Emma Grossheim: Educating Others

-Zoe Morris 5.26.22

What organization are you apart of?

GLSEN (Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network)

How did you hear about this opportunity?

It was offered to me by a friend and they made it sound interesting. Specifically, coming from a school which has not always been tolerant of members from the LGBTQ+ community, having an opportunity to educate and promote tolerance was really important.

What is your favorite memory from GLSEN?

I’ve only just joined the board but recently they let the LCC GSA borrow a pin maker and it was super fun to design and make the pins

Why would you recommend GLSEN to another Mav?

By being a part of LCC’s GSA you are helping GLSEN because they aid in many of our events. But on the GLSEN website there are other opportunities such as a student council and volunteer opportunities you can sign up for.

Angelina Ciampi: Swap Meet Clothing Sales

-Lauren Waller 5.12.22

Where do you find the clothes you sell? 

"I go to second-hand shops usually in like downtown San Diego or up to Oceanside. I usually just go to thrift stores to find pieces that I find interesting."

What demographic is your intended target with your fashion sales? 

"It ranges from teenagers to people in their early 20s."

What inspired you to start this small business?  

"I've always been interested in thrift shopping and I love how people can pick out their own pieces of unique clothing so I decided I may as well make my own shop if I'm that interested."

What is one thing you have learned from your experiences selling?

"One thing I've learned is to pick out the craziest pieces and stuff because then people have the opportunity to be unique in their own ways and pick out things they like." 

Where was your most successful location for selling? 

"We sold at moonlight at the park but then we go down to Koby's Swap Meet down at the Pechanga Arena and those are probably the best spots."

Do you plan to pursue a career in fashion or sales in the future?

"Yes, I do want to go to FIT, I'm going to community college first, but I want to go to FIT in New York City and I'm thinking of opening my own thrift store on the 101 this summer."

Check out Angelina's Thrifty Finds: @thriftyyyfindz

Delaney Kuepper: Book Reviews

-Lauren Waller 4.28.22

What inspired you to start your Instagram page? 

"I've always loved reading, but my need for a healthy reality break drove me to rediscover my passion. I started my page to share my current books with others and inspire them to take up this habit" 

How have you decided to structure your Instagram posts/What do you include for viewers? (topic, rating, comments, etc)

"In each post, I include a picture of the book's cover, in addition to pictures of pages with my favorite quotes. In my description, I include a rating, description, and review so others can gauge if it would be a good match for them"

What is your favorite thing about reading and what can people gain from it? 

"My favorite thing about reading is that it allows you to gain many lifetimes of experience and knowledge. 'A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies' - George R. R. Martin. Reading not only benefitted my mental health but also allowed me to have a fun pastime I look forward to each day." 

What has been your favorite book and why would you recommend it? 

"My favorite book has been A Court of Mist And Fury by Sarah J Mass. It's the second book in an amazing series, and my first time reading the fantasy genre. I'm hooked! It combines romance, suspense, and action into a perfect, portable getaway. I learned about it from a Waterpolo friend, and got another classmate obsessed with the series, who promptly surpassed me and is now finished with all 5 books."

What is your goal for your Instagram page?

"As of now my boostagram is a hobby, but I would love to make both my personal and side accounts into professional ones eventually. It would be super awesome if I had a large enough following to be sent free books, although I already have too many stacks to get through!" 

To see Delaney's favorite books and recommendations follow her Instagram @literary.a.bookworm!

Bailey Lapidow: Inclusion Track Meet

-Lauren Waller 4.14.22

What was the event that you were a part of?

"I was a part of the Best Pals Inclusion Track Meet. I helped with three events during the meet, the 4x4, the 100 meter, and two of our boys ran the mile. I oversaw the students while they ran".

What did being a part of this event teach you?

"It taught me organization skills because days before I had to plan a lot of stuff like getting uniforms for all the kids. It also taught me the importance of having a positive attitude, encouragement, and making sure everybody feels included."

What was your favorite part?

