Asha Woerner Editor in Chief
MIHS, long home to the dance TOLO (Tabs On Ladies Only), has shifted to calling its winter dance Winter Formal in an attempt to create a more inclusive environment for all students.
“TOLO was originally a dance that was created at UW [University of Washington] that stood for Tabs On Ladies Only, which encouraged girls to ask guys to the dance,” ASB President Ainsley McCarthy said.
This type of dance originated to highlight female empowerment and break the tradition that boys have to ask girls.
“There were students who really liked the tradition and the fact that there is female empowerment behind the tradition, but when it all came down to it, students supported doing a more inclusive event where no one felt left out,” ASB Advisor Toby Swanson said.
The idea to switch the dance name was originally brought up by the previous QSA President Chase Schubert during the 2021-2022 school year.
In an email to administrators, Schubert stated, “This antiquated custom may have been accepted in the past but has no place in our modern society where young women should feel empowered at all times, not just for one dance. Additionally, while school dances can be a wonderfully fun activity, the particular concept of TOLO excludes LGBTQ students.”
The vision for the dance that Leadership hopes will be integrated into MIHS culture is that anyone can ask anyone and the pressure of asking a date of a certain gender is lifted off of students.
“What I would tell a student, is to ask whomever you want to ask, no matter race, gender, sex, whatever. Just ask whomever you want to go with, and that can be a friend, that can be a romantic partner, it can be anyone, even someone not from the school,” Leadership student Meli Nierderkorn said. “If you want to go stag, go stag, dance on your own.”
“We came at it at the angle that the students might not want to be in a hetero relationship with a girl and a guy, so we decided to encourage everybody to ask everybody,” McCarthy said.
The Leadership class is hoping that Winter Formal will be a step in destigmatizing nonheterosexual couples, and put less emphasis on straight relationships.
“I really hope to see more acknowledgement of our different communities that we have here at Mercer Island High School, and with that acknowledgement, I hope our whole student body will push for some more change,” Niederkorn said. “Accessible gender neutral bathrooms is something that we have also been working hard at.”
The Leadership class is aware of the challenge to change students’ way of thinking about this dance.
“I would like to see some of those old traditions change personally, but I do realize that there are some students who will still hold those old traditions, even if the school isn’t doing a dance called TOLO,” Swanson said.
“Frankly we are still working on the personal piece,” Niederkorn said. “How do we get people to stop saying ‘TOLO’ and start saying ‘Winter Formal,’ TOLO is pretty catchy and it is pretty indicative of Mercer Island.”
The name Winter Formal, though not an acronym like TOLO, is intended to be catchy, so it can easily be inserted into students’ vocabulary.
“Our main goal with calling it Winter Formal was to keep it short, so that people could switch easily from TOLO to Winter Formal and it brings the same kind of school spirit, which is having a dance and just seeing your friends,” McCarthy said.
This event used to be planned by the Senior Service club, but because it is no longer a club, Leadership has taken over the dance’s planning. This means that Winter Formal this year will act as a fundraiser to offset the costs of Senior Prom.
Though last year’s leadership did not opt to part from the name TOLO, the email planted the seed for this year’s team to make the change.
“We had a discussion last year in Leadership about this, a lot of the people last year who have now graduated were clinging to tradition more than the kids at MIHS now,” McCarthy said. “We do not have any attachment to the name TOLO, and if it offends a small group of people then we do not want to hurt anyone.”
“We might lean towards a winter theme, it is also close to Valentine’s Day so we might also play into that theme,” McCarthy said.
The event, though still in the early stages of planning, is set to on Feb 11. Leadership wants to ask students to be open-minded. They are aware that this is a big shift for students, but are hoping MIHS students will adapt to this change so everyone feels like they belong at Winter Formal.
Following extensive testing of potential devices to replace iPads at Islander Middle School and Mercer Island High School, MISD has selected LeapFrog Tablets to supplant district-issued iPads.
In a recent newsletter on the district’s website, the reasoning behind the decision was explained to be based on a need to “cut unnecessary spending.”
“The Mercer Island School District has determined that buying 6,000 LeapFrog Tablets in bulk for 40 dollars on Alibaba is more fiscally sustainable than the current contractual obligation with Apple for the procurement of iPads,” the newsletter said.
