OH.
Adam Christopher Eckstein: will be attending Seton Hall University, South Orange, NJ.
Colin Troy Evans: will be attending Miami University, Oxford, OH.
Seth Isaac Gilmore: will be attending Mount Vernon Nazarene University, Mount Vernon, OH.
Jacob Cody Grandon: will be attending DeVry University, Columbus, OH.
Kayla Ann Guy: will be attending Ohio University, Athens, OH.
Jaderian Erica Savanna Hallam: will be working at Great Clips.
Alexis Juliet Hannah: will be attending Mount Vernon Nazarene University, Mount Vernon OH.
Tori Sue Hart: will be attending Tennessee State University, Nashville, TN.
Morgan Rene Hatten: will be attending Denison University, Granville, OH.
Jordan Gregory Henslee: will be joining the Army.
Cheyenne Paige Hillyer: will be attending University of Northwestern Ohio, Lima, OH.
Nathan Michael Hiser: will be attending Otterbein University, Westerville, OH.
Michael Montana Holley: will be going into the Army.
Brenton Jacob Ickes: will be attending University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH.
Emily Marie Jesenko: will be attending Ohio State University, Newark, OH.
Kylor Cole Keaupuni Kauahi: will be attending Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH.
John Joseph Kelly: has applied to Ohio State University Newark, OH.
Bradley Michael Kiger: will be attending Lincoln College of Technology, Indianapolis, IN.
Matthew Brandon Krehel: will be joining the Marines.
Savannah Hope Legg: will be attending University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH.
Trisha Lynn McConnell: will be taking a year off and helping with the music programs at Northridge.
Kayley Lane McCormick: will be attending The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH.
Joseph Robert McDaniel: will be attending Mt. Carmel College of Nursing.
Jacob Michael McNamara: will be working at Dague Construction.
David Nicholas McNelley: will be joining the workforce.
Megan Jean Messer: will be attending Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH.
Peyton Steven Eugene Miller: will be attending University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH.
Spencer Rauch Miller: will be attending Wright State University, Dayton, OH.
Daniel John Neff: will be attending Ohio State University, Newark, OH.
Bradley Scott Palur: will be going into the Marines.
Logan Alexander Parker: will be attending Ohio State University, Newark, OH.
William Robert Patrick: will be attending Wilmington College, Wilmington, OH.
Megan Lee Phillips: will be attending University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati OH.
Ian Christopher Pokorny: will be attending Ohio University Athens, OH.
Austin Lee Eugene Powelson: will be attending Wilmington College, Wilmington, OH.
Hugh Alexander Prentice: will be attending Ohio State University, Newark, OH.
Zachary Edward Priest: will be a full-time employee at Penske Trucking Company.
Skyler Ryan Pritts: will be attending Youngstown State University, Youngstown, OH.
Tristam Glynn Reid: will be working at Worthington Industries.
Collin Lee Remy: will be going into the Marines.
Maddison Elaine Rose: will be attending Columbus State Community College, Columbus, OH.
Mason Roger Royer: will be joining the Navy.
Anita Marie Shultz: will be attending Ohio University Athens, OH.
Samuel Christopher Shults IV: will be attending University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH.
Skylier Asheleigh Small: will be attending COTC, Newark, OH.
Aubrey Nicole Smith: will be attending COTC, Newark, OH.
Breanna Rachelle Smith: will be attending COTC, Newark, OH.
Zachary David Smith: will be attending Kent State University, Kent, OH.
Carrisa Kae Sweetman: will be attending Mount Vernon Nazarene University, Mount Vernon, OH.
Jamie Nicole Swickard: will be attending Denison University, Granville, OH.
Derek Alan Tietz: will be attending CSCC, Columbus, OH.
Haley Layne Trimble: will be attending The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH.
Shelby Makayla Ulery: will be attending Otterbein University, Westerville, OH.
Leyna Rose Varney: will be attending Brigham Young University, Provo, UT.
Noah Joseph Wagner: will be attending CSCC, Columbus, OH.
Andrew Garrett Watson: will be attending CSCC, Columbus, OH.
Zachary Levon Weaver: will be attending Capital University, Columbus, OH.
