Warriors in Words 2023

Warriors inWords

Letter from theEditor

One of the resounding traits that defines Midland University is its community. Midland is blessed to have a population of students with a variety of different backgrounds and interests. A defining characteristic of these students is their involvement on campus, both in the classroom and outside of it. Our students are continually pushing themselves beyond their on-campus involvement and academic disciplines. They are making impacts outside the parameters of their school worlds.

Ultimately, that is the crux of this publication. This publication aims to shine a light on the ways in which your students, your athletes, your performers, your peers– whoever they may be to you– are making those impacts. Our hope is that this publication will allow Midland to grow a little closer together as we recognize students we all know in new perspectives, and in doing so, tell their complete story.

Beyond that, this publication itself is a reflection of this mission. As a student produced publication, Warriors in Words is made up of an incredible staff of writers and designers who are utilizing talents (some of which exist beyond their disciplines of study) to cultivate and share the stories of their peers. Thank you for supporting this staff, and the incredible storytelling they are bringing to life through this publication.

- Christian Dames, Editor-in-Chief

Table of Contents

Hallie Gehring ... 12

Vince Ongtangco ... 14

Caleb Malousek ... 16

Riley Herring ... 20

Devyn Hansen ... 24

The Writers

Heidi Krajicek

Hometown: Yutan, Nebraska

Major: Exercise Science

Myana Sigers

Hometown: Miramar, Florida

Major: Sociology, Criminal Justice & English (compressed)

Emma Thompson

Hometown: Council Bluffs, Iowa

Major: Elementary Education

Sydnee Wenninghoff

Hometown: Bellevue, Nebraska

Major: Secondary Education with English & Theatre Endorsements

Christian Dames, Editor-in-Chief

Hometown: Scribner, Nebraska

Major: English, Communication Studies & Secondary Education with English Endorsement

Meet the Staff

The Designers

Rylee Martin

Hometown: Nesbitt, Manitoba

Major: Mathematics & Digital Marketing (compressed)

Lilly Rowe

Hometown: Columbus, Nebraska

Major: Digital Marketing with Graphic Art Minor

Casper Waters

Hometown: Lincoln, Nebraska

Major: Elementary Education

Eddie Schweikert, Design Editor

Hometown: Omaha, Nebraska

Major: Secondary Education with Social Sciences & History Endorsements

Design by Lilly Rowe

Ellie Reavis

The Life of a Food Artist

Heidi Krajicek

Most people don’t think of making charcuterie boards as a business, but after seeing pictures on Instagram, Midland senior Ellie Reavis decided that’s what she was going to do.

Before starting her charcuterie board business, Ellie grew up in Washington, but later moved to California when she was 18 and went to a performing arts school. She traveled the world for four years, but once the COVID-19 pandemic hit, she moved back to California where she decided she wanted to go back to college. Ellie has attended Midland for the last two years.

At Midland, Ellie is a communications studies and digital marketing major with a graphic art minor. She is on the dance team at Midland, while also choreographing shows and participating in the theater program.

Ellie was in Japan when the pandemic hit and had to fly back home. Once she got home, she didn’t know what to do since everything was shut down.

“I was hanging out with my friend, and she was like, come make a charcuterie board with me,” Ellie said.

A charcuterie board is a tray of meats and cheeses along with vegetables and fruits. Ellie said they are “like a giant party platter you could buy at Hy-Vee, except customizable and pretty.”

Ellie thought that making them was fun, and after the experience she looked on Instagram at some other images of charcuterie boards.

“I just thought I could do better than that (images on Instagram),” Ellie said. “So, I started making charcuterie boards.”

That same summer, her brother asked if she would cater his wedding.

“That’s kind of how Boards by Ellie was born,” Ellie said. “Then it just became like a hobby of sorts.”

Ellie took some classes to find out the right pairings for all the foods. She said that her platters are not just meat and cheese.

Photos provided by Ellie Reavis

Ellie started her business, Boards by Ellie, in 2020 for just friends and family. Over the yeras it has grown tremendously, with Ellie being commissioned to make 113 unique boards and 38 charcuterie cups in 2022.