The district intends to use funds being spent on iPad purchases to be reutilized to fund a complete remodel of the teacher’s lounge, which will add a sauna, a petting zoo with two therapy alpacas plus a tortoise, and a bin full of RC cars. Along with the remodel, there are plans to increase the number of available amenities for students.
“Initially we intend to have a staff member poke
students with a meterstick to indicate that it’s their turn to enter the singular ball pit in the gym. After a few months the number of ball pits will increase to three if funding permits,” a district official said.
Most students don’t care about the removal of iPads, as they are too busy online
shopping, completing college applications, or looking at NSFW sites on their laptops.
However, there have been some detractors who have voiced concerns via email about the adoption of LeapFrog tablets.
The district’s response to these emails was to reply back with a ‘Wojack’ meme depicting the students as the ‘Soyjack’ and the school administration as the ‘Chad’ while having the bottom of the meme show bolded text “Seethe and Cope.”
“When I sent my email with my concerns about how the school was spending money, I received a meme that was so poorly edited that I can’t even get offended by it. It’s sad to think that a human being made this,” junior Tom Shaffer said.
Despite some pushback from the student body regarding the procurement of LeapFrog tablets, the district has remained adamant that the decision to replace iPads will “maximize students’ educational experience and prepare them to be maltreated repeatedly by the powers that be in their adult lives.”
This anTiquaTed cusTom may have been accepTed in The pasT buT has no place in our modern socieTy
“ “Graphic by Taylor Holshouser
Just like that, the 2022 Midterms have come and gone. While many pundits and political reporters were expecting to be a massive blowout by Republicans (a red wave, if you will), there was actually a strong show of support for Democrats from an electorate exhausted with extremism.
In the immediate aftermath of the election, the Democrats hold the Senate 50-49, and the Republicans have flipped control of the house 218-210, with eight races undecided.
To the casual observer, this might seem like Democrats lost. However, there is an age-old adage in politics: in the first term of a presidency, the midterm elections are always lost massively by the party in power. For example, in 2010, President Obama’s Democrats lost 63 seats in the House and six in the Senate. In 2018 under President Trump, Democrats gained 41 House seats in what is generally referred to as a Blue Wave.
With the Democrats keeping control of the Senate (with the potential to nab an outright majority in the Georgia runoff election) and the House falling to a razor-thin majority equates a strong rebuttal of GOP politics and candidates. This conclusion is bolstered by
Biden’s low approval rating and exit polls where voters ranked inflation among their top concerns. The results are clear: voters are not happy with the economy, but they do not trust Republicans to fix it.
However, the biggest upset of the election happened here in Washington, along the southwest Pacific coast, where Democrat Marie Gluesenkamp Perez beat out Trump-endorsed Republican Joe Kent. This race was for Washington’s Third Congressional District, which was previously the seat of pro-impeachment Republican Jaime Herrera Beulter.
Herrera Beutler was primaried from the right by Kent, a former Green Beret with ties to Nazi sympathizers who has stated that the Jan. 6 assault on the Capitol was an “intelligence operation.” Meanwhile, Perez campaigned on reproductive rights and countering her opponent’s extremism, which was enough to flip the previous Trump +4 district.
This seat represents a crucial flip by the Democrats, but is also a microcosm of what these elections looked like on a national level. Across the US, moderate Democratic opponents beat out extreme challengers endorsed by Trump–from New Hampshire to Nevada. However, low candidate quality amongst Republicans was not the only bolster to Democrats. Young voters also propelled left-
leaning candidates to victory on Election Day.
Among a historic class of incoming freshmen legislators is the United States’ first Generation Z member of Congress, Democrat Maxwell Alejandro Frost, who won his race in Florida’s 10th district.
Generation Z also made their voices heard in other key ways during the 2022 elections. In Pennsylvania, young voters supported Lt. Governor John Fetterman by +46 points, which propelled him to victory over Trump-backed candidate Dr. Mehmet Oz and allowed Democrats to maintain Senate control.
On a national stage, Gen Z voters overwhelmingly voted blue up and down the ballot. According to NBC exit polls, voters aged 18-29 had Democratic margins of +30, while every other age group was either split or heavily preferred Republican candidates.
This historic support of left-leaning candidates by the youngest generation should be largely credited with staving off the Red Wave that many predicted was coming. As political minds around the country shift their focus to 2024, they should keep in mind the influence of young voters when crafting their campaign platforms. The results are clear: if Democrats want to win in 2024 and beyond, they need to prioritize and turn out their young voters.
