Sarah Sledd '12: Reflects On Teaching At Her Former School
by Gracean Ratliff '23
Sarah Sledd ‘12 is the Upper School Graphic Design and Yearbook teacher. As a former student, she now gets to work with some of the teachers that taught her. She also gets to work with her mother, who is just down the hallway.
Sledd attended North Cross for 13 years, making her a “Fat Pencil Student”.
She was taught by teachers that impacted her greatly.
“I had amazing teachers," Sledd said, "and I think they're the reason I love learning as much as I do.". Although she enjoyed her middle and lower school years more than her upper school, she loves the environment now, compared to when she was a student.
Something was missing in her Upper School experience and now working here, she now realizes it; the SCA. During her time in the upper school, the SCA didn’t do spirit week, the senior trip, and homecoming and prom were not as big of a deal.
“I'll take a minute and brag about the SCA in the Upper School," Sledd said, "that was the key thing missing from my upper school experience was that like the togetherness, the sense of belonging working toward things together."
In her junior year, she took Mr. Jeff Canards Graphic Design class and fell in love with it.
“I'm not a great fine artist," Sledd said, "but I love the combination of the art with the organization that design requires”.
She then went on to Liberty University Online and received a Bachelor of Science, in fine art with a focus in graphic design.
A requirement for her schooling was to partake in an internship. Through her many connections in the school, she found an internship at North Cross helping out with a capital campaign. After working under Jessica Schindhelm for a while, the campaign grew, and by the time her internship was over, she was eventually hired full-time to work on the project.
After two or three years of working on the campaign, she was asked to be the Graphic Design Teacher.
Sledd has been teaching Upper School Graphic Design only for a couple of years but also finds time to teach the Yearbook class.
Aside from teaching, she leads the Media Club; a club where students write captions and take pictures for the North Cross Instagram page. She also does a lot of marketing for the school as well. This year is her first year of full-time teaching, having three design classes and her yearbook class as well.
Following in her Mother and Grandmothers footsteps, Sledd lands herself a role as a teacher. “ I never thought I'd be a teacher," Sledd said, "but my grandmother's a teacher, my mother's a teacher, I was like I’m never going to do it. I'm not going to be a teacher. Here I am. A teacher."
Being right across the hallway from Mrs. Laundry, her 10th-grade chemistry teacher; Dr. Finney, her senior year Latin teacher; and now her boss, Mr. Belderes, her math teacher for three years and her D’Hart advisor; Sledd felt right at home working here.
While being a teacher’s kid for her whole life, working with her teachers was the same feeling. “Already being a teacher's kid, I was used to seeing them in different capacities," Sledd said, "so it becomes natural very quickly,”
Another positive aspect of working here is being able to be just a walk down the hallway from her mother, Mrs. Holley.
“I don't really know a life not being around her every day," Sledd said, "because when I was a student she was a teacher and we're here every day together." Holley and Sledd are the Mother-Daughter duo on campus and her pretty much attached at the hip. “It's kind of awesome,” Sledd said, “there's a built-in buddy to eat lunch or to go somewhere with, so it's nice.”
From once being impacted by her teachers, she now gets to do the same to hers. Zane Ratliff ‘22, a Graphic Design 3 student, reflects on how Mrs. Sledd has impacted him throughout his Upper School years. “Mrs. Sledd has helped me in a lot of different ways, mainly helping me with my D’Hart speech," Ratliff said, "I really don’t know where I would be without her. She has been a great graphic design teacher and is just a great overall role model”.
Sledd has been a impactful addition to the North Cross Family for the past years, both as a student and as a teacher, and will continue to thrive in her work.
Sarah Sledd ‘12 is the Upper School Graphic Design and Yearbook teacher. As a former student, she now gets to work with some of the teachers that taught her. She also gets to work with her mother, who is just down the hallway.
Sledd attended North Cross for 13 years, making her a “Fat Pencil Student”.
She was taught by teachers that impacted her greatly.
“I had amazing teachers," Sledd said, "and I think they're the reason I love learning as much as I do.". Although she enjoyed her middle and lower school years more than her upper school, she loves the environment now, compared to when she was a student.
Something was missing in her Upper School experience and now working here, she now realizes it; the SCA. During her time in the upper school, the SCA didn’t do spirit week, the senior trip, and homecoming and prom were not as big of a deal.
“I'll take a minute and brag about the SCA in the Upper School," Sledd said, "that was the key thing missing from my upper school experience was that like the togetherness, the sense of belonging working toward things together."
In her junior year, she took Mr. Jeff Canards Graphic Design class and fell in love with it.
“I'm not a great fine artist," Sledd said, "but I love the combination of the art with the organization that design requires”.
She then went on to Liberty University Online and received a Bachelor of Science, in fine art with a focus in graphic design.
A requirement for her schooling was to partake in an internship. Through her many connections in the school, she found an internship at North Cross helping out with a capital campaign. After working under Jessica Schindhelm for a while, the campaign grew, and by the time her internship was over, she was eventually hired full-time to work on the project.
After two or three years of working on the campaign, she was asked to be the Graphic Design Teacher.
Sledd has been teaching Upper School Graphic Design only for a couple of years but also finds time to teach the Yearbook class.
Aside from teaching, she leads the Media Club; a club where students write captions and take pictures for the North Cross Instagram page. She also does a lot of marketing for the school as well. This year is her first year of full-time teaching, having three design classes and her yearbook class as well.
Following in her Mother and Grandmothers footsteps, Sledd lands herself a role as a teacher. “ I never thought I'd be a teacher," Sledd said, "but my grandmother's a teacher, my mother's a teacher, I was like I’m never going to do it. I'm not going to be a teacher. Here I am. A teacher."
Being right across the hallway from Mrs. Laundry, her 10th-grade chemistry teacher; Dr. Finney, her senior year Latin teacher; and now her boss, Mr. Belderes, her math teacher for three years and her D’Hart advisor; Sledd felt right at home working here.
While being a teacher’s kid for her whole life, working with her teachers was the same feeling. “Already being a teacher's kid, I was used to seeing them in different capacities," Sledd said, "so it becomes natural very quickly,”
Another positive aspect of working here is being able to be just a walk down the hallway from her mother, Mrs. Holley.
“I don't really know a life not being around her every day," Sledd said, "because when I was a student she was a teacher and we're here every day together." Holley and Sledd are the Mother-Daughter duo on campus and her pretty much attached at the hip. “It's kind of awesome,” Sledd said, “there's a built-in buddy to eat lunch or to go somewhere with, so it's nice.”
From once being impacted by her teachers, she now gets to do the same to hers. Zane Ratliff ‘22, a Graphic Design 3 student, reflects on how Mrs. Sledd has impacted him throughout his Upper School years. “Mrs. Sledd has helped me in a lot of different ways, mainly helping me with my D’Hart speech," Ratliff said, "I really don’t know where I would be without her. She has been a great graphic design teacher and is just a great overall role model”.
Sledd has been a impactful addition to the North Cross Family for the past years, both as a student and as a teacher, and will continue to thrive in her work.