“They’re like full party platters, so a lot of it is like grazing style,” Ellie said. “There’s veggies, fruit, meat, cheese and crackers.”

She found that she really liked to make the boards.

“Turns out that I really like organizing them in different patterns and finding ways to make them really beautiful and being part of people’s celebrations,” Ellie said.

Her business, Boards by Ellie, started back in 2020, and she was just making them for her friends and family. After some time more people started hearing about her small business, and she received more customers.

Boards by Ellie has catered weddings, bachelorette parties, baby showers and graduations. She has also done small couples picnic boxes.

Ellie said that it has been fun to make the boards for her friends and family.

“I liked that we were all sitting around one platter in the middle, and we just got to chit chat and hang out,” Ellie said. “Nobody had to cook, nobody had to leave and we just all got to be together in one space.”

Design by Lilly Rowe

“Turns out that I really like organizing them in different patterns and finding ways to make them really beautiful and being part of people’s celebrations.”

Midland has been supportive of her small business.

She said that one of the best parts is the family aspect, but she also likes receiving messages the next day from her customers.

“Just knowing that they didn’t have to worry about anything because I was going to show up and provide it and that means they got to spend quality time with their friends and family,” Ellie said.

Ellie said that Instagram was the main thing that influenced her to start her business.

“I think once I saw some amateur versions of what I wanted, I knew that I was creative enough to design them better,” Ellie said. “I knew it was a skill set that I had, and I could already see what I wanted it to look like.”

Ellie said that

“I did one of their big events, and I made a bunch of boxes for staff during finals week in the fall,” Ellie said. “They knew I had a small business, and that I’m paying my own tuition and other money helps.”

Even though Ellie has run this business for the last three years, she does not plan on it being her full time job once she graduates this spring, but she will continue making them for friends and family.

“I am moving to California to work some freelance production,” Ellie said. “I think if it worked out and I got to magically do both, awesome, but my priority is to follow something that is a little more major-specific.”

Ellie said that making charcuterie boards is a good tool to have to be able to sit down with family and enjoy time together.

“Use your skills and use whatever your two hands can make,” Ellie said. “It can really resonate with people that you took the time and that you think about them before you sit down and enjoy their presence.”

To purchase a charcuterie board, contact Ellie on her business’s Instagram or Facebook account, @boardsbyellie, or go on her website, boardsbyellie.com.

Photos provided by Ellie Reavis

Hallie GehringWriting to Connect Myana Sigers

Sophomore Hallie Gehring is many things on Midland’s campus. An athletic training major, a lacrosse player, and an RA, Hallie has kept herself involved as a student. However, beyond her involvements on campus, Hallie is also a passionate singer/ songwriter.

Hallie credits her family for helping her get into music. When she first started playing guitar, Hallie recalls not knowing how to play or even where to start, but the unknown inspired her to learn the instrument’s ins and outs.

“I chose it kind of on a whim, thinking it might be fun.” Hallie said, “I was very lucky to have my stepdad buy me an incredible guitar that I love, and that was it for me. I just fell in love with it!”

After getting the guitar, her parents took her to singing lessons and guitar lessons so she could continue her musical efforts at a young age. Not only did music become a major part of her life, but it also inspired her siblings to take to the arts. As the oldest of four siblings, Hallie sets the standard and feels that leading by example for her younger siblings is one of her missions in life. Hallie has placed a high emphasis on family and the sacrifice it takes to create harmony between each member.

“My family has always been supportive of me and has been in my corner, which means a lot.” Hallie said, “I always show them songs that I am working on and ask for advice, tweaking things here and there. I will write for them sometimes, often unfinished, but they are the focus for those.”

Hallie writes about experiences in her life and creates a relatable message for potential listeners. For instance, her first song was written in 10th grade about a boy named Jermey and the stages of having a crush for the first time.

“I take inspiration from life experiences all the time. Whether it’s how other people treat me, my relationships with them, or things I’ve gone through, that is what I draw from most often,” Hallie said.

