Student Profile: Nikki Goldman is an Aspiring Artist

By Will Boswinkel

Staff Writer

Nikki Goldman is a fantastic artist, who likes to doodle and draw whatever interests her, like people, objects, animals and scenes.

She said she enjoys drawing, “Because it passes time and it is fun.”

Nikki has been going to Woodlynde since first grade. “I learned what I like and what I don’t like.” 

Nikki is often a quiet student, who enjoys activities after school, such as cross country, basketball, soccer and talking to friends. She watches anime and draws manga.

Her favorite TV show is Modern Family. “I find it to be amusing and I like that everyone is strangely unique.”   

Nikki also communicates with others very well. “Boys are easier to talk to,” she said, “because I think that some girls are obnoxious.”

Her favorite movie is The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, because she thinks it would be cool to manipulate time.

When asked if there is there anyone throughout history she would like to meet, she said one of her family members who passed away, “because I hear that they were funny… and they are dead so I never met them.”

Student Profile: Larissa Crater Aspires to be a Model

By Michael McGroary

Staff Writer

        "Ever since I was little, I've seen these magazines with models in them, and that's what I knew I wanted to be," freshman Larissa Crater explains, as she talks about her dream of becoming a Victoria Secret model.

Larissa thinks it would be cool to show off her style. At her mother’s suggestion to help get in better shape to achieve her dream, Larissa started playing for a local basketball team in the Lower Pottsgrove Athletic Association (LPAA) for four years. In one game she scored the winning basket in the last few seconds. Unfortunately, her LPAA days came to an end and she decided to play for the Woodlynde basketball team in her first year of school.

Larissa is now in her second year at Woodlynde, and she’s hoping that her school year will not be as dramatic as her first year. Larissa had a few challenges in her first year at Woodlynde with friends, who would sometimes get upset about things and drag her into the drama. Larissa says that she learned to usually ignore the problems, and just moved on, especially because she had to deal with a little sister at home.

Larissa and her younger sister, who is 11, have a love/hate relationship. Their parents try to make them get along with each other, but most of the time it doesn’t help. A technique that her parents have tried is having her little sister pick out Larissa’s clothes for her on the weekend.

Larissa is still trying to get fully used to Woodlynde, but she is doing well and is still holding on to her dream of being a model.

Student Profile: Michael McGroary Loves Electronics

By Larissa Crater

Staff Writer

Michael McGroary loves building robots in robotics class. The sophomore currently is constructing a ping pong catapult robot. “It’s basically an RC car with a catapult on top that will toss a ping pong ball.”

Michael has already assembled a remote control car -- made of half a cube with four wheels, gears and wires -- which had to go through a maze and other obstacles.

Michael wants to build electronics that look “cool.” When he came to Woodlynde last year, he saw there was a robotics elective and he went right for it. Now he really enjoys the course and completing a project.

“You have this mental picture in your head and when you finished it, you think to yourself, ‘I just finished that,’ and it’s the greatest feeling in the world.”

Michael has some other interests that he enjoys, including acting and stage crew.

He likes stage crew because he is behind the scenes, and works with all the sets and props. He also has the opportunity to be on stage and build robotic objects.

“You get to move stuff,” he said. “You kinda get to act like a ninja because stage crew isn't supposed to be [seen].” Michael does a lot of painting of the sets, as well as building and setting it up. “You do it as fast as possible.”   

His favorite play that he has worked on was at his old school when he was in eighth grade, because he and his classmates wrote it themselves.

Michael runs cross country. “I don’t know why I like it,” he said. “It’s like watching games on YouTube. I don’t know why I like that, either. I just do.”

Michael used to play piano, but he stopped awhile ago because he didn't really like it.

Michael has two brothers he said he doesn’t get along with very well: Sean, who is 12, and Owen, who is 10. 

If he could be stuck in an elevator with anyone, it would be Justin Bieber so he could hurt him because the music hurts Michael’s ears “His voice is very annoying,” Michael said.

Profile on Jacob Montenegro: Sophomore Enjoys Running

By Joshua Cameron

Staff Writer

Jacob Montenegro has always had great speed and endurance. In fifth grade, his dad introduced him to running and he was great at it.

Jacob started running for the Woodlynde cross country team in 6th grade; he is now the fastest runner on the team. He is also the team captain, even though he is only a sophomore.

“It is a big honor to be the captain,” said Jacob, who finds running fun and challenging.

Jacob has some amazing memories running Cross Country.

In 6th grade, in the championship meet, he came in 15th place, overall, and helped lead Woodlynde to a first-place victory.

In 8th grade, he won sixth place in the championship and earned a medal. While he has not yet won any races, he has come in second.

His ultimate goal is to run in the Olympics. “It looks so much fun to compete and race for your country. Also, you get a lot of money, too, but I've always wanted to go because I get to see other countries while I run. I've seen track and field competitors and stuff. It looked so much fun.”

Outside of school, Jacob competes in other sports. He has been swimming since he was six. Jacob has won medals when he was 11, 12 and 13 in the 200 Medley Relay.

"I love sports like cross country, swimming and track because it helps build endurance," Jacob said.

Jacob says he is looking forward to competing with the new indoor track team Woodlynde is forming this winter.

"It will be nice because a lot of schools do track and [it] will give students a chance to do something different."  

            Jacob is now in the 10th grade and he loves Woodlynde and all the kids that go here. He plans to keep on running for Woodlynde until the day he graduates.