Junior Year: Double the Work
It’s a general conception that Junior year is the hardest year of high school. Not only can students start taking more advanced classes, but the amount of work shoots up, you have to take the SAT/ACT, there’s pressure to keep good grades for colleges, and athletes have to step up their game if they want to be recruited. With all this stress, there would be no time for anything right? Wrong, many North Cross Juniors are adding to their big year by getting an after school job.
Bubblecake general manager Remy Lusk, has been working there since she was 13.
“Over the summer I worked everyday full-time, around 45-50 hours a week.” Lusk said. “When school started I lowered it to 15-20. I usually work about 2-4 days a week now.”
Remy also played field hockey for school this year while working. She said it is difficult to maintain practice and work, but she was able to work mostly weekends during the season. Now that her sport is completed, she can work more and she still manages to get homework done.
“Having a job doesn’t get in the way of my school work.”, Lusk said. “Thankfully we close at a time that is sufficient for me to get home and finish my work without being too drained and I still have time to do other things outside of work and school.”
Campbell Neel has been working as a hostess at 419 West for months now. She works three to five days a week for three to six hour shifts. She is also a member of the North Cross field hockey team. In a normal year, it would have been a conflict schedule, but with Covid-19 affecting the season, her schedule was much more flexible.
“Due to the virus, our sport was one of the ones that had no games.” Neel said. “Since there was no games, practice wasn’t mandatory so I could skip when I had to work”
Even after the field hockey season ended she still felt that there was no time to get her other work done.
“I definitely have no time to do my homework.” Neel said, “but I can’t quit so next year I’ll just request more days off so that I can get school work done.”
Dayonna Anderson-Pryce is another student who has been tackling a job, this one being provided by North Cross. She works by helping out with the kindergarteners at the extended-day program at the lower school.
“I have been working with the kids after school since the start of the school year, but worked with the summer camp since the summer after freshman year.” Anderson-Pryce said. “I usually work everyday after school from whenever class gets out to five.”
While it takes up a lot of her time, she has learned to adapt to make the most of her day. With the pandemic as well, there are less after school activities she is participating in this year.
“I think it can be difficult with the classes I have,” Anderson-Pryce said. “But having the activity period on B days helps and acts as my study hall because I opted out of having one in my regular schedule. I do think that it takes up a lot of time and isn't the best with completing homework, but it helps me transition to my homework better so I don’t have 10 hours straight of academics.
It is a wonder how these students manage to stay on top of everything. Also, all of them are taking multiple AP classes, which require a ton more time and effort, and still manage to make honor roll. Remy, Campbell, and Dayanna all plan to keep their jobs next year, and not just for the money.
“I love that I have a great community of people that I work with!” Lusk said. “A lot of the people I work with are in my age range which makes it really great to maintain a social life while also having a job. I also love the creative factor in my job and that the job itself is not only inspiring, but also a great creative outlet.”
“I absolutely love my kids.” Anderson-Pryce said. “Whether my plate is completely full or not, I never have a day where I don’t want to be there and hang out with the kids.”
These girls are driven, hardworking, and excellent time managers. Junior year might throw all it has at them, but there is no doubt these students will overcome it.
Bubblecake general manager Remy Lusk, has been working there since she was 13.
“Over the summer I worked everyday full-time, around 45-50 hours a week.” Lusk said. “When school started I lowered it to 15-20. I usually work about 2-4 days a week now.”
Remy also played field hockey for school this year while working. She said it is difficult to maintain practice and work, but she was able to work mostly weekends during the season. Now that her sport is completed, she can work more and she still manages to get homework done.
“Having a job doesn’t get in the way of my school work.”, Lusk said. “Thankfully we close at a time that is sufficient for me to get home and finish my work without being too drained and I still have time to do other things outside of work and school.”
Campbell Neel has been working as a hostess at 419 West for months now. She works three to five days a week for three to six hour shifts. She is also a member of the North Cross field hockey team. In a normal year, it would have been a conflict schedule, but with Covid-19 affecting the season, her schedule was much more flexible.
“Due to the virus, our sport was one of the ones that had no games.” Neel said. “Since there was no games, practice wasn’t mandatory so I could skip when I had to work”
Even after the field hockey season ended she still felt that there was no time to get her other work done.
“I definitely have no time to do my homework.” Neel said, “but I can’t quit so next year I’ll just request more days off so that I can get school work done.”
Dayonna Anderson-Pryce is another student who has been tackling a job, this one being provided by North Cross. She works by helping out with the kindergarteners at the extended-day program at the lower school.
“I have been working with the kids after school since the start of the school year, but worked with the summer camp since the summer after freshman year.” Anderson-Pryce said. “I usually work everyday after school from whenever class gets out to five.”
While it takes up a lot of her time, she has learned to adapt to make the most of her day. With the pandemic as well, there are less after school activities she is participating in this year.
“I think it can be difficult with the classes I have,” Anderson-Pryce said. “But having the activity period on B days helps and acts as my study hall because I opted out of having one in my regular schedule. I do think that it takes up a lot of time and isn't the best with completing homework, but it helps me transition to my homework better so I don’t have 10 hours straight of academics.
It is a wonder how these students manage to stay on top of everything. Also, all of them are taking multiple AP classes, which require a ton more time and effort, and still manage to make honor roll. Remy, Campbell, and Dayanna all plan to keep their jobs next year, and not just for the money.
“I love that I have a great community of people that I work with!” Lusk said. “A lot of the people I work with are in my age range which makes it really great to maintain a social life while also having a job. I also love the creative factor in my job and that the job itself is not only inspiring, but also a great creative outlet.”
“I absolutely love my kids.” Anderson-Pryce said. “Whether my plate is completely full or not, I never have a day where I don’t want to be there and hang out with the kids.”
These girls are driven, hardworking, and excellent time managers. Junior year might throw all it has at them, but there is no doubt these students will overcome it.
Le Distance Learns from Vietnam
By Chloe Hunt
January 2021
Tammie Lee ‘21 joined the North Cross community last year. After one year staying at the dorms downtown, she is back at her home in Vietnam.
Adjusting to distance learning can be difficult for anybody, but when balancing a different time zone, it becomes more complicated.
“I would say that it is fun and a bit challenging at the same time because firstly it is about the
time difference between our countries,” Lee said. “To be able to join in classes with other students in America, I have to stay up late at night and sleep when the sun is about to rise in the morning, which was quite tiring to adapt at first. I had to choose to ‘live’ in the time zone of Spain.”
There is an option available for international students to watch class recordings, but Le says the best way to stay motivated is by attending class live.
“You might ask me why I don’t keep my routine like a normal Asian and watch the
recordings to study, it is because I don’t trust myself to be honest,” Le said. “To me, in-person class helps me to study at my best and to be productive all the time, and so if distance learning is unavoidable, I will make myself log on zoom and study with everyone in real time to prevent laziness from taking over me. I only watch the recordings in case I need to revise for quizzes or
I am unable to attend class. Secondly, it is about homework and communication.”
Le acknowledges that it is not as easy to communicate with teachers, but teachers are still available outside of class time.
“Unlike last year, when I was still in America, I could easily stay after class if I have any questions for homework or if I struggle at anything,” Le said. “This year, I have to email them to ask questions or to ask for their free time in order to zoom one on one and talk. It’s not that I cannot ask them straight in class, but sometimes I am afraid to sound stupid in class.”