Hallie tends to write more melancholy ballads and has a faithful view on love, and she sees her music as a way to connect with others. With her faith comes a lot of boundaries for her relationships, and she tends to release the struggles of being a young woman with these boundaries in some of her music.

“My faith has impacted my relationship with music in that it has given me the opportunity to grow. I was given these talents and I am so grateful for them,” Hallie said. “I also have had the chance to perform in church and other things like that which has been incredible for me.”

At this point in her songwriting, Hallie’s process in writing a song has become routine to her. As she writes her music, it tends to seem unpolished but not in a bad way. It has the same feel as going into an antique shop– her music is curious and worldly, almost as if you’ve seen the items before but never been in contact with them.

“Often, I will just start with words, kind of like a poem or letter, just getting words on a page.” Hallie said, “Once I have a good base, from there I add chord progression and the melody.”

Hallie feels as if she’s entered a new sound in her songwriting. The new song she’s working on is a beautiful, rich ballad that makes the listener feel like they are diving into an endless cave.

“I am currently working on a ‘darker’ side of my songwriting, if you could call it that. Not necessarily super sad or anything, but just slower and more lowkey if that makes sense,” Hallie said. “I like making music that evokes emotion and those like sadness or anger are the most felt, and sometimes it just feels good to scream a song or cry to it. I want to give that to people.”

Hallie is looking ahead into the future of her songwriting, and she has no intentions to stop. Her music continues to be a persistent stream of light on her inner songwriter. It brings out the best qualities in her throughout her day-to-day life, even on the gloomiest days.

“I hope that my music continues to give me a good outlet for my emotions as well as allows me to impact others and share my talent.” Hallie said, “I love performing for people and having them sing with me and just experiencing that.”

In addition to songwriting, Hallie often spends her time playing lacrosse for Midland.

Coaching Beyond the Sport

Vince Ongtangco

Emma Thompson

Growing up in the Philippines, junior Vince Ongtangco was engulfed in a culture that was continuously immersed in basketball. From playing with his friends, to playing on a team representing his town, the sport has always been part of his life, so much so that he recalls his first basketball rim being made of an old ice cream container with a hole drilled in the bottom. His love for basketball continued as he grew older, eventually playing on his team in high school. The pure competitiveness surrounding the sport in the United States took Vince by surprise. After sustaining an injury to his ACL during his

junior year of high school, it created a challenge for Vince.

“That’s a big setback. Then, I didn’t really play well my senior year,” he said. “Coming back, I thought I was mentally okay, but I was not. I never really had an opportunity again to play free.”

As his career progressed and he started playing at Midland, Vince found more joy in the sport once again. Forming relationships with his teammates on and off the court brought back the excitement surrounding the competition, stating that in his team he found best friends for life. Between his sport and his other activities at Midland, including the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Vince found his purpose in making a positive impact on the lives of those around him. He found that by interacting with his teammates in the locker room and other people on campus. He felt a deeper connection and a better sense of camaraderie that had been missing in his previous experiences with the sport. As a Christian himself, Vince found that basketball could serve as a form of ministry with the relationships he developed. He discovered that the sport was not just about wins and losses, but about bettering oneself as a human being as well.

“I feel like it’s a great opportunity and platform to be selfless,” he said. Just recently, he suffered another injury. While playing a recreational game of basketball with friends, Vince felt a pop in his ankle. After a visit to a doctor, it was found that he had torn his SPR, which was explained to hold together the tendons in his foot. After the season ended, Vince underwent a surgery to repair the damage. He spent a few

weeks in a cast, followed by another wearing a boot. He would have to deal with sharp pain as he recovered, yet it pushed him forward to heal to the best of his ability.

While most people may be upset at such a drastic injury, Vince was glad. It opened up the opportunity for him to reconsider what he wanted out of his sport, and he eventually came to the decision to retire from competitive

“That’s just a reason to close the door and open a new one.”

Design by Rylee Martin

basketball and take a more recreational approach to the game he loved. Stepping away from the battle on the court, however, he found himself being called to the sidelines to help others grow their skills.

