Michaela Elsbernd

Lia Ehren

University of Kansas Major? Marketing. Freshman year memory? Being scared I’d get lost or walk into the wrong class accidentally. Song that sums up Sion? "Know Yourself" by Drake. What teacher would you take? Señora Gomez.

Rachel Ergovich

Creighton University What teacher would you take? Long because who else would I eat lunch with? Freshman year memory? I fell up the stairs on the first day. Where is your favorite place to go in Sion and why? Room 111 because they are the only one’s who like me.

Mary Beth Ferber

University of Kansas What teacher would you take? Conahagn because I can always listen to his stories. Song that sums up Sion? "Time of my Life" by 3 Doors Down. Where is your favorite place to go in Sion and why? Mrs. Koehlers office to grab a starburst and have a little chat.

Michaela Elsbernd

Truman State University What teacher would you take? Engel because I can always talk to her about books, and she’s always willing to give a pep talk. Major? International Business and French. Song that sums up Sion? "Sing" by My Chemical Romance.

Frances Evans

St. Louis University, Madrid What teacher would you take? The Spanish department so we could gossip about los guapos de Madrid. Freshman year memory? Aluminum foil beanie. Best outfit for a Sion event? I dressed up as Jack Freestone with Lia Ehren aka Alana B for Sprit Week.

Anna Fotouhi

UMKC School of Medicine What teacher would you take? Mrs. Blasdel. Major? BLA/Chemistry. What song sums up your experience at Sion? "Good Life" by Kanye West. Where is your favorite place to go in Sion and why? Mrs. Dreas Mobile because it was cozy and always bumping. Michaela Elsbernd Senior started off using reading and writing as an escape, but it soon turned a novel about a girl with Angelic powers, is what Elsbernd is currently working on. She wrote the first draft over the course of year but decided to into a lifelong hobby. start her second draft after her writing BY CLARE KIMMIS REPORTER style changed. She has also written a set of short stories called the “Kate Smoke Files.”

Michaela Elsbernd types for While she was always comfortable hours straight on her computer as she writing, Elsbernd never shared her moves past a writer’s block and works stories with anyone until joining to achieve her goal for the month of writing club freshman year. There, April: adding 20,000 words to her she gained a voice and is surrounded novel in progress. by people who have the same interests

Elsbernd never really had an as her. Writing club was the first place interest in reading or writing until she shared her short stories, “The Kate junior high when she was bullied and Smoke Files.” It is where she receives books created a much needed escape. instructive criticism from her peers

Harry Potter was the first book and from an inspirational figure in her series that got Elsbernd interested in life, English teacher Shawn Watts. reading and allowed her to forget a “She has been working on a reality she was desperate to ignore. novel for a couple of years, and she Harry Potter helped her become sent me the first chapters to read. It’s interested in young adult fantasy very good, very suspenseful, and very fiction, which is now her favorite genre professional,” Watts said. to write. The character Hermione Though her stories are yet to be Granger shaped Elsbernd’s goal of published, she hopes that one day her becoming a strong and brilliant young books will touch lives the way they woman. have touched hers. In the near future,

“Harry Potter definitely inspired Elsbernd hopes to write 20,000 words me because the characters helped me to add to “Hidden Wings” in the month through some dark times,” Elsbernd of April through participating in said. “The fact that J.K. Rowling has Camp Nanowrino. Camp Nanowrino the ability to touch so many lives is a program in which you join an through her writing is what I would online cabin and set a word count for like to achieve one day.” the the month of April. The people in

Harry Potter still serves as the cabin will help Elsbernd to achieve inspiration for Elsbernd to this day, as her goal and maybe even go above and well as the other inspirational factors beyond it. in her life. Cassandra Clare wrote the “Camp Nanowrimo is amazing. “Immortal Instruments” series, which I think it will help me because it is is one of Elsbernd’s favorite book giving me a deadline to work with. I series. Clare came to Kansas City to usually don’t have one,” Elsbernd said. speak, and Elsbernd got to ask her “I’m kind of struggling right now due a question and listen to her speak. to all the homework, but when I have Through listening to Clare, Elsbernd free time, I actively try to write and related her writing to Clare’s literary meet my goal.” style because both center around Elsbernd is planning on majoring angelic beings and fantasy fiction. in international business and French

“I connect to fantasy fiction at Truman State University. Because of because I grew up with it,” Elsbernd this, she decided to minor in creative said. “My dad is a big fan of the genre, writing in order to do what she loves and I remember watching movies with most while majoring in something she him and listening to audiobooks with is interested in. Even though she is not him.” majoring in literature, she still hopes

Today, fantasy fiction serves as to publish her books one day. Elsbernd’s own world. “I write because I have

“Fantasy fiction doesn’t this interesting story that have the same limits as our I think some people can world,” Elsbernd said. “I relate to,” Elsbernd said. can do anything and “I’ve had these characters create characters who in my mind, and I want can be anything. It to share them with offers an escape from people.” the monotony of everyday life.”

“Hidden Wings,”