The Monarch you could know

The people and untold stories of Monarch.

Just+a+few+people+and+their+experiences+you+could+know.

Just a few people and their experiences you could know.

Life is only so long. We desire to connect with people throughout our lifetime but in reality, we only end up getting a sliver of who they really are. It would be nice to get the whole slice of a person, wouldn’t it?
Looking out the window of a bullet train, you see a blur of color that by the end of the journey paints a picture. Madeline Hall ‘20, a junior, rode this journey. “I’ve been to Japan where I rode a bullet train, which was pretty awesome. It was a new experience where I got to go halfway across Japan in an hour,” she said.
To watch someone define themselves in front of people is really cool to see. Brooke Hagelin ‘20 got to watch one of those people. “One time I saw American Idol live, that was pretty cool,” Hagelin said.
Imagine flying and sliding in the air, capturing a memory through several images. Sophia Westerkamp ‘21 has experienced this. “When I was 13, I went to Costa Rica for a wedding. One of those days, we went zip lining over the Costa Rican jungle, and it was so beautiful,” Westerkamp said.
We all adore concerts but when it comes to traveling to another continent to see one, it might just be a big deal. Miranda McCoy ‘21 could fill you in on the journey. “The coolest thing I’ve ever done is fly to Paris, France just to go to a concert. Because I didn’t speak the language, I just had to make the best out of it and figure out how to get around. Plus, I met a lot of amazing people while I was there,” McCoy said.
Music makes the listener feel emotion, and when Leah Pring ‘20 went to Costa Rica with Boulder Suzuki Strings, (an orchestra group based in Boulder), she got to be one of the artists that made it all happen.
“[For] one concert we performed in Tortuguero, Costa Rica. It’s a small island that has no roads and it was raining the whole time. We were there and the electricity gave out, but we kept on playing and the locals pulled out their phones to give us light for the rest of the concert, it was amazing,” Pring said.
There are so many incredible stories you’ll never hear if you don’t ask. Go and get the full slice of Monarch, not just a sliver.

 

Through the camera lens

When most people hear Peyton Allen ‘19, they automatically envision her with a camera in her hand and a smile on her face.
“It all started summer of 2016. I went to Portland with my softball team, and I brought my GoPro. They loved to film on it,” Allen said. “I spent some time putting some clips together, and everyone thought it was the coolest thing. I even took my GoPro to nationals where we took 1st place, and I captured that moment. After that, I began to realize that I loved using it, as I would spend days on end trying to make it look perfect.”
Allen has made various videos that have not only touched the hearts of her teammates, but everyone around her.
Before Allen graduates, she hopes to make a documentary. “I want to step out of my comfort zone and make something personal and meaningful,” she said.

 

Sam Keenan

After attending school in England at Sandringham West Newton, Sam Keenan ‘20 was surprised with the opportunity to meet the Queen. “It was so cool! Her summer estate was right next to my school, and she came over and shook all our hands,” Keenan said.

 

Claire Laurie

Imagine finding your true self through a two week art trip and coming back with a whole new mind set. Claire Laurie ‘19 traveled to Amsterdam, Bruges, and Paris with a handful of other BVSD students. “By far the coolest thing or experience I have ever done was travel to Europe with the school art program. I learned to love art so much more than I ever thought I could. I loved being surrounded in a different culture than what I was used to. It was one of the coolest experiences I have ever had,” says Laurie.

 

Keira Sager

Many people know the intense rush of playing Mario
Kart. Not many people have
the determination and grit to pass the one and only “Rainbow Road” course… except for Keira Sager ‘22. “It took me like 10-15 tries until
I succeeded. It was the highlight of my life,”
Sager said.