Mercer Island is in the bounds of the 41st Legislative District in the State of Washington. This district includes all of Mercer Island and Newcastle, with portions of Bellevue, Renton, Issaquah and Sammamish.
Mercer Island is in the 9th Congressional District of Washington which includes Beacon Hill, Seward Park, Rainier Beach, Columbia City, the Central Area, the ChinatownInternational District, Bellevue, Mercer Island and Newcastle.
Taylor Holshouser A&E Team
In Sept. 2020, Just Poke made its first appearance on Mercer Island as a food truck. The truck remained in the Hap’s Burgers parking lot for a few months before leaving a vacancy in the Mercer Island poke market.
The Co-Founders of Just Poke, Norman Wu and Danny Brawer, grew up on the island and are still a part of the community, as many of their friends and family are MI residents.
“Our friends and family would always ask, ‘Oh, when are you going to open a MI location?’” Wu said.
After the pandemic hit, Wu and Brawer found little use for their food truck that was originally intended to serve at local festivals and events around Washington. The owners of Hap’s Burgers, friends with both Just Poke founders, allowed the truck to park in their restaurant’s parking lot.
“When we parked our truck, it was so busy that it kind of helped influence [our choice to open a store],” Wu said. “[It] gave us the confidence to decide to open up an actual store on the island.”
Soon after closing the food truck, Just Poke made a comeback on the island with a “coming soon” sign that remains on the window of an empty storefront on the North End. The sign has been up since earlier this year and continues to tease excited future customers.
“I think it’s great because the restaurant scene on the island is very limited. Just Poke will definitely change the culinary scene and be a step towards better food on the island,” Mercer Island resident Drew Robine said.
Wu explained that the delay in opening has been out of Just Poke’s control.
“Initially, we were planning on opening up closer toward September or October, but the construction permits with the City of Seattle had taken a little longer than we thought because some offices are still pretty understaffed,” Wu said.
Despite the construction challenges, Wu is excited to open the restaurant to broaden Mercer Island’s food options as early as the end of this November.
“Our goal is to hopefully get open before the end of this year and I think we should be able to hit that,” Wu said.
Photo courtesy Just Poke
Tiffany Zhang Sports&FeaturesTeams
The MIHS Class of 2023 has several student athletes committed to playing their respective sports in college.
Brooke Andrews, Matt Williamson and Sam Weiss are three of the MIHS committed athletes who are Ivy League-bound this fall.
found a lot of qualities in the Ivy League schools that I liked, they were part of a system that I liked,” Weiss said. “I was really looking for academically rigorous schools, so I looked [into] the PAC-12 and the Big Ten, things like that.”
said. “It’s the biggest of the Ivys and I love that. I also love how there’s so much nature and there’s so many opportunities. There’s so much to do within that small little town and there’s so much to see.”
Recruiting for high school athletes varies, especially by sport, but the process typically begins after sophomore year or at the beginning of junior year. According to Next College Student Athlete (NCSA), “coaches can only start proactively reaching out to recruits June 15 after their sophomore year or September 1 of their junior year. But student athletes can partake in early recruiting by reaching out to college coaches with emails, video, transcripts, etc.—college coaches just can’t respond until the rules say they can.”
College recruiting is often an effort between both the college coaches and the student athletes.
Coaching staff typically send scouts to evaluate high school players or invite athletes to various showcases or camps. Athletes will also reach out to college coaches themselves and send videos demonstrating their skill sets in their specific sport.
son
“I’m really excited for the opportunity to go to Columbia, and I’m really excited to play soccer there and be able to be in the academic environment. I [felt] like it was the right choice [when I committed] and it’s still the right choice now.”
“I felt really comfortable with the coaching staff and the environment at Columbia. And so, I just felt like it was right.”
Weiss first began the recruiting process in her freshman year by researching schools independently before the recruiting window opened at the end of her sophomore year. From there, Weiss began reaching out and emailing schools.
Mercer Island’s Girls Swim and Dive is also sending someone to an Ivy. Diver Brooke Andrews is committed to Cornell University in Ithaca, New York.
“I’m really excited to use Cornell’s curriculum and what they offer to figure out what I’m interested in and really find something I’m super passionate about,” Andrews said. “I’m just excited to be in a new place in my life.”