"My favorite part was at the end of the race when boy named Dexter was close to the finish line.  Just before crossing, he stopped and did an excited spin jump. It was so funny." 

What inspired you to be a part of this event?

"I am the APE coordinator for the Best Pals Club so I was already a part of that for a while and tI have a good relationship with the teacher, Mrs. Galik, so she inspired me to do it."

Shayne Barnhill: Member of Fight2Cure 

-Lauren Waller 3.10.22

What is Fight2Cure?

Team fight to cure is a part of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society to help kids and their families deal with diagnosis and blood cancer. 

What inspired you to get involved in this program?

I have some friends and family who have been affected by Leukemia and I have seen firsthand how it affects the person going through cancer and also their family and friends. 

What are some activities and events this program has hosted? 

We have hosted a concert and a bake sale where we had high school bands perform and we have also had great success with other small events and fundraisers with restaurants. 

Where do the proceeds of your fundraisers go?  

All the proceeds go directly to Team Fight 2 Cure’s fundraising page to help our campaign with the Leukemia and Lymphoma society. 

What has been the most successful event this year?

The concert we hosted was the most successful event we hosted because we advertised it a lot and got the word out about what we hoped to accomplish. Everyone from families, parents, and students came. 

 Mia Linson: IB Diploma Candidate Attending Harvard

-Lauren Waller 2.10.22

How has the IB program changed/influenced you as a student? 

I would say that the IB program transformed the way that I learned things, it is very project-based and conversation-based and I can understand topics a lot deeper than I normally would have. I have been in AP classes before and it's a very different vibe getting to be with a smaller group and getting to see how different topics relate to the world and how they integrate with history and not only seeing the topic from an English perspective but also a historical perspective. Being able to connect it to aspects of life and different cultures is really great to learn in a way that is very socially aware and culturally connected. 

What extracurricular activities/leadership roles are you involved in and how do you think this impacted your future/will impact your future? 

I do a lot of extracurricular activities involved in community service outside of school. I am the Vice President of the National Charity League but I was President for two years. With them, I do a lot of charity with groups around here. In school, I am Vice President of Science Olympiad, Treasurer of National Honor Society, Treasurer of International Baccalaureate Club, and Secretary of Interact Club. Getting to be a part of all these different clubs allows me to do a lot of things I am interested in like science and teamwork and raising the academic standards at LCC. It allows me to interact with different LCC students. Other than that I like to do a lot of research in medicine and volunteer at the different clinics. I shadow doctors and this really helps me with my future just getting to know what I want to do in being a doctor and getting to learn definitely helped me for college getting into places and showing that I have proof that I like to be helping my community and learning about what I want to do with my life. 

What is one piece of advice for students looking into/planning on doing the IB diploma? 

I would say definitely know what you are getting yourself into it is a very academically rigorous program. You have to be very dedicated and willing to put in the effort but also it is a really great program that will help you reach a different standard of learning. 

How have you stepped out of your comfort zone/taken risks over the years and how do you think this helped you grow as a student and college applicant? 

Just coming to this school, in general, I went to a very small private school for three years and I was given the opportunity to come here and I did and it was scary going from having 90 kids in my grade to having 400, it was very different. I came here and I joined the basketball team, I joined different clubs, it was really great for me. 

Why have you chosen Harvard for the next 4 years and what are you most excited for while attending? 

I chose Harvard because it has an amazing premed program and I think it is going to be great to be able to study with all the professors also graduate students that go there and work at the hospitals like Mass Gen and Dana Farber. They have one of the most innovative medical research programs there and they also have a lot of stuff with cancer which is what I really want to work in. They also have one of the most developed radiobiology programs which is what I really want to study like how radiation affects cancer and cells in the body. I am super excited to get to go there and be a part of the community, as well they have a huge growing native population and Mexican population and they have houses there that I could live in or be a part of and they have great community events there. 

Kaia Finn: Internship with Apple Inc

-Lauren Waller 1.27.22

How did you get involved with this internship?