Throughout the pandemic, Le has fostered hobbies that make quarantine a little less lonely.
“I founded a small organization in July called A Better Bite Project where we create articles and
graphic artworks to give information about food science for people on social media,” Le said. “And because I am the only designer for the organization, I have to work hard for us to meet our target number of articles per month. I never do art without effort, so it usually takes me a long time to finish them.”
“I love baking and cooking for my loved ones, whenever I have time,” Le said. “I also love to go and eat out with my friends because we have many many hot pot and barbecue restaurants here and milk tea stores too.” Le’s love for the kitchen is compounded by an affinity for K-Pop.
“I have a love for Kpop, something that I thought I may have lost when I was in America, when
everyone around me only listens to Rap, RnB, and USUK pop,” Le said. “When I am back in Vietnam, Kpop just naturally came back to me! Not to be too confident, but I believe I have a talent in memorizing Korean lyrics and dances! That is why whenever I listen to music, whether to relax or to study, I always sing along with the songs.”
Le also discussed her routine which requires sleeping during the day.
“A weekday of mine is simple. Since school started, I have gotten used to going to sleep at 7am my time and waking up at around 12 or 1,” Le said. “I will cook myself something to eat and then start to do homework until around 5 or 6pm. Then I will relax for a bit by listening to music and singing, or dancing, or sometimes drawing, and then start studying on Zoom. I usually eat my second meal at break time, between 1st and 2nd period and then keep on studying until 7am. I have also gotten used to eating only 2 meals a day. Sometimes, when I am exhausted, I will go to sleep earlier.”
Le suggested that staying in her room for extended periods of time allows her to work on art, an interest that she hopes to continue in the future.
“Because I am going to study art in the future, about one-third of my homework is about art,
which needs a lot of time and commitment,” Le said, “that is why I spend most of my time in my room to create artworks for school and for my organization.”
January 2021
Tammie Lee ‘21 joined the North Cross community last year. After one year staying at the dorms downtown, she is back at her home in Vietnam.
Adjusting to distance learning can be difficult for anybody, but when balancing a different time zone, it becomes more complicated.
“I would say that it is fun and a bit challenging at the same time because firstly it is about the
time difference between our countries,” Lee said. “To be able to join in classes with other students in America, I have to stay up late at night and sleep when the sun is about to rise in the morning, which was quite tiring to adapt at first. I had to choose to ‘live’ in the time zone of Spain.”
There is an option available for international students to watch class recordings, but Le says the best way to stay motivated is by attending class live.
“You might ask me why I don’t keep my routine like a normal Asian and watch the
recordings to study, it is because I don’t trust myself to be honest,” Le said. “To me, in-person class helps me to study at my best and to be productive all the time, and so if distance learning is unavoidable, I will make myself log on zoom and study with everyone in real time to prevent laziness from taking over me. I only watch the recordings in case I need to revise for quizzes or
I am unable to attend class. Secondly, it is about homework and communication.”
Le acknowledges that it is not as easy to communicate with teachers, but teachers are still available outside of class time.
“Unlike last year, when I was still in America, I could easily stay after class if I have any questions for homework or if I struggle at anything,” Le said. “This year, I have to email them to ask questions or to ask for their free time in order to zoom one on one and talk. It’s not that I cannot ask them straight in class, but sometimes I am afraid to sound stupid in class.”
Throughout the pandemic, Le has fostered hobbies that make quarantine a little less lonely.
“I founded a small organization in July called A Better Bite Project where we create articles and
graphic artworks to give information about food science for people on social media,” Le said. “And because I am the only designer for the organization, I have to work hard for us to meet our target number of articles per month. I never do art without effort, so it usually takes me a long time to finish them.”
“I love baking and cooking for my loved ones, whenever I have time,” Le said. “I also love to go and eat out with my friends because we have many many hot pot and barbecue restaurants here and milk tea stores too.” Le’s love for the kitchen is compounded by an affinity for K-Pop.
“I have a love for Kpop, something that I thought I may have lost when I was in America, when
everyone around me only listens to Rap, RnB, and USUK pop,” Le said. “When I am back in Vietnam, Kpop just naturally came back to me! Not to be too confident, but I believe I have a talent in memorizing Korean lyrics and dances! That is why whenever I listen to music, whether to relax or to study, I always sing along with the songs.”
Le also discussed her routine which requires sleeping during the day.
“A weekday of mine is simple. Since school started, I have gotten used to going to sleep at 7am my time and waking up at around 12 or 1,” Le said. “I will cook myself something to eat and then start to do homework until around 5 or 6pm. Then I will relax for a bit by listening to music and singing, or dancing, or sometimes drawing, and then start studying on Zoom. I usually eat my second meal at break time, between 1st and 2nd period and then keep on studying until 7am. I have also gotten used to eating only 2 meals a day. Sometimes, when I am exhausted, I will go to sleep earlier.”
Le suggested that staying in her room for extended periods of time allows her to work on art, an interest that she hopes to continue in the future.
“Because I am going to study art in the future, about one-third of my homework is about art,
which needs a lot of time and commitment,” Le said, “that is why I spend most of my time in my room to create artworks for school and for my organization.”
Johnson Mihaly Adjusts to New Role of Spanish Teacher in Willis Hall
By Grace Simon
October 13, 2020
At lunchtime on a rainy Tuesday, the new teacher Mr. Mihaly sat grading students’ work at his desk. Mihaly has recently been hired to be one of the primary spanish teachers for Willis Hall.
Mihaly was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, but spent most of his youth in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He attended two public high schools, one in Michigan, and one in Chesapeake, Virginia. Mihaly stated that both highschools each had unique, enjoyable experiences that made adjusting easier.
Mihaly moved to Virginia in 2014, half way through his high school career. He finished his junior and senior years of high school in Virginia. Roanoke College is what brought Mihaly to southwestern Virginia. With one of the most beautiful campuses he had seen, and with the scholarship, attending was a no brainer. He was drawn to Roanoke College because of its size. He believed that since it was so small he could develop good mentors through his professors. The professors he had throughout the years highly impacted him. His philosophy professor still continues to reach out and send Mihaly books. A Spanish professor had led him on a trip to Peru, which exposed Mihaly to Spanish culture and the art of the language.
Mihaly says the person who left the biggest impact on his career was his mom. She had been a professor for Spanish literature. This introduced Mihaly to Spanish and influenced his decision to pursue the language even further. At college, he was inspired by the opportunity to help students taking intro level Spanish classes.
“I really like seeing that spark of creativity in students,” Mihaly said. “It is one of the most enjoyable moments of teaching is having the opportunity to express themselves and learn to express themselves in a different language.”
Surprisingly, even though Mihaly had attended public school all his life, he still had a want to teach at a private school.
“I had been to public school so I know it comes with more regulations like SOLS,” Mihaly said. “The freedom you have as a teacher to design your own lesson plans that you are personally interested in or your students may find interesting which is not at public school as much in my experience.”