Andrews announced her commitment to Cornell in mid-September after previously being committed to Dartmouth.
“I loved the coach and I loved the team [at Dartmouth] but the school itself didn’t really align with my interests,” Andrews said.
“And with Dartmouth there was uncertainty,” Andrews added.
“Dartmouth [preread my application] over and they were like ‘yeah okay, you’re fine’ but then they had a rule where they were like ‘I wanna see how you do your first semester of senior year and then after that we’re gonna determine whether or not you can get in.’”
Matt Williamson, who is committed to Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, has been swimming since he was six years old. Last season, Williamson won state in both the individual 200 freestyle and for his role on the relay team.
“The idea of swimming in college is a recent thing because I’ve improved a lot so that became more of a possibility,” Williamson said. “In my college search I was focused on both the academics and the athletics. I ended up choosing Brown because I felt like it offers the best of both worlds.”
Another Islander who is heading East to continue her academic and athletic career is Sam Weiss, who has been playing soccer competitively since she was five. She is committed to play soccer at Columbia University in New York City.
“I wasn’t looking specifically [at the] Ivy League, but I
Andrews won the state championship for diving in her junior year and came in second in the state championship in her freshman year. She has competed in diving competitions around the country and recently competed in her first international competition in Sweden, where she placed fourth.
“I wanted to focus things more on academics than my sport,” Andrews said. “With Big Ten schools, it’s super heavy on the athletics and it’s a lot of dive which I love but my whole life isn’t gonna be diving and I don’t necessarily wanna pursue anything Olympic.”
Cornell, along with being one of the eight Ivy League schools, is one of the few private land grant universities in the United States and is comprised of seven undergraduate colleges.
“There’s so much that I loved about [Cornell],” Andrews
“I competed at two national competitions in the summer and then I got a ton of emails which I was not expecting and it made me rethink some things,” Andrews said.
Andrews began the recruiting process in the fall of her junior year and started by determining what colleges she was interested in before schools began reaching out to her.
“You get to a point where you narrow things down. I feel like that’s the same for everybody, not just athletes,” Andrews said. “In your search you’ll be able to find what really suits you and what really stands out.”
Despite being excited for the fall, Andrews says she’s not looking to pursue diving beyond the collegiate level.
“I think for me, I would rather pursue my education and just enjoy diving in college and then after that be done and be proud of my accomplishments,” Andrews said. “I don’t really know what I could get from the Olympics versus what I could get from really focusing on my education.”
All three students have led Mercer Island sports to success over their time as Islanders, and are set to make impacts on their college teams next fall.
Jordan Balousek and Tiffany Zhang SportsTeam
The Boys Basketball team is looking to improve on their performance from the previous season. “Last season was a challenge to all of us. We had a very young team, and many new players with big or significant roles,” senior captain Jax Bredy said. The team finished the 2021-22 season with a 4-14 overall win-loss record and a 3-10 district record, placing them fifth in the KingCo District. “Although the season may not have gone as we would have liked, we all grew, and we’re coming back this year hungry,” Bredy said. While the team would like to see overall growth, they also have some specific things that they’d like to improve from last year. “Our [goals] for the season [are] of course to win KingCo, and move on to state,” senior captain Myk Kovarskas said. The team is feeling confident going into the season and hopes to use the momentum from their off-season games and practices to improve on their record from last season. The team has strong shooters and a great half court offense, but look to improve their transition defense while capitalizing in transition on offense and limiting turnovers. “I think our team is very skilled and we also [play] smart. I think [the] most important [thing] for us this year will be to play together,” Kovarskas said. Both captains emphasized the Dec. 2 home opener against Bellevue as a game to watch. The team’s Senior Night is Tuesday, Jan. 31, at 7 p.m. against Juanita. Bredy also had one final note for the fans. “If there’s anything else I’d like to say, it is that I apologize for us not playing up to our standard last year. This year, though, we have a shot at redemption, and we appreciate everyone who will come to support us!” Bredy said. “Our goal as a team this season is to put a banner on the wall.”
The Girls Basketball team is excited to get back into
the regular season after a successful Summer Ball season. “Last season went alright, we started off a bit slow, but we improved a lot towards the end which is giving us confidence going into this season […] going into the regular season the team is feeling pretty pumped,” junior captain Caitlin Monahan said. Caitlin Monahan co-captains the team with her