Profile on Larissa Crater: Wants to Be a Model

By Michael McGroary

Staff Writer

      "Ever since I was little, I've seen these magazines with models in them, and that's what I knew I wanted to be," freshman Larissa Crater explains, as she talks about her dream of becoming a Victoria Secret model. 

Larissa thinks it would be cool to show off her style. At her mother’s suggestion to help get in better shape to achieve her dream, Larissa started playing for a local basketball team in the Lower Pottsgrove Athletic Association (LPAA) for four years. In one game she scored the winning basket in the last few seconds. Unfortunately, her LPAA days came to an end and she decided to play for the Woodlynde basketball team in her first year of school.

Larissa is now in her second year at Woodlynde, and she’s hoping that her school year will not be as dramatic as her first year. Larissa had a few challenges in her first year at Woodlynde with friends, who would sometimes get upset about things and drag her into the drama. Larissa says that she learned to usually ignore the problems, and just move on, especially because she had to deal with a little sister at home.

Larissa and her younger sister, who is 11, have a love/hate relationship. Their parents try to make them get along with each other, but most of the time it doesn’t help. A technique that her parents have tried is having her little sister pick out Larissa’s clothes for her on the weekend.

Larissa is still trying to get fully used to Woodlynde, but she is doing well and is still holding on to her dream of being a model.

Profile on Caroline Kothari: The Courageous Firewalker

By Blair Epps

Staff Writer

Caroline Kothari has walked on fire!

Yes, she actually walked on hot coals as part of an empowerment organization that the sophomore was part of at Omega Teen Camp.

Caroline spent a week preparing for the event. She broke boards with her hands, bent arrows with her neck, changed negative beliefs into positive affirmations, and drew the positive affirmations as a henna tattoo on her arm.

“It was an incredible experience and I never thought it could be done,” Caroline said.

After walking through the hot coals, she had a “small fire kiss” on her feet that she said represents her strength and courage. She also felt a glow of happiness and was ready to take on any challenges awaiting her.

“Fire walking is not dangerous, it shows you what potential you have in life,” Caroline said..

She would even do it again, because she thinks the experience taught her a lot about walking through things in life and being able to accomplish anything.

Caroline wants to be a motivational empowerment leader and speaker for her career because she wants to help people reclaim their inner warrior.

“Over the past few years, I have learned to change my beliefs. It’s showed me that you can easily change your life and I want to show people it’s possible to make a change in your life at any time,” Caroline said. “My friend and facilitator, Nancy Chernoff from Montreal, Quebec, Canada, has taken me out of the dark and has helped me see the light at the end of the tunnel. She has helped me to see a brighter future.”  

Along with firewalking, Caroline has other interests.

Her favorite show is “Extreme Weight Loss Makeover Edition”, and her favorite movie is “Parent Trap”.  Her favorite food is Indian because she has grown up eating it.

Caroline's favorite Muppet is Kermit the Frog because she thinks that he is pretty cool due to his original name.

She has been attending Woodlynde for five years, and likes it because, she says, Woodlynde “lets everyone be friends.”

Caroline, 16, has a twin sister, and a brother, age 11. The twins get along okay, Caroline said. They don't hate each other but they are not best friends.

If she had to be stuck in an elevator with someone, Caroline said she would choose Anthony Robbins who is a 21st century empowerment leader, who motivates people to break through their barriers and make changes in their lives.

Caroline has two dogs, Sweetie and Lucy, and she likes to watch TV with them and hang out on the couch.

One of her main goals in life is to share how important it is to never give up.

"I would like to public speak to a group of 1,000 people before I die,” Caroline said. “I really want to spread the message of persistence."

Profile on Blair Epps: Tragedy Turned to Safety

By Caroline Kothari

Staff Writer

When Blair Epps was 10 years old, she was walking home from her bus stop to her grandma’s apartment, when a stranger took her hand and told her to get in his car.

Thankfully, she knew enough not to listen, to avoid being kidnapped. She ran away and called the police, who took her to a woman who worked for the FBI. In the end, the man was caught and sentenced to two years in prison, and Blair is safe and sound.  

When asked how she felt about this experience, the freshman replied, “I don’t feel like I’m so special, or like I'm an important person.”

She added: “I don’t need anyone to treat me like I always need supervision, or always need to be protected.”

“I am an independent young woman and I can handle myself. What happened that day was a test and I passed that test. That doesn't mean that I won't have any more tests like that, but that day proves that I am strong enough to handle myself. I’m afraid of that day, but I'm not spooked.

She added: “I am glad that I remembered to run away and not listen to him.”

Blair wants to become an actress when she grows up because she feels that acting comes naturally to her. She says acting is something that flows for her. Her desire to act started when she was little and she always wanted attention; she soon found that she can get attention through acting.

Blair also wants to be a writer when she is older because it lets her use her creativity. She says she loves to write poems and short stories. Blair spends a lot of time working on each piece to make sure it’s strong.

Blair, who has two sisters named Jamiri and Monique, has always had a strong interest in skydiving. "I want to skydive before I die because I always wanted to fly."  

Blair has a cat named Bell Bell and a dog named Jojo. Blair named her dog Jojo after a friend came up with the name. Blair’s sister named the other cat Tinkerbell, but when she went off to college, Blair renamed the cat Bell Bell.

Blair is a new student at Woodlynde, and the freshman says her favorite thing about Woodlynde is that the school meets her learning needs and the teachers help her one-on-one.

“I love Woodlynde School. I picked it because it suits my learning strategies. Everyone is very nice, pleasing, and we are all here for the same reason. I believe that I can shine in this school and be the best learner I can be.”