With bleach blonde hair and black framed glasses, Evelyn Opper, senior, can be found perched over a workbench in Nancy Grimes’ room, working on her latest masterpiece. Since her freshman year, Opper has balanced her life by combining both art and strong friendships that guide her through the confusing high school journey. This balance has helped her become the person she she said is, With good grades and a warm personality, Opper has spent her senior year leading KHS’ National Art Honors Society with Grimes and students she cares for most.

“I’ve had the same really close friends since the beginning of high school,” Opper said. “Just having a really strong support system and being able to have healthy conversations has really shaped who I am.”

Friendship is something extremely important to Opper. After moving into the KSD in the sixth grade, she has built many long-lasting friendships that she’s going to miss when she goes off to University of San Diego in the fall, she said.

“I’m gonna miss the people here the most,” Opper said. “There are so many memories I’m gonna be sad to leave behind.”

Vivian Howard, senior, is one of Opper’s closest friends. The two have been inseparable since they met in the seventh grade at Nipher Middle School. Despite the many phases (such as the emo phase the two shared freshman year), Howard said she is proud of who Opper has become.

“Evelyn and I have been together since seventh grade,” Vivian Howard, senior, said. “She’s basically my sister. We went to Germany together, we go camping together, she even comes to my family dinners.”

According to Opper, she has evolved alongside her art work with the help of art club and many art classes. Opper said she probably wouldn’t have continued with art without the support of Grimes.

“Evelyn is like a mother to her friends,” Grimes said. “Everyone comes to her for advice. She’s warm, friendly and smart. I’ve known her since she was a freshman. Of course I’ve seen growth, but she has always been very mature, and she’s just gotten even more so.”