Recognizing the hidden talents of students
Throughout high school, the accomplishments of students are often recognized, from winning the state championship for football to joining the National Honors Society. However, it is important to acknowledge not only what students are commonly recognized for, but their identities as a whole. High school is a place where people can explore their interests and create themselves.
Madison Black, junior
In her freshman year, Madison Black, junior, joined the NPHS wrestling team, where now, two years later, she is nationally ranked and won the state championship. “I’m proud of my wrestling accomplishments because I put in a lot of work. I work hard for what I have and what I get. So it’s nice to see the hard work pay off,” Black said. Along with succeeding in tournaments, Black has been captain of the wrestling team for the past two years. In her position, she works to bring leadership and dedication to the team. Black’s athletic nature is not limited to on the mat, as she is also a dancer. At 7-years-old, Black started to dance and considers dance to be her first sport. “I think dance is just a very freeing art. Like, I don’t think of it as a sport or as a hobby. It’s more of like something where I can express myself and do something that takes me away from the mat and wrestling,” Black said.
Brody Wright, junior
Commonly recognized as “brodywmedia,” Brody Wright, junior, has built his personal media brand over the past two years. Wright is not only passionate about photography, but also about the world of business. This past school year, Wright became involved with our business program here at NPHS by joining our Distributive Education Club of America [DECA]. Wright discovered this club when he joined the CTE entrepreneurship class. Once he got involved in business, he quickly became more interested. In the future, Wright hopes to pursue a career in business, while also maintaining his photography as a hobby. “Getting access to different sports events and being able to talk to different professional athletes is something I had no idea I’d be able to achieve. I’m more connected now with people around me,” Wright said.
Eric Chow, junior
Eric Chow, junior, is an involved scholar at NPHS and enrolled as a full IB student, after being inspired by a friend. He has found the process to be rewarding and would recommend it to students who enjoy learning. Along with being a part of the IB program, Chow also has a passion for origami. “When I was younger, I used to see a lot of older people do origami and then I always thought it was cool to see how they could just put a piece of paper and something so complex. You just need a piece of paper,” Chow said. Chow channeled his passion for origami by starting a club here on campus, which meets in Mrs. Woods’ room, B-14. Meetings are held every Friday. Over the years, Chow has made many complex pieces, believing his most creative was a violin.
Marlaina Williams, senior
Marlania Williams, senior, spent her senior year not only as a multi-varsity sport athlete. For the past four years, Williams has played lacrosse at NPHS, where she has formed a multitude of connections and fond memories. “I started getting a little bit more serious [about lacrosse] in high school and it was a lot of fun,” Williams said. To try something new, this past year she joined the golf team. But beyond golf clubs and lacrosse sticks, Williams has taken three art classes at NP and is currently enrolled in the second year of the IB art program. Right now, she is illustrating her cousin’s children’s book. “People are normally known for one thing in high schools, like that’s about it. People are multitalented. Being an athlete really helps me have good teamwork skills and then being an artist helps me explore my own identity,” Williams said.