Alexander Thomas Webb: will be joining the Air National Guard.
Ally Lacey Williams: will be attending Ohio State University, Newark, OH.
Taylor Elizabeth Williams: will be attending Ohio University, Athens, OH.
Emily Michelle Wilson: will be attending Ashland University, Ashland, OH.
Jordan Onorato Wolfe: will be attending University of Mount Union, Alliance, OH.
Ashley Nicole Wood: will be attending Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH.
Daniel Lee Woods: will be attending DeVry University, Columbus, OH.
-Dayna Martin ('18) is the Jr. Print Editor-In-Chief and Jr. Sports Editor. [email protected]
Valedictorians ... Yes, plural
By: Kaycee Campbell
NORTHRIDGE- The Valedictorian is the top person in the class, with a GPA of 4.3. This year's graduating class has more than one. There are 14 students that have at least a 4.0 or above. The official amount of valedictorians will not be known until the end of this nine weeks when the seniors’ final grades will be in.
It is estimated that there will be around five to seven valedictorians this year, for the class of 2016. Every one of them will be giving a speech during their graduation and will be recognized. The over-abundance of valedictorians goes to show just how high achieving the class of 2016 really is. When asked how she handles the pressures of knowing how academically successful her classmates are, potential valedictorian Josie Bunstine (‘16) said “I feel pressure to perform well in school, but having such a smart class has motivated me more than anything; it’s definitely more of a positive situation and I love it.”
Not only are the students proud of their successes, but the staff is also. “It certainly is remarkable of the number of students who have such high achieving standards and it goes to show their dedication and determination,” said vice principal, Mr. Grieger. Grieger also went on to say that he’s proud of the class and that the class of 2016 overall is filled with high achieving and successful students.
So, the potential valedictorians have a lot of pressure weighing on them in these last couple of weeks, with maintaining their current GPA’s or improving them. The final list of valedictorians will be announced at the academics award banquet on May 16th.
-Kaycee Campbell (‘17) is a second-year Vault staff member and Human Relations Manager. [email protected]
Exchange students reflect
By: Olivia Carpenter
NORTHRIDGE- At the beginning of the year they were completely new to the culture, and at the end, they’ve definitely grown to know it. Two exchange students attended Northridge High school this year (2015-2016) and express their opinions on how they’ve grown to know the people here.
Jesper Lund(‘17) and Sven Stalder(‘18) both agreed on what they thought American school would be like: The movies.
“I thought it’d be like all the movies you see, like 21 Jump Street, just every stereotypical movie about American schools”, said Jesper. Sven says it is not what he expected, but it is true that “a lot of cheerleaders are dating football players.”
When Sven and Jesper were asked about whether or not they wanted to make friends, the obvious answer was yes, but Jesper says “there are a lot of people I will never see again,” which can be a real challenge. And Sven reported “I wanted to make friends with everyone I saw.”
The two students are leaving for their homes in early July, and Sven said that “The process of leaving is making me sad, but I feel like once I get home I’ll be glad I’m home again.” Jesper had a similar answer, saying both yes and no to whether he’s sad to leave or not.
An interesting fact about the two students is that they’ve been to numerous landmarks all over the U.S. Jesper’s favorite is Niagra Falls and Sven’s favorite location is the Caribbean. Also, when asked what their favorite part of the school year was, Jesper responded with “Football season”, and Sven said “the beginning, when people were excited to meet me and it was warm.”
Looking back on the year, the two of them said that the first thing they would tell their family upon getting home would be, for Jesper, the differences between his home school and the Ohio school system (and Prom). For Sven, “I would tell them all about the people I’ve met and how open they were.”
One thing they agree on is that it is a good end to a good year for both of them.
-Olivia Carpenter ('18) is a first-year Vault staff member and Jr. Web Editor-In-Chief. [email protected]
Graduation parties
By: Kyle Stermer
NORTHRIDGE- We are counting down the days to the end of the year, and with that comes Graduation. Graduation can be extremely exciting and stressful, and one thing that relieves the stress is Graduation parties.