I got involved through searching for business internships for high school students online and I applied thinking I wouldn't get in as it was open to college and undergraduate students as well but I got the internship. 

What did you do during this internship/What was the focus? 

The focus was digital marketing. There were a lot of people working on each campaign and I was at the very bottom of the hierarchy, so I had very small tasks but I learned a lot. 

What is one thing you learned from this internship? 

I learned about consumer behavior and how different colors affect the brain differently in ads. 

What would you recommend to other students looking for a similar internship/program?

Just apply to a bunch of internships to keep your options open. You'll never know if you'd get it unless you apply.  

What inspired you to apply and pursue this opportunity?

I want to pursue business in college and I thought this would be a good headstart.

How will this internship benefit you in the future/how was has it helped you so far? 

It solidified my business interests in marketing and international departments.  I'm sure it will also help with college applications, future internships, and jobs down the road. 

Brae Sepulveda: Owning a Small Business

-Zoe Morris 12.16.21

What is your business, and what do you sell?

I own a photography company that I started in 2020. I sell my prints of the photos I take such as seascape, surf, ocean, and landscape photography, and those are the photos that I sell. I offer photo prints, custom metal prints, and tote bags. All are made with the highest quality materials and for people to enjoy.  

What made you want to start your small business?

Originally it was just a thought in the back of my mind. I began to look at websites for e-commerce and then I began to build a website and before I knew it I was calling every business office in the state and I finally got my business licenses and sellers permits. It was still lockdown and I didn't have much to do, and I had all these really cool photos but they were just sitting on a hard drive, and I thought, I really want to show people my work and allow everyone to enjoy my photos just as much as I do. I then began to build my business and with hundreds of hours of work, research, and much more, I got it done.  

What got you into photography?

I started taking photos at around 11 years old, and originally started with just my phone. Then a few years later, early 2020 I went on a trip to El Salvador and that's when photography had a whole new meaning to me.  

What is the process of making your products?

For inventory this is something I thought about for a while and was a crucial part of how I formed my business. My business is run through a semi-drop shipping process. I have a photo lab up in the bay area that prints all my work and allows me to deliver straight to my customers and clients. I don't keep inventory because my product has too many variables and customizations which is why it's so special. I can do just about anything whether that is a print, wall wrap, metal prints, canvas, so it's highly customizable to whatever my customer needs.  

What future goals do you have for business?

I want to be able to get into as many restaurants, offices, homes, and locations so that everyone can see my work. I really want to do work with some big surfers, or photographers, and create inspirational, and amazing work. I would really like to have my own studio/gallery or have an artist collab space for creators. 

What is the best memory you have from owning your business?

My best memory from my business is when I finally received my business license. I did so much research and at some points, I thought I would never be able to do it with all the legal side of things. It is hard enough to start a business, let alone being a minor and trying to start one. But I did it, and the feeling of accomplishment and happiness was so crazy. I told myself, you did it, you built this and made this. 

Emma Standford: Business in the Bag

-Zoe Morris 11.18.21

What is your business, and what do you sell?

I have a small business where I sell handmade designed tote bags! 

What made you want to start designing bags?

I picked it up as a DIY project and I made some for my sisters. I was asked where I got some of my bags which sparked the conversation and idea of selling them to my friends.  

Where have you sold your bags?

I primarily sell them locally, I've also sold some of them through Hansen's. I’ve sold some out of state due to request, which is so cool!  

What is the process of making tote bags?

First I go to the craft store to supply the original cotton totes. I bleach dye them after they’re tied into the design. I wait for the dye to set in before washing it out and drying it. It’s not too time consuming and with help from my sisters, we can make a bunch at once. 

What type of designs have you done?

My original design was a tie dye look so my base is usually that. I get requests for pictures or doodles on the bags in which I’ll paint or use fabric markers for. My favorite one was a pastel yellow bag with plant doodles on it.  

Any additional comments?

I would advise others to be creative and try something new! Not only is it cool to make these bags for my friends and peers, but I also have lots of fun with it.