Although Mihaly has already adjusted well to life at North Cross, it is still his first year. “Here there is a motivation upon the students to do well academically and there is a pretty collegial atmosphere here upon the students,” Mihaly said. “I really enjoy that aspect and then on the teacher side there is an amazing group of teachers because there has not been a single time where I have asked a question or wanted advice on something and someone has not offered to help me so it is a very supportive group of colleagues and the students are very motivated and engaged on their side.”
All in all, North Cross is very happy to welcome Mr. Mihaly to campus and is excited to see what the next years will bring.
October 13, 2020
At lunchtime on a rainy Tuesday, the new teacher Mr. Mihaly sat grading students’ work at his desk. Mihaly has recently been hired to be one of the primary spanish teachers for Willis Hall.
Mihaly was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, but spent most of his youth in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He attended two public high schools, one in Michigan, and one in Chesapeake, Virginia. Mihaly stated that both highschools each had unique, enjoyable experiences that made adjusting easier.
Mihaly moved to Virginia in 2014, half way through his high school career. He finished his junior and senior years of high school in Virginia. Roanoke College is what brought Mihaly to southwestern Virginia. With one of the most beautiful campuses he had seen, and with the scholarship, attending was a no brainer. He was drawn to Roanoke College because of its size. He believed that since it was so small he could develop good mentors through his professors. The professors he had throughout the years highly impacted him. His philosophy professor still continues to reach out and send Mihaly books. A Spanish professor had led him on a trip to Peru, which exposed Mihaly to Spanish culture and the art of the language.
Mihaly says the person who left the biggest impact on his career was his mom. She had been a professor for Spanish literature. This introduced Mihaly to Spanish and influenced his decision to pursue the language even further. At college, he was inspired by the opportunity to help students taking intro level Spanish classes.
“I really like seeing that spark of creativity in students,” Mihaly said. “It is one of the most enjoyable moments of teaching is having the opportunity to express themselves and learn to express themselves in a different language.”
Surprisingly, even though Mihaly had attended public school all his life, he still had a want to teach at a private school.
“I had been to public school so I know it comes with more regulations like SOLS,” Mihaly said. “The freedom you have as a teacher to design your own lesson plans that you are personally interested in or your students may find interesting which is not at public school as much in my experience.”
Although Mihaly has already adjusted well to life at North Cross, it is still his first year. “Here there is a motivation upon the students to do well academically and there is a pretty collegial atmosphere here upon the students,” Mihaly said. “I really enjoy that aspect and then on the teacher side there is an amazing group of teachers because there has not been a single time where I have asked a question or wanted advice on something and someone has not offered to help me so it is a very supportive group of colleagues and the students are very motivated and engaged on their side.”
All in all, North Cross is very happy to welcome Mr. Mihaly to campus and is excited to see what the next years will bring.
Olivia Murchison: working at Bobby's Hot and Cheesy
By Chloe Hunt
August 20, 2020
Most know Olivia Murchison '21 as the guitar or music girl. It is, after all, one of her most salient talents. However, not everybody knows that she also works upwards of 30 hours a week in the summer and 15-20 hours during the school year at a local pizza shop.
"I started working when I was 15 in June of 2019 around my birthday," Murchison said. "I really got a job because my parents would always make jokes about getting a job. I feel like everyone experiences that at some point."
Her parents' constant nagging encouraged her to actually get one at Bobby's Hot and Cheesy, a famed pizza restaurant, at Towers Shopping Center.
"I kind of wanted more financial mobility with my music," Murchison said, "and I really wanted to see what it was like to have a job because it always looked fun to me."
Murchison stated her work is, in fact, fun.
"My favorite part about work is my coworkers and Rob, my boss," Murchison said. "I have made genuinely really good friends, and they are people outside of my school circle. It is nice talking to people that I do not see all the time at school."
Murchison also noted that her work allows to have a special insight into the community which she might not have explored otherwise.
"It is a really unique opportunity to get to know the community. I work at a small business, so it is really involved with local people," Murchison said. "I really like getting to know the customers that come in even if it just for a little bit."
Her official role is a little complex. With Covid-19, the business had to downsize, so as a longtime employee, her responsibilities have expanded.
"My official role is expo," Murchison said. "That means I expedite the food. I cut pizzas, make salads, and I make sure everything is order before it goes out. I deal with customers and take orders too."
There is one place that Murchison practically owns at work: the oven.
"I make sure nothing is burnt or undercooked," Murchison said. "So, basically quality control. Everyone jokes that I live in the oven at work."
This experience has not just been fun for Murchison; she has also learned a lot of life lessons.
"Patience is really important," Murchison said. "There are always going to be 'Karens' in the world, so I have learned how to deal with people. I have also learned how to make something good out of a bad situation."
Murchison also learned the vitality of small businesses.
"I did not realize how important small business are to small towns," Murchison said. "I think I have definitely started to support more small businesses. If they go away, people would notice. They are really important to our system."
This experience has also changed her attitude towards employees at other businesses.
"I am definitely more polite towards small business employees," Murchison said. "I never was rude, but now, I make sure to be extra polite and really say I appreciate them. Appreciation means a lot."
Before Covid-19, Murchison was a busser or runner. Essentially, that means that she cleaned tables and dishes.
"Now, there are a lot of more paper boxes," Murchison said. "We have more traffic, but a lot of the work I do is like taking phone calls or making sure people wear masks. As part of expo, we now put things in boxes, sticker things, and give utensils, seasonings, and such. It is definitely more difficult to make sure people get all of the customer service things they deserve."
Murchison does have some advice for the students out there who want to get a job.
"Do not let it consume you," Murchison said. "Still hang out with friends. It is okay to take time off and have fun. Also, don't be serious about anything. Be professional, but enjoy yourself. Get to know your coworkers. Why do they have the job that you share? Small connections are incredibly important."
Overall, she recommends working in customer service.
"Working at this age has definitely shaped me into the person I am today. If you have the opportunity, do it."
August 20, 2020
Most know Olivia Murchison '21 as the guitar or music girl. It is, after all, one of her most salient talents. However, not everybody knows that she also works upwards of 30 hours a week in the summer and 15-20 hours during the school year at a local pizza shop.
"I started working when I was 15 in June of 2019 around my birthday," Murchison said. "I really got a job because my parents would always make jokes about getting a job. I feel like everyone experiences that at some point."
Her parents' constant nagging encouraged her to actually get one at Bobby's Hot and Cheesy, a famed pizza restaurant, at Towers Shopping Center.
"I kind of wanted more financial mobility with my music," Murchison said, "and I really wanted to see what it was like to have a job because it always looked fun to me."
Murchison stated her work is, in fact, fun.
"My favorite part about work is my coworkers and Rob, my boss," Murchison said. "I have made genuinely really good friends, and they are people outside of my school circle. It is nice talking to people that I do not see all the time at school."
Murchison also noted that her work allows to have a special insight into the community which she might not have explored otherwise.
"It is a really unique opportunity to get to know the community. I work at a small business, so it is really involved with local people," Murchison said. "I really like getting to know the customers that come in even if it just for a little bit."
Her official role is a little complex. With Covid-19, the business had to downsize, so as a longtime employee, her responsibilities have expanded.
"My official role is expo," Murchison said. "That means I expedite the food. I cut pizzas, make salads, and I make sure everything is order before it goes out. I deal with customers and take orders too."