Vince started his role as an assistant coach for the junior varsity and varsity girls basketball programs at Millard North High School, which opened up his view to an entirely different perspective of the game. As the youngest coach on the staff, working with the rest of the coaches allowed Vince to develop a mentorship type of relationship with the others. By forming these relationships, it has given him a safe space to receive feedback and grow his skillset and understanding of the game. This has enhanced his

ability to give advice on game plays as well as scouting reports for the varsity team. The safe space has provided Vince a way to also give his players advice on the court, going so far as to giving the pregame speeches to the players.

While his skills as a coach have expanded, it has allowed Vince to develop how he goes about the actual gameplay, knowing that it is not simply X’s and O’s—it’s a game of trust.

“My philosophy is that if you’re on the court and you don’t trust yourself, how am I going to be able to trust you?” he said.

His belief that relationships make a team better extends to the relationship and trust the players have with themselves. If it is clear that a player is having trouble with how they are playing or practicing, Vince will invite them to sit with him and clear their head. After allowing them to calm down and refocus, they talk about what went wrong with a certain play or maneuver and how they can mend it. Creating a comfortable environment where open conversations can take place go hand in hand with how the team performs.

While relationships are important on a team, so is the atmosphere. Vince takes it upon himself to instill a winning culture into his players. In this past season, the team only lost three games and were semifinalists in the Nebraska state basketball tournament. They should have the proper drive to want to win the game, but if a loss does take place, it should act as not only a learning experience, but also as a motivator moving forward in the season.

“There are only two outcomes of the game, winning or losing,” Vince said. “So I have to control what I can control, learn from those mistakes and from those losses, make them better, and make me better.”

The idea of progress is an extremely important one in his coaching style and ethos. Whether it is a motivating talk, helping them clear their head, or talking through a play with them, everything Vince says and does around his team serves to give them the tools they need to become better teammates, a better player, and a better person.

“I just have to plant seeds and hopefully, somebody waters them to make them grow.”

Caleb

Malousek Making Waves in DeMolay

Christian Dames

For many people, adolescence was spent playing a sport, performing in the arts, or participating in clubs at school. Freshman Caleb Malousek took his involvement further. Joining the youth leadership society, DeMolay, when he was 12 years old, has become a core piece of Caleb’s involvement and identity.

DeMolay ties its formation to the Freemasons. The organization exists not to serve as a “junior masons” club. Instead, the society aims to develop youth into well-meaning

leaders in their future communities.

“‘DeMolay’ is the last name of the last grand knight commander of the Knights Templar, who’s named Jacques de Molay. He was burned at the stake on Friday the 13th. So that’s where we get that idea where Jacques, rather than betray his friends, let himself be executed so that his friends of the Templars could be safe,” Caleb said, “And that’s one of the cardinal virtues views. We have seven which are fulfill your love, reverence for sacred things, courtesy, comradeship, fidelity, patriotism, and cleanliness.”

DeMolay came on Caleb’s radar early in life. Growing up, Caleb’s family was involved in both DeMolay and other

“I’ve had a deeper connection with people I’ve met through DeMolay.”

Masonic events. Being exposed to this world was a main component of his eventual involvement in the group.

“With my family’s involvement, I had a chance to actually go to fun events in Lincoln when I was younger,” Caleb said. “I really joined to meet people all across the state, and just have a connection where I can meet new people and learn new things. And something I finally learned from it is that I’ve really changed a lot into a better person. I’ve learned a lot more about being mature, how to act, and how to be a responsible leader.”

Being a part of DeMolay has been a rewarding experience for Caleb. Involvement in DeMolay has been about connection and growth alongside likeminded people. Caleb has no doubt that the bonds he has made in DeMolay will

continue to grow and deepen.

“I love the concept of DeMolay where you better yourself starting as young as 12 and all the way until you’re 21,” he said. “It gives you a chance to grow alongside a camaraderie of people. Just growing off those bonds that you make, gives you more trustworthiness and long term friendships that you might not get in high school. I have been so much more excited to go to things with the people I’ve been a part of DeMolay with, than those I’ve been in high school with, because I have been with these people since middle school. I’ve had a deeper connection with

people I’ve met through DeMolay.”