Northridge Graduation is May 22nd. Graduation parties usually fall on that weekend, but a more popular time to have them is in the following weeks, typically on a Saturday. Some students chose to have them in the weeks before graduation, but that all depends on preference. Grad parties usually happen around 12-6pm, but that is a very generic time frame. Depending on the style of party, they could be earlier in the day, or they could start later and go on through the night.
Many students have different styles and themed grad parties to attend.
Senior Noah Wagner opted to have a smaller party, with a more emphasis on close friends and family. These types of parties are great for people who have an exclusive group of friends, and will definitely be the easiest and most relaxed out of any grad party.
Other students, more specifically groups of friends, opt to have group Grad parties instead of just one person. These types of Grad parties are good for friends that have a lot of the same friends, and it also makes it a lot easier to attend one Grad party instead of two or three.
Usually, Grad parties consist of a lot of people standing around talking and eating food. Depending on the person, food could range anywhere from Chipotle or BBQ, all the way to Cane’s. Sometimes, they will have games like cornhole or other party games set up for entertainment. A lot of times, there will be a fire around which to sit.
Overall, Grad parties are the place to be at the start of summer. For many people, it will be the last time you see some of those people for quite a long time, and they are essential to ending a high school career.
-Kyle Stermer (’16) is a third-year Vault staff member and News Editor. [email protected]
Emma’s Journey to Zimbabwe: The Story of Nyasha
By: Emma Scritchfield
Many individuals dream of travelling the world, and this past spring break that dream became a reality. On March 17, 2015 I boarded a plane en route to Zimbabwe, Africa.
The flight was long and totaled about 24 hours in travel time. When we set foot in the hot, humid airport I was overwhelmed with the sensation of joy, partly because we had finally arrived and partly because I was ready to get off the plane.
We were greeted by our team members who are native to the country. Although we had never met them before, they smiled and embraced us like we were their own family.
The air in Zimbabwe was warm, but the breeze and rain drops in the sky was refreshing. Despite the obvious poverty and political distress of the country, the people were so kind and friendly.
In Zimbabwe, my team made an effort to visit several orphanages and drill and repair a few water wells, or boreholes, as they are called there.
We met so many children who were starving, without adequate water supply, and did not even have shoes to cover their feet from the broken glass that littered the streets, but they smiled and welcomed us in every way they could.
One child touched me the most. He was no more than two, spoke only Shona, and was selectively mute. His name is Nyasha. I first spotted him being lead out of the orphanage by one of our team members and I was captivated by him. His meek and gentle demeanor enchanted me and I was determined to know who he was. I introduced myself and offered him some stickers we had brought before he grabbed my hand and stood by me in contentment.
Seeing as this was a smaller orphanage, we purchased a few ice cream cones from a street vendor for the kids. I plopped Nyasha on my hip and handed him a cone, which he eagerly took and quickly ate. By the end, we were both covered in the sticky vanilla cream, but my heart could not have been more full. He stayed with me for the entirety of our visit and the most heartbreaking moment of the entire trip was the moment I embraced him one last time, kissed his cheek, tied my favorite bracelet to his wrist, and said goodbye.
He was special, not because he was underprivileged and living in an orphanage, but because of the look in his eyes. His quiet spirit gracefully radiated off of him like beams of bright sunshine. He was the highlight of my entire trip and he consumes my thoughts each day.
Zimbabwe gave me a new sense of gratitude. A new sense of what the word “Home” really means. It is a journey I am beyond appreciative of having gone on , and one I hope to soon embark on again.
-Emma Scritchfield is a first-year Vault staff member and Jr. Features Editor. [email protected]
Home is where the heart is
- An adoption story -
By: Kayla Butler
It is a dream for many to have a family of their own someday. Mothers want to dress up their daughters and fathers want to teach their sons all about sports. For some, this dream can be hard to reach. For those with difficulties starting a family, adoption can be a great option. It can also be a great choice, no matter the difficulty in starting a family. There are many children all over the world who are in need of a nice home with loving parents.
Kaleb Pugh is a junior at Northridge High School. Pugh is on the track team and participated in mock trial, and he was in this year’s musical, “Children of Eden.” He is also adopted. He was born on March 18, 1999 in Russia. February 25, 2000 is his “Gotcha day.” A “gotcha day” is the day when the adopted child finally gets to be with their family.
