Four students. Four different classes. Four separate lives, with four individual interests and passions. Four unique teenagers, brought together by one common factor: the place at KHS where they spend 57 minutes of each day studying math. The Kirkwood Call chose a random seat at the center table in Carolyn Fogarty’s classroom and sat down with every student who occupies the seat throughout the day to discover what story they have to tell and what makes them unique.
Aja Swayne, First Hour Honors Algebra II
Bright and early every morning, Aja Swayne, sophomore, sits at the center table in Carolyn Fogarty’s Honors Algebra 2 class. Swayne considers her spot lucky, as she is able to see everything around her.
That philosophy of curiosity about people also applies to one of her passions. Swayne explores the art of photography through helping her father photographing seniors, basketball games and people. Next year, Swayne hopes to be a part of The Pioneer yearbook photography staff.
“I’m just excited for the opportunity to be up close and personal with different things, like getting a press pass and being able to go down on the field to take pictures,” Swayne said.
While searching for a college that offers a major in photojournalism, Swayne hopes to study abroad and apply her Spanish skills. She feels Spanish is one of the most beautiful languages in the world and loves taking the KHS classes. She is currently enrolled in Honors Spanish 3, taught by Sue Ellen Minich.
“I like to think that Spanish is going to take over the world, so knowing the language is going to be a great thing because you never know what is going to happen,” Swayne said.
Ellie Nothstine, Third Hour Calculus
Volleyball quickly found a place in the life of Ellie Nothstine, senior, when she began to play in high school. Nothstine played club volleyball for three years along with two years on KHS varsity playing outside hitter and back row. Nothstine also referees at St. Gerard Majella, a local Catholic grade school.
“The best part about being a ref is watching the kids get better over the years,” Nothstine said. “It’s funny how uncoordinated they can be.”
Though she may not be playing volleyball, Nothstine looks forward to college and the promise of a fulfilling career. One of her favorite classes was psychology, and it introduced her to the possibility of a challenging career option: neuropsychology.
“There is just so much we don’t know about the brain and yet it controls so much of your life,” Nothstine said.
After graduating college, Nothstine is interested in coaching a kids’ volleyball team.
“I’ve had a lot of really good coaches and feel that I could pass on all the things I learned to my kids one day,” Nothstine said.
David McCoy, Fourth Hour Algebra II
While young kids join Cub Scouts solely to go camping, the interest usually fades. For David McCoy, sophomore, his passion for Boy Scouts is an outlet for his determination. McCoy plans to continue until he reaches the Eagle Scout level. Being a Boy Scout involves activities such as canoeing, rock climbing and camping.
“Once we went to New Mexico and backpacked for two weeks,” McCoy said. “The coolest part was being in the mountains and seeing everything there.”
McCoy is a member of the racquetball and volleyball teams, along with playing the trumpet in the band. When he’s not doing homework, McCoy watches How I Met Your Mother and Whale Wars, an Animal Planet show where a conservation society battles Japanese whalers off the coast of Antarctica.
Although McCoy does not consider saving whales to be a viable career, he strives to become a doctor and follow in the footsteps of his grandpa. Currently taking chemisty, McCoy loves to partake in hands-on lessons and utilize the burners. His senior year will consist of classes such as anatomy and physiology.
“I like the idea of being a doctor, and I want to be able to help people in whatever I do,” McCoy said.
Samantha Warner, Fifth Hour Algebra I
While most people would cherish the opportunity to sit in the center of a classroom, Samantha Warner, freshman, prefers not to sit in front of all the students.
“It’s a little awkward,” Warner said. “I feel like I’m always blocking the person behind me. But on the bright side, I guess you get a good view of the board.”
Though she originally grew up in the enemy territory of Webster Groves, Warner moved to Kirkwood when she was 4. As the manager for the freshman volleyball team, Warner spent her time going to their games, line-judging and showing her support throughout the breast cancer awareness fundraisers.
Every year around Thanksgiving, Warner and her family retreat to the warmth of Destin, Fla. But surprisingly for a girl who makes that annual pilgrimage, Warner dislikes the idea of traveling across the country and going to new or unfamiliar places. After graduating high school she would prefer to stay in Missouri, at a college such as Mizzou or one of the state schools that keeps her close to home.
“I kind of like the idea of knowing where everything is,” Warner said.