Now 19, Caleb is preparing for a new role in DeMolay in his final years of involvement: state officer. As state officer, Caleb will have a hand in running the With ties

to his family, Caleb naturally became involved in DeMolay, and cherishes the connections he has made through it.

Photos provided by Caleb Malousek

Nebraska chapters of DeMolay. Excited by the opportunity, Caleb is eager to roll up his sleeves and work to serve each chapter.

“To me, being a state officer is not about being on a pedestal. You serve as one of the big role models up there,” he said. “There are three of us in a progressive line, so I’m in the middle of the progression right now. But it’s really just making sure you know your craft, and making sure you still follow the DeMolay ideals. It’s not about acting as an authority level, it’s just making sure that you help the other young members that have just joined understand what DeMolay means and shape them so that they can be prepared for any future leadership,” Caleb said.

“One of the biggest things for me is just to inspire the younger guys, because I’m almost out. When I turn 21, I’m done. But I have big goals for those last two years. And I am excited to reach them and be a role model for the younger members. I want to help them see bright futures for themselves.”

As Caleb prepares for his new role in DeMolay, he is reminded about one of the core reasons this group has meant so much to him. The connections he has made have been instrumental to his growth as a person. There is something different about the people in DeMolay, and Caleb is grateful to be a part of it.

“The people connected to DeMolay take chances. That’s the biggest thing. People everywhere take chances, but you can vividly tell people in DeMolay are working even more hours and being more productive. I can say that has become true for myself. I was in 13 activities throughout high school including DeMolay, but it didn’t discourage me from being a part of it,” Caleb said. “I have known people that don’t start off super active in DeMolay, but when they do become more involved they begin to thrive as people. It’s just a deeper connection, and more special connection than you would think you’d get. These people that are, even at such a young age, self improving themselves and following these ideals are going to do great things.”

“To me, being a state officer is not about being on a pedestal. You serve as one of the big role models up there.”

Caleb continues to be an active member of DeMolay, soon assuming the role of state officer.

Photos provided by Caleb Malousek

Riley Herring Following a Family Legacy

Design by Lilly Rowe

While Riley graduated in May, she has more than left her mark at Midland. She is the president of both the Tri Phi Sorority and Midland’s FBLACollegiate Chapter as well as being the vice president for Circle K. Additionally, Riley also participated in choir and theater during her previous years at Midland.

“I found that I liked writing more in the business sense rather than a creative writer, so I changed my degree to digital marketing.”

Heidi Krajicek

Keeping on a family legacy is important to many people, but for one Midland graduate, keeping a family legacy led to choosing her career path. Riley Herring grew up in Gretna, NE, but went to Ashland-Greenwood High School. While at Ashland-Greenwood, Riley participated in speech, band, choir, and color guard. She was also a cheerleader three out of the four years during high school. Riley said that she had been working since she was 16 and had a strong work ethic.

Riley first visited Midland because she received an invitation to a gospel choir her freshman year of high school.

“I just kept thinking about it ever since my freshman year of high school, and that’s what brought me to Midland,” Riley said.

She came to Midland as an English major, but found out that wasn’t the right path for her.

“I found that I liked writing more in the business sense rather than a creative writer, so I changed my degree to digital marketing,” Riley said.

At Midland, Riley was involved in choir, theater, Tri Phi Sorority (president), FBLACollegiate (president and vice president of communications for Nebraska this past year), and Circle K (vice president).

Riley currently works at her late stepmother’s insurance business, Illuminate Insurance Solutions, in Omaha. Illuminate Insurance Solutions’s goal is to “shed light on the confusing waters of insurance and help our clients find the solutions that will work for their needs.”

Riley’s stepmother, Wendy Salinas, founded the company in 2015 after working in insurance for 10 years.

Photos provided by Riley Herring

Her stepmother passed away in November of 2021, and while her cousin inherited the business, Riley felt strongly to help out.

“I did my internship there,” Riley said. “I just got my insurance license in January, and I’m certified with everything and contracted with 10 carriers at this point.”