When asked about the most difficult part of being adopted, Pugh said, “The hardest part is not knowing my actual medical conditions or backgrounds since I don’t know my parents’ health.” This can be difficult in many cases where the adopted child may have health issues and not know it because they are unaware of their birth family’s medical history.
There is always some uncertainty and curiosity that comes with adoption, but there is also joy. A child gets a great home with a family that loves them, and two people get the amazing opportunity to become parents and share their love with the child they always wanted. Pugh says the best part about being adopted is knowing his parents really cared about him.
Adoption can be a great choice for a family. With adoption, there are some things you should keep in mind. Pugh says, “If you adopt a child, you should make sure you know about their birth parents’ health the best that you can, that way you will know if your kid will need glasses and things like that.” When asked if he would ever adopt, Pugh said, “Of course!”
Having a family is a dream of many people in the world. With so many people wanting children and so many children in need of families, adoption seems like a great solution.
-Kayla Butler (‘17) is a first-year Vault staff member and Copy Editor. [email protected]
Jacob Feightner, the kid who came back from the dead
By: Sven Stalder
NORTHRIDGE- Jacob Feightner (‘18) was dead for two hours when he was almost four years old. He was brought back to life with an experimental procedure by doctors in Montana.
Jacob and his family were spending their summer break in Montana. He went canoeing with his father and his older brother John Feightner (‘17), and the canoe swamped. Feightner’s dad took his brother to shore, but couldn’t find Jacob. Another man who was there found Jacob in the water without any signs of life, and by the time the medical helicopter arrived, Jacob was frozen and clinically dead.
Due to melted ice, the water was cold enough to cool Jacob’s body down enough to make his heart and lungs stop working.
Jacob doesn’t remember a lot about the experience, but he remembers the water being very cold and painful. And the next thing he remembers is waking up in a hospital.
In the hospital the doctors decided to try a new technique that has not been used very often.
Jacob was lucky because a body bigger than a 5-year-old would most likely have died or suffered from permanent brain damage. The doctors heated his body with warm fluids and filled his lungs with warm oxygen to make them able to absorb oxygen again.
The body of a person that froze to death needs to be heated up to a certain temperature so the doctors will declare a patient dead. This is to make sure that the patient actually died and the organs not just stopped working due to the temperature.
Due to his small body, Feightner could be heated up and his organs started working eventually. He had to stay in a hospital in Montana for a month or two for recovery. Feightner did not suffer any permanent damage besides a scar on his leg. When asked how he thinks he was influenced by the accident, Jacob says, “I guess I’m more tired sometimes and I like to sleep a lot, but that’s the only thing I can think of.”
Even though Jacob is one of the few people that have risen from the dead, he doesn’t feel any more special than other people. He doesn’t have any problem talking about what happened, but he said that most people don’t know about it. Jessica Koehler (‘19) said, “I had no idea that Jacob died when he was younger, but I think it’s really cool that he came back from the dead.”
-Sven Stalder (‘18) is a first-year Vault staff member and Jr. Public Relations Manager. [email protected]
People of Northridge
By: Aili Barbee
Spencer Miller (‘16) is currently a chef at the Italian Restaurant, Rosa and Roccaa’s, where he cooks anything from pizza to creme brulee. He really enjoys cooking and states that he has become a lot better at it since beginning this job. Miller’s favorite hobby is playing video games: Fallout is his favorite. “I really enjoy video games because of the whole atmosphere they have” he said. “Each game has a different world that you get to be a part of and a different person that you get to be become.” Miller’s favorite class is History because “Wentz is [his] dawg.” He especially enjoys learning about war history.
After Miller graduates this year, he plans to move out and get a place with Vinny Del Tedesco, while majoring in Network Security at Devry University. Believe it or not, his dream job is to become a Pistachio Tester. “If I ever got this job, I would sit there and test them until my thumbs bled” he stated in regards to his dedication to pistachio testing. Miller’s favorite quote is that “Some days you’re the statue, and some days you’re the pigeon.” He admits that “I like this quote because it helps remind me that some days are just going to be crappy for you, but other days are not.”