There is one place that Murchison practically owns at work: the oven.
"I make sure nothing is burnt or undercooked," Murchison said. "So, basically quality control. Everyone jokes that I live in the oven at work."
This experience has not just been fun for Murchison; she has also learned a lot of life lessons.
"Patience is really important," Murchison said. "There are always going to be 'Karens' in the world, so I have learned how to deal with people. I have also learned how to make something good out of a bad situation."
Murchison also learned the vitality of small businesses.
"I did not realize how important small business are to small towns," Murchison said. "I think I have definitely started to support more small businesses. If they go away, people would notice. They are really important to our system."
This experience has also changed her attitude towards employees at other businesses.
"I am definitely more polite towards small business employees," Murchison said. "I never was rude, but now, I make sure to be extra polite and really say I appreciate them. Appreciation means a lot."
Before Covid-19, Murchison was a busser or runner. Essentially, that means that she cleaned tables and dishes.
"Now, there are a lot of more paper boxes," Murchison said. "We have more traffic, but a lot of the work I do is like taking phone calls or making sure people wear masks. As part of expo, we now put things in boxes, sticker things, and give utensils, seasonings, and such. It is definitely more difficult to make sure people get all of the customer service things they deserve."
Murchison does have some advice for the students out there who want to get a job.
"Do not let it consume you," Murchison said. "Still hang out with friends. It is okay to take time off and have fun. Also, don't be serious about anything. Be professional, but enjoy yourself. Get to know your coworkers. Why do they have the job that you share? Small connections are incredibly important."
Overall, she recommends working in customer service.
"Working at this age has definitely shaped me into the person I am today. If you have the opportunity, do it."
Spotlight: Kess as an EMT for the Cave Spring Rescue Squad during the Pandemic
Becky Kess '21 continues her work as an EMT. Working amid Covid-19, her duties are more challenging now so than ever.
Kess's shifts are still 12-24 hours. However, some of her coworkers have not been "running" as much due to the virus.
"I have volunteered to cover more shifts," Kess said. "Because some people's companies are not letting them run because of coronavirus, I have found myself working more."
Kess's job has new challenges because of the pandemic. Communicating with patients and understanding their struggles as both parties wear mask has been a struggle. Calls also look much different than they did in the past.
"Right now a call consists of us putting gloves on hair up and putting either an N-95 or surgical mask on before we get to the location of the call of a non Covid-19 patient. For a call of a Covid-19 positive patient we put gowns on, hair up, gloves, N-95 and a shield," Kess said. "We remove all of our personal items such as our watches, necklaces etc and put them in a ‘safe spot’ in the truck. After every call we sanitize the truck more than we used to."
This certainly make this process of taking care of patients more difficult than usual; however, Kess is committed to ensuring that patients feel safe in her presence.
"As a frontline worker, I feel like we still have a duty to provide the best care to our patients while keeping us all safe at the same time," Kess said. "It is hard right now, but we have made adjustments to make sure it all happens."
Kess firmly believes, as scientists do, that wearing a mask is crucial.
"I would say always wear a mask," Kess said, "especially inside and try and limit person to person exposure and don’t gather in large groups."
Kess also has some words for students, parents, and community members alike.
"I’ve learned that nobody is safe from a virus and how important sanitization is and how far simple hand washing can go to help kill the virus," Kess said. "After all, we will get through this together."
Kess's shifts are still 12-24 hours. However, some of her coworkers have not been "running" as much due to the virus.
"I have volunteered to cover more shifts," Kess said. "Because some people's companies are not letting them run because of coronavirus, I have found myself working more."
Kess's job has new challenges because of the pandemic. Communicating with patients and understanding their struggles as both parties wear mask has been a struggle. Calls also look much different than they did in the past.
"Right now a call consists of us putting gloves on hair up and putting either an N-95 or surgical mask on before we get to the location of the call of a non Covid-19 patient. For a call of a Covid-19 positive patient we put gowns on, hair up, gloves, N-95 and a shield," Kess said. "We remove all of our personal items such as our watches, necklaces etc and put them in a ‘safe spot’ in the truck. After every call we sanitize the truck more than we used to."
This certainly make this process of taking care of patients more difficult than usual; however, Kess is committed to ensuring that patients feel safe in her presence.
"As a frontline worker, I feel like we still have a duty to provide the best care to our patients while keeping us all safe at the same time," Kess said. "It is hard right now, but we have made adjustments to make sure it all happens."
Kess firmly believes, as scientists do, that wearing a mask is crucial.
"I would say always wear a mask," Kess said, "especially inside and try and limit person to person exposure and don’t gather in large groups."
Kess also has some words for students, parents, and community members alike.
"I’ve learned that nobody is safe from a virus and how important sanitization is and how far simple hand washing can go to help kill the virus," Kess said. "After all, we will get through this together."
Mask-maker, mask-maker make me a mask
By Chloe Hunt
Rising junior Remy Lusk returns to North Cross this fall. This summer, she has continued to work as a manager at Bubblecake. She has also grown a lucrative mask-making business.
"I started going to North Cross when I was in fourth grade, and eventually I left to start at a boarding school in Charlottesville in ninth grade," Lusk said. "I went there for about two years, and I plan to return to North Cross for my final two years of high school."
Lusk attended the Miller School of Albemarle. While there, she played volleyball and was a member of yearbook.
Lusk started making masks after she realized that hospitals were especially low on PPE and in dire need of supplies.
"It was apparent to me when COVID hit that hospitals were running dangerously low on supplies like masks and gloves. There wasn’t much I could do when I found this out because I didn’t know what resources I had to help," Lusk said. "However, I began to see across my social media that people were making and sewing masks. This sparked the idea to start sewing masks for the people in my community, whether they were essential workers or just regular people trying to stay safe."
Lusk started out with a small-scale operation, but soon enough, she was in high-demand.
"The execution of cutting, sewing, and ironing the masks was something that took quite some time to really figure out and manage well," Lusk said. "At first it was difficult; it was taking me way too long to make a set amount of masks considering how many people were asking for them, and I was incredibly stressed out."
So, she sought help.
"Eventually, I hired an assistant to help me and we were able to knock out masks in a much more timely fashion," Lusk said. "Buying the materials was pretty straightforward. I chose to have my setup to sew masks at my family’s bakery, Bubblecake, while they continued to do carry out and online ordering. There was a craft store that I was able to walk to, so any time I needed fabric, had an issue with my sewing machine, any problem that really occurred, I was able to just walk there."
Lusk has produced over 1000 masks so far and hopes to make more in the near future.
Rising junior Remy Lusk returns to North Cross this fall. This summer, she has continued to work as a manager at Bubblecake. She has also grown a lucrative mask-making business.
"I started going to North Cross when I was in fourth grade, and eventually I left to start at a boarding school in Charlottesville in ninth grade," Lusk said. "I went there for about two years, and I plan to return to North Cross for my final two years of high school."
Lusk attended the Miller School of Albemarle. While there, she played volleyball and was a member of yearbook.
Lusk started making masks after she realized that hospitals were especially low on PPE and in dire need of supplies.