Riley is both an administrator and an agent at Illuminate Insurance Solutions. She mainly handles all the phone calls, runs the social media accounts, and is in charge of marketing.

“I am slowly starting to meet with clients every day and help them find the correct solution for them,” Riley said.

She is only doing medicare solutions for clients who are turning 65 years old.

Riley said that working at Illuminate Insurance Solutions is very important to her.

“I get to help people, and I think if you would have talked to me four years ago I would not have said I like helping people,” Riley said. “When Wendy passed away, my entire personality shifted for the better.”

Riley said that it is important to carry out her stepmother’s legacy.

“She loved what she did truly out of the kindness of her heart,” Riley said. “At Illuminate we don’t do anything for the good of us; we always do it for the good of our customers.”

Riley added that she is happy with her choice to work at Illuminate Insurance Solutions because she feels closer to her stepmother.

“I’m glad that I get to have a part of Wendy with me pretty much at all times,” Riley said.

Shown above is Riley standing in front of her first office at Illuminate Insurance Solutions.

Design by Lilly Rowe

As the president of Tri Phi, Riley lead her sorority to win both the Cardinal Key Award and the Greek Service Award. Pictured with her is the 2022-23 Tri Phi Secretary, Sarah Murray.

Riley and her cousin are the only family members that work at Illuminate Insurance Solutions, but one part-time employee, Deb, feels like family to Riley.

“Deb helps us during the fall because in insurance, fall is the insane season because it’s open enrollment, which means that everyone gets a free pass to look at their plan and see if there’s one that fits them better for the next year,” Riley said.

Riley’s late stepmother lived with Deb before she met her father, and that’s why Riley said Deb feels like family. Other than Deb, Riley said that she has a very “close-knit” family that is supportive of the business.

“They were very happy when I said that I was actually going into insurance, so that’s really nice,” Riley said.

Riley said that Midland has helped prepare her for the insurance path in some ways because Midland gave her her passion.

“I came in as an English major because I was good at writing, and that’s really all I knew,” Riley said. “Midland paved the way for me to find my passion, which was graphic design, marketing, and problem-solving.”

Riley still sees herself doing graphic design part-time or freelancing because she needs a creative outlet in her life. Riley thinks that Midland helped her find her path.

“I do think that it has helped me with the marketing side of Illuminate and finding who I am,” Riley said.

After graduation, Riley said her plan is to be a full time insurance agent at Illuminate Insurance Solutions.

“Midland paved the way for me to find my passion, which was graphic design, marketing and problem-solving.”

Photos provided by Riley Herring

Devyn Hansen Bringing a Story to Life

Sydnee Wenninghoff

From the time they were young, junior Devyn Hansen had a strong passion for writing. Throughout their childhood, they worked on a multitude of projects, from short stories to plays. Since arriving at Midland nearly three years ago, their passion for writing has only grown. Writing has always been a massive part of their life. Their love of writing, combined with their passion for filmmaking, led them to take a leap in their creative journey by writing, producing, and directing their own short film. With a cast of actors that features fellow students from Midland, Devyn takes great pride in watching their work come to life.

“We already started shooting, and I have such an amazing cast, that seeing what they do with the words that I’ve written, really inspires me not only as a writer, and a future director, but as a performer and someone who just loves the world of storytelling,” Devyn said.

Devyn has always had an interest in the performing arts. Whether as an actor or a director, Devyn has always felt that their heart lies in the creative field. They are excited to be behind the scenes for this project, and they look forward to sharing it with the world.

“The film is called Mourning Dove,” Devyn said, “It’s about a girl named Dove, who is having a mental break and believes she can talk to spirits, mostly the spirit of her ex-boyfriend. It navigates her relationships with not only the people around her, but with grief, death, mental illness, and everything that goes along with losing someone who you had a difficult relationship with.”

Devyn was inspired to write this script by their love of the psychological horror genre, especially the 2010 Darren Aronofsky film Black Swan. This style of film was a great influence on their own filmmaking. On the writing side of things, Devyn has been influenced by Midland’s own Henry Krusiewicz. Devyn views Krusiewicz as a mentor in their creative processes, as well as helping cultivate

Design by Casper Waters and Eddie Schweikert

their vision.