Most people at Northridge know that Max Berry (‘17) loves acting, but what most of his peers don’t know is that his passion also involves animals. Before he decided that he wanted to be a professional actor and writer, he wanted to work with animals in some way. “I always used to gravitate towards animal-based kids shows when I was little,” he said. “No matter where I went, I just always wanted to be around them.”
However, Berry’s new dream involves acting. The first time he remembers becoming involved in drama was in his 5th grade church production of David and Goliath where he played David. “I fell in love with what it felt like to become someone else and act out to music” he stated. Berry’s favorite production when he was little was The Wizard of Oz, and he used to religiously memorize the Tin Man-dance. Berry admitted that he “Loves drama because I know that I could be emotionally moving someone out in the audience and not even know why. Also, people who act are so accepting since they come from all over.”
Berry’s favorite class is Mrs. Garee’s Creative Writing Class. “It forces me to write something,” he said. “I usually give up on writing projects, but with this class I am forced to make something that I will be proud of. I also think Mrs. Garee thinks I’m disturbed because of my weird stories.”
Berry hopes to attend Marymount Manhattan after high school where he will major in musical theatre and minor in creative writing.
His favorite quote is “What’s the point of being alive if you don’t try to do something remarkable” by John Green. “It sums up my outlook on life” he smiled. “It’s how I want to live. I can’t fathom how people with amazing talent can just settle for a different job.”
-Aili Barbee (‘16) is a third-year Vault staff member and Print Editor-in-Chief. [email protected]
Camping plans
By: Karie Smith
NORTHRIDGE-With the weather turning warm and summertime coming, many people are considering camping adventures.Well, then this is for you. Not sure what to pack for the outdoors and need a checklist? Well, stick around and get some good ideas from some of your peers.
Ally Cromwell(‘16) says, “You should have food and plenty of water.” Essentially people often forget that water is one of the healthier things to drink. We don’t want anyone to dehydrate or starve. Have plenty of food and make sure of it. Cromwell also says that one of her favorite things to do is “look at the stars when it’s all peaceful, it’s just beautiful.”
Katie Applequist (‘18) says to “bring lots of bugs spray and sunscreen, you never know when it’ll be too hot or too buggy.” You wouldn't want to have too many bug bites or sunburns that’s for sure.
Andy Watson (‘16) suggests “Have common sense, many things in the woods like making a fire or keeping sanitary, are very simple if you know what you’re doing.” Don’t get upset when you’re setting up your tent. Push through the construction progress and have some fun while you’re at it.
During these summer months coming up, most of us will become bored eventually. Camping is not for everyone, but for people who like to camp. Or people who want to try it anyways, but there’s one particular NHS student who really hates camping.
Zoey Stout (‘18) says that “I hate camping, I got eaten alive by mosquito bites.”
She went to Alum Creek with her family and Baylee Wilson (‘18) and remembers, “We had to use the public showers and Baylee was too tall for the showers. The showers were very disgusting.” She said she was, “literally covered with mosquito bites.” She got to share a tent with Baylee and her little cousin. It was all fine and dandy, “but they all kick in their sleep.” Raccoons were sweeping in the night trying to steal their food. “The last night there was a lightning and thunderstorm with rain there was a tree, and it almost fell, we ran out in time, but when Baylee went running she broke the coffee pot. When we looked back, there was a tree on our tent. I hate camping and I almost died.”
Mr. Wentz, says, “We spent millions of years trying to get away nature, why would we willingly go back into it?”
Camping may not be for everyone, but there’s always someone who loves to camp.
As Jamie Swickard (‘16) made the comment of “I hate camping” as she was explaining how she would rather have an RV or a cabin, and that she could not sleep outside.
Trevor Roach (‘17) says, “How could you hate camping?” Mosquito bites apparently make him feel alive.
Hunter Corbin (‘17) says, “I love camping, I love camping enough to skip my friend’s birthday.” Which prompted a conversation of how he skipped out on a friend's birthday just to have a fun time camping deep into the woods.
Watson (‘16) had said that he just recently went camping at AEP Recreation Lands, and he highly suggests going there.
-Karie Smith (‘18) is a first-year Vault staff member and Jr. Opinions Editor. [email protected]