"It was apparent to me when COVID hit that hospitals were running dangerously low on supplies like masks and gloves. There wasn’t much I could do when I found this out because I didn’t know what resources I had to help," Lusk said. "However, I began to see across my social media that people were making and sewing masks. This sparked the idea to start sewing masks for the people in my community, whether they were essential workers or just regular people trying to stay safe."
Lusk started out with a small-scale operation, but soon enough, she was in high-demand.
"The execution of cutting, sewing, and ironing the masks was something that took quite some time to really figure out and manage well," Lusk said. "At first it was difficult; it was taking me way too long to make a set amount of masks considering how many people were asking for them, and I was incredibly stressed out."
So, she sought help.
"Eventually, I hired an assistant to help me and we were able to knock out masks in a much more timely fashion," Lusk said. "Buying the materials was pretty straightforward. I chose to have my setup to sew masks at my family’s bakery, Bubblecake, while they continued to do carry out and online ordering. There was a craft store that I was able to walk to, so any time I needed fabric, had an issue with my sewing machine, any problem that really occurred, I was able to just walk there."
Lusk has produced over 1000 masks so far and hopes to make more in the near future.
Rebecca Kess: full-time student, swimmer, and band member who also saves lives
By Chloe Hunt
Sirens wailing. Cars swerving out of your way. A person (possibly) dying before your eyes. The navy uniform with clunky shoes and thick pants. Jeopardizing your life for the sake of others.
This is just part of the reality for a first responders.
First responders are incredible, especially during a pandemic. We would not be able to battle this virus without them. Their fearlessness and compassion are thanked by the community tremendously.
Most of us can name one first responder in our lives, but we typically envision middle-age professionals, or perhaps our physician. However, Becky Kess changes that narrative. She is a 17-year-old junior in high school located in Roanoke, Virginia.
She is a nationally certified emergency medical technician (EMT) at Cave Spring Rescue.
Sirens wailing. Cars swerving out of your way. A person (possibly) dying before your eyes. The navy uniform with clunky shoes and thick pants. Jeopardizing your life for the sake of others.
This is just part of the reality for a first responders.
First responders are incredible, especially during a pandemic. We would not be able to battle this virus without them. Their fearlessness and compassion are thanked by the community tremendously.
Most of us can name one first responder in our lives, but we typically envision middle-age professionals, or perhaps our physician. However, Becky Kess changes that narrative. She is a 17-year-old junior in high school located in Roanoke, Virginia.
She is a nationally certified emergency medical technician (EMT) at Cave Spring Rescue.
“Being in the back of the ambulance is exciting, terrifying, and fun,” Kess said. “When you are flying down the road, lights and sirens going, your adrenaline going, there is nothing like it. You’re also nervous to see what you're about to go to.”
Kess knew she wanted to help others in a medical capacity for a while. She decided that she wanted to become an EMT right before her 16th birthday, and she handed in her application the day before that milestone. She underwent a rigorous six month training as well.
“My highlights so far are learning so many new skills,” Kess said, “and being able to be around everyone in the healthcare profession and other first responders.”
“I first was introduced to EMS when one of our family friends was a member of a rescue squad,” Kess said. “She would always talk about it and so when I turned 16 I thought why not it’s a good way to get experience at this age and it’s a good way to help the community. I also had never really gotten into sports or any other hobbies so I thought I would give EMS a try.”
Kess’s acts of selflessness and bravery are not appreciated, but now, when many more precautions must be taken, it is important to shed light on her work.
“Due to the pandemic we have had to take many more precautions,” Kess said. “We now always wear a mask when we go out, whether it be an N95 or surgical mask, and that is based on our patients. We always wear gloves so that hasn’t changed but we have many more ways of deep cleaning everything and limiting our exposure to possible Covid-19 patients.”
Her shifts are anywhere from 12-24 hours, and she typically goes in many times a week. Because of the pandemic, Kess has been more active with the job. Despite the long hours and at times scary calls that the squad receives, Kess enjoys serving others and the community.
“It has been so much better than I imagined,” Kess said. “At first it was hard getting used to the ways and the stress of it all. Everyone here is super close and like a family. We all support each other and have a lot of fun.”
Kess knew she wanted to help others in a medical capacity for a while. She decided that she wanted to become an EMT right before her 16th birthday, and she handed in her application the day before that milestone. She underwent a rigorous six month training as well.
“My highlights so far are learning so many new skills,” Kess said, “and being able to be around everyone in the healthcare profession and other first responders.”
“I first was introduced to EMS when one of our family friends was a member of a rescue squad,” Kess said. “She would always talk about it and so when I turned 16 I thought why not it’s a good way to get experience at this age and it’s a good way to help the community. I also had never really gotten into sports or any other hobbies so I thought I would give EMS a try.”
Kess’s acts of selflessness and bravery are not appreciated, but now, when many more precautions must be taken, it is important to shed light on her work.
“Due to the pandemic we have had to take many more precautions,” Kess said. “We now always wear a mask when we go out, whether it be an N95 or surgical mask, and that is based on our patients. We always wear gloves so that hasn’t changed but we have many more ways of deep cleaning everything and limiting our exposure to possible Covid-19 patients.”
Her shifts are anywhere from 12-24 hours, and she typically goes in many times a week. Because of the pandemic, Kess has been more active with the job. Despite the long hours and at times scary calls that the squad receives, Kess enjoys serving others and the community.
“It has been so much better than I imagined,” Kess said. “At first it was hard getting used to the ways and the stress of it all. Everyone here is super close and like a family. We all support each other and have a lot of fun.”
Kess discussed the life-altering impact that being an EMT has had on her. She stated that it has changed her for the better.
“Being an EMT means, to me, service,” Kess said. “You put everyone else’s needs over yourself. You may not get to sleep or you may have to skip dinner or a bathroom break because someone needs you. It is a tough job with lots of pressure but I enjoy providing service to the community and helping in any way I can.”
*Check out the latest news on Kess '21 as en EMT at the top of this page!
“Being an EMT means, to me, service,” Kess said. “You put everyone else’s needs over yourself. You may not get to sleep or you may have to skip dinner or a bathroom break because someone needs you. It is a tough job with lots of pressure but I enjoy providing service to the community and helping in any way I can.”
*Check out the latest news on Kess '21 as en EMT at the top of this page!
Slemp loves sadies dance, helps SCA create biggest winter dance
Humans of North Cross School 2020
Asia swims for CanadaAsia Minnes ‘21 arrived as an elite swimmer from Canada as she shifts her focus to swimming for the University of Tennessee, but her swimming began before most kids walk or talk.