“A lot of my projects that I’ve worked on recently personally have been things I’ve developed as ideas while in his creative writing class my freshman year. I’m still working on a play that I started writing while I was in his class that I’m hoping to accomplish for my capstone next year.” Devyn said, “He’s guided me a lot as a writer, to think outside of what I think is possible. He’s believed in me so much. And so that has given me the power to be able to take this project, get it up on its feet and do it all by myself.”

Not only did Devyn write the script for the film, they also serve as nearly the entire production team. They played the roles of casting director, producer, director, and editor, among many others. For the budding filmmaker, learning to balance all of these roles and responsibilities has been one of the highlights in the process.

“A lot of the roles aren’t new to me. I’ve been editing since I was 12 years old.” Devyn said, “It wasn’t such a hard task for me as much as it was allowing my passions to all mesh together into one overarching role. It was just pretty much things that I love doing combined into one project. So it wasn’t hard for me to take on all those roles. It was something I really enjoyed doing.”

While Devyn has wanted to create a short film for a very long time, all of the chips fell into place and the stars aligned for them to really commit to the project this spring.

“I’m only doing one show this semester and theater is my scholarship and it’s my passion. But I wanted to make an opportunity for myself and make a project for myself,” Devyn said.

Looking back on their past as a writer, Devyn is proud of both the work they’ve completed, and the work they have yet to make. They compare writing to breathing, as it is more than just a second nature for them.

“I wrote assignments for school when I was younger, and that’s where I fell in love with

Photos by Sydnee Wenninghoff and provided by Devyn Hansen

Devyn holds up a prop from their film, which they both wrote and directed.

“I have such an amazing cast that really inspires me as someone who loves the world of storytelling!”

writing,” Devyn said about their early interest in creative writing.

They recall the first piece they ever wrote as a story about a sentient piece of bubblegum singing “I’m Sexy And I Know It” by LMFAO. Along with this, they recall their first play, written in the sixth grade called The Bald Witch, which they hope to feature in their capstone later this year.

Mourning Dove has been Devyn’s most ambitious project yet, featuring a cast of nearly 15 actors, with multiple filming locations and sets. They have looked forward to so many different aspects of this project.

“My favorite scene, without giving any spoilers, is a very dramatic scene in a bathtub with horror elements. That scene kind of slowly leads into the end of the movie that I think is going to be really beautiful,” Devyn said.

Devyn finds one of the most beautiful parts of this artform to be the power to connect with people. This script deals with the heavy topics of grief, mental illness, unhealthy coping mechanisms, and learning to move on after trauma. Finding moments of joy within this piece are absolutely essential. Devyn credits those moments of joy to their dedicated cast of actors.

“Not only working with people that are just as excited about the project as I am, and seeing their thoughts as they kind of navigate this world that I’ve written, but also just seeing it come to life,” Devyn said on their favorite parts of working with their cast.

The film is set to premiere sometime this summer on YouTube and other streaming platforms. In the meantime, Devyn continues to work on future projects, such as their upcoming capstone project to be performed in the fall. They are also working on a poetry book, as well as numerous other projects they hope to bring to fruition.

Design by Casper Waters and Eddie Schweikert

Since the movie is being filmed with no budget, Devyn sometimes has to get creative to film a scene. Here, they lay on a bathroom floor while looking up at the actors. Most of the movie is also being filmed using the cinematic camera feature on Devyn’s iPhone.

Photos by Sydnee Wenninghoff and provided by Devyn Hansen

Devyn films a scene featuring sophomore Kari Van Nostrand.

Warriors inWords

Vol. 1, Issue 1 Spring 2023

Contributors

Editor-in-Chief: Christian Dames

Design Editor: Eddie Schweikert

Writing Staff: Heidi Krajicek, Myana Sigers, Emma Thompson, Sydnee Wenninghoff

Design Staff:

Rylee Martin, Lilly Rowe, Casper Waters