“So when I was 3 months old, me and my family went to Australia and in Australia one of the most important things to do is to learn how to swim because there are pools everywhere, oceans, everything, it’s a must,” Minnes said. “So I was in swimming lessons very early. We went there every winter for seven years, so I just learned how to swim there, and I loved it, so I kept doing i,t and I kept progressing. By 2 years old, I could swim a length by myself without floaties, and then at 4, I joined my first swim team, and it just went from there.” Minnes says that her parents did not demand that she become a swimmer. “My mom hates water and my dad was a hockey player,” she said, “so swimming was kinda like ‘how did she ended up doing that’ kinda thing?’” Minnes said that her parents traveled so much, so they named her after the continent, Asia. Her family settled in Roanoke because her father accepted a job offer and they have stayed here since. “We traveled a lot during my life,” Minnes said “so a few years ago, my dad got a job here and we spent a year here.” Minnes was homeschooled before North Cross. “Private school allowed me to have a student visa so that’s how we’re staying.” Minnes only took online classes and it was a new experience having teachers aid her with work. “So being homeschooled, I did things at my own pace,” Minnes said. “I just went through it by myself . . . so having teachers help you understand was helpful.” More than 60 colleges recruited Minnes due to her swimming record, including best short course time of 1:58 at 200 intermediate medley competition. D1, D2 and D3 schools offered Minnes spots on their teams, but she chose the Tennessee. “I narrowed it down to Tennessee because I felt like it was the best place for me,” she said. “I love the atmosphere there and the whole setup is like somewhere I envisioned myself spending the next four years of my life and . . . like everyone is super close, and I really love the family feeling.” Coach Kristen Erwin spoke highly of Minnes. “Asia! What is not to love about her,” Erwin said in an email interview. “She has meant a lot to our swim team for different reasons. First ... she is undefeated in all her events. She has also broken four North Cross records . . . . Seeing her swim the leg of a relay coming from behind is inspiring. She makes it look effortless, but that is because of the hard work she puts towards her training. She is currently ranked No. 1 in the State and our Conference but she would never tell you. Swimmers from the entire state respect her when she walks on the pool deck and it is earned respect. As a coach it is a true gift to have such a talented swimmer on the team who cares about the team and is a team leader.” Minnes likes her role on the team, which reminds her of her initial love of the sport. “I really enjoy it,” she said. “There is not as much pressure [as there is with club swimming]. It is a way to connect with the reason why I learned to love swimming in the first place.” |
Hashmi adds Chinese to her collection of languagesGlobal Studies Scholar, MUN delegate and volleyball player Mahum Hashmi ‘21 decided to start taking Chinese this year.
When asked why she started taking the language, Hashmi did not have a concrete answer, but she said that Chinese piqued her interest. “I don’t know. I like languages that sound completely different than English, I just think it’s interesting,” Hashmi said. “When I heard Ms. Dabney was doing Mandarin lessons, I thought it was a really cool opportunity to learn.” Hashmi noted that the language is difficult, but it is useful to know in the future. “Chinese sounds very different than any other languages I have heard before,” Hashmi said. “It is also a useful language to know especially if you are going into business.” Hashmi is bilingual, but she is taking AP Spanish Language this year and her knowledge of Chinese continues to grow. “I speak two languages fluently and am also learning Spanish and Chinese,” Hashmi said. “Chinese is probably the hardest since I have known Urdu and English since I was little and have been studying Spanish for years while Chinese is very new and different.” “Being a global studies scholar is really important. It shows that you want to understand the world around you, which is impressive especially at this age,” Hashmi said. “Chinese has helped me understand not just a new language, but a distinct culture that I hope to see in person someday. For anyone who has the opportunity to travel or learn a language, it is important to take full advantage of it.” Hashmi has also embraced her family’s Pakistani heritage. “I have gone to Pakistan four times now to visit family and go to weddings,” Hashmi said. “Pakistan brings a whole other cultural experience especially in the city where my parents are from, Karachi.” Karachi is the capital of the province Sindh. The city is a huge financial and industrial center, and boasts a population of around 15 million. When Hashmi has gone, she has attended lots of weddings, a typical occurrence in the city. “Everything is different: the streets, houses, language, weddings. It is very fun for me to go but it is very different and a lot of people would probably not be used to it if they went to Karachi especially if they don’t have any family there,” Hashmi said. “Every time I have gone, there have been at least two weddings, as weddings are very common in Karachi there is a wedding like everyday. The bride wears a very traditional intricate Pakistani wedding dress, usually red but a lot of brides wear various colors.” Hashmi said that the weddings there are much different than the traditional bride wearing a white dress in the United States. “There are usually three-four parties for one wedding: one where the girls gather with one girl playing a drum while the other girls sing and dance to classic Pakistani and Bollywood songs,”” Hashmi said, another party where the bride and groom sign the papers, the main wedding party where everyone gathers with their fanciest clothes and eats and feeds the bride and groom, and the ‘after party.’” Hashmi said that the ‘after party’ reminds her of an American wedding party. Apart from fun experiences such as weddings, Hashmi noted that there are some obstacles for her when travelling. “You have to get used to everything quickly to do things there because most people do not speak much English, and also some people could try and steal money from you if they know you are from America, in Karachi at least,” Hasmhi said. “They also speak very fast. Even being fluent in Urdu, some people talk so fast that it is hard for me to understand everything.” Still, she says that it is completely worth it to travel. “But, overall it is a very fun experience and I urge people to go out of their comfort zones and travel to a place with a completely different culture.” |
Kyle returns to Roanoke Valley after two years in SwitzerlandKyle Thomson ‘23 has embraced his new school through many outlets, such as running cross country, swimming and considering the global studies program.
Most people do not know about his time in Switzerland, though. For two and a half years, Thomson moved to various parts of the country and toured Europe, due to his father’s work. “It was super interesting, and all of the architecture and transportation is very different from America,” Thomson said. “The reason I was there was because my dad had a business and had the choice to go, so we decided to go.” “[We lived in] Lucerne, Bern and Zurich,” Thomson said. “We also explored neighboring countries such as France, and we went to Berlin, too…. I learned a little bit of German and French, because we had to take two languages in classes.” Thomson attended the Inter-Community School (ICS) in Zurich. The school boasts over 50 nationalities, and prides itself on being IB-plus. “It was very diverse, and there were a lot more cultures and different nationalities,” he said. “Classes were bigger than here, with around 30 people per class. We had P.E. during class and the choice to do a sport after school…The trails that we took for cross country were really rough, with lots of hills and mountains. Our terrain [at North Cross] is a lot easier.” Sam Karlen ‘20 spoke about Thomson’s importance to the team. “It was really exciting seeing a freshman like Kyle be able to beat me, a fourth year runner, with ease,” Karlen said. “It was also really nice having him as a part of the team because I felt that I had someone that looked up to me, and I Patrick said at the cross country team party, ‘he sees us how we saw Chester when he was a senior’.” Thomson has now made the transition into the swimming pool, and is helping the boys’ relay teams qualify for the state championships. Meanwhile, he continues to readjust to American culture. “There are many different cultures that are in Switzerland, and it’s more international than it is here in America. Now, rather than before I moved, it has definitely improved in nationality. “The food had no preservatives, so everything would go bad within a week. The food is fresher for sure. “I would mainly have turkey sandwiches for lunch during the school day…raclette was interesting. It’s basically melted cheese and fondue; it’s mediocre. “I think it was the first time I traveled to another country other than Switzerland- when we went to France. It was breathtaking because of the trains and metros. It is super convenient and beautiful. So, we had this wonderful trip of sightseeing on the trains.” “The transportation was mainly based in trains. Switzerland is almost in the middle of all of these countries, so you could take a train from there to Germany, Italy, Spain, France- all of these places. The architecture is older, and there is a lot more history. There are a lot of columns and curvy buildings, which was unique compared to what I see here.” “I wish I could have stayed there longer.” |
Alumni Profiles |
Kevin Li loves sneakersSneaker collecting has been booming at an unprecedented rate, boasting about $701 million in 2019. Kevin Li ’21 shares some of his experience being into the sneaker market, as well as sharing its joy and hardships
Kevin Li ’21 started his shoe collection two years ago when his roommate Billy Zhai ‘19 brought a shoe box back to the dorm. “He was a big fan of Jordan shoes,” Li said “One time he brought back a really nice shipping box. When he opened the shoe box, I was impressed—it was so nice. Then I started to collect my owns.” With only two years, Li has gathered a staggering collection, boasting about 70 shoes as of this current moment “I have about 30 pairs here and I brought most of them back to China.” Li said “ I am proud of each pair of my shoe in my collection. Because I bought each one for a reason, could be the look, color,or the design. Especially some old ones, I experienced a lot with them, I have a story with each one of them.” Li expresses that his parents have no concern over his collection, and that collecting shoes is actually quite profitable with the right strategy. But for Li, profitability is not his priority, it is the collection and the fun in having shoes that matter to him. “My parents do not care much about it.” Li said “Because I do some resell of shoes and actually made an okay amount of money. Even though the money I earned is not as much as I spend on shoes. Li expresses some of the hardships he experienced being in the market. “One hardship I had experienced was losing money by reselling the shoe that its price did rise as high as I expected. For instance is a shoe that is retailed for $200 and market price is about $210, I lose money reselling it because the cost of shipping and tax is more than $10. This always happens to resellers, but generally, I earned way more than I lost. How ever, I’m not doing much resells now because the market is going kinda of crazy and I don’t have much time to devote on that.” Li sells his shoes through various social media platforms, particularly with TikTok, where he can in a sense “market” his shoes by demonstrating them in a short clip. “Having 120k+ followers on Tiktok helped me sell my sneakers for higher prices. I made videos of limited edition sneakers and talked about what’s good about the sneaker(I bought some pairs for reselling) people who saw my video and like the sneaker will buy it. The price of sneakers rises with the loss of total amount, after it rose to a certain price , I sell them.” |
Dr. Caroline LightDirector of Women and Gender Studies Program, Harvard University
James McCallum Grove 2000Co-Director of Country Living School, Sardinia, Italy
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Howard Zhou '19Student at Wake Forest University
By Tobi Bankole
When Howard Zhou ‘19 came back to visit campus over winter break, he was surprised at how different it felt, though it had only been about six months since he graduated. “One can tell the degree of freedom is very different,” said Zhou. “Since North Cross is such a close community, the teachers can orientate students and make sure they are on the right track. For example if you are having a bad time in one of your courses, the teacher may talk to you about what’s going on and likely to give you make up assignments to improve your grade. You don’t see that kind of stuff in college.” Zhou is attending Wake Forest, where he has not declared a major yet. However, he is looking forward to pursuing a career in business or finance. Zhou also noted the difference in the course load of high school and university. He finds himself more prepared for the work than some of his friends in university. “Special thanks to Mr. DeMarco,” Zhou said, “because there was a period of time I thought that he was giving us too much, but now looking back at it I’m grateful for what he has done.” While North Cross prepared him for college life, there were a few things he was not expecting. The large campus size can be nice, but also overwhelming at times. The range of people he has met anges, from international students to his own friends from North Cross. “I like how you can find everything and anything in college,” said Zhou. “There’s always people who share your interests. Some people are very different from me, but some are very similar. Andy [Benson ‘19] is at Wake too, and it’s nice to see a familiar face.” The size of North Cross is hardly comparable to the size of Wake Forest, though Howard jokes that North Cross is slowly catching up. “The renovation is so different than what used to be here,” Zhou said. “I saw the walls torn down, but thankfully no one attended class in trailers.” When asked if there was anything he did not miss about North Cross, Zhou was very candid. “Yeah I threw away all my polos; never a big fan of those, to be honest.”Howard Zhou ‘19 came back to visit campus over winter break, he was surprised at how different it felt, though it had only been about six months since he graduated. “One can tell the degree of freedom is very different,” said Zhou. “Since North Cross is such a close community, the teachers can orientate students and make sure they are on the right track. For example if you are having a bad time in one of your courses, the teacher may talk to you about what’s going on and likely to give you make up assignments to improve your grade. You don’t see that kind of stuff in college.” Zhou is attending Wake Forest, where he has not declared a major yet. However, he is looking forward to pursuing a career in business or finance. Zhou also noted the difference in the course load of high school and university. He finds himself more prepared for the work than some of his friends in university. “Special thanks to Mr. DeMarco,” Zhou said, “because there was a period of time I thought that he was giving us too much, but now looking back at it I’m grateful for what he has done.” While North Cross prepared him for college life, there were a few things he was not expecting. The large campus size can be nice, but also overwhelming at times. The range of people he has met anges, from international students to his own friends from North Cross. “I like how you can find everything and anything in college,” said Zhou. “There’s always people who share your interests. Some people are very different from me, but some are very similar. Andy [Benson ‘19] is at Wake too, and it’s nice to see a familiar face.” The size of North Cross is hardly comparable to the size of Wake Forest, though Howard jokes that North Cross is slowly catching up. “The renovation is so different than what used to be here,” Zhou said. “I saw the walls torn down, but thankfully no one attended class in trailers.” When asked if there was anything he did not miss about North Cross, Zhou was very candid. “Yeah I threw away all my polos; never a big fan of those, to be honest.” When Howard Zhou ‘19 came back to visit campus over winter break, he was surprised at how different it felt, though it had only been about six months since he graduated. “One can tell the degree of freedom is very different,” said Zhou. “Since North Cross is such a close community, the teachers can orientate students and make sure they are on the right track. For example if you are having a bad time in one of your courses, the teacher may talk to you about what’s going on and likely to give you make up assignments to improve your grade. You don’t see that kind of stuff in college.” Zhou is attending Wake Forest, where he has not declared a major yet. However, he is looking forward to pursuing a career in business or finance. Zhou also noted the difference in the course load of high school and university. He finds himself more prepared for the work than some of his friends in university. “Special thanks to Mr. DeMarco,” Zhou said, “because there was a period of time I thought that he was giving us too much, but now looking back at it I’m grateful for what he has done.” While North Cross prepared him for college life, there were a few things he was not expecting. The large campus size can be nice, but also overwhelming at times. The range of people he has met anges, from international students to his own friends from North Cross. “I like how you can find everything and anything in college,” said Zhou. “There’s always people who share your interests. Some people are very different from me, but some are very similar. Andy [Benson ‘19] is at Wake too, and it’s nice to see a familiar face.” The size of North Cross is hardly comparable to the size of Wake Forest, though Howard jokes that North Cross is slowly catching up. “The renovation is so different than what used to be here,” Zhou said. “I saw the walls torn down, but thankfully no one attended class in trailers.” When asked if there was anything he did not miss about North Cross, Zhou was very candid. “Yeah I threw away all my polos; never a big fan of those, to be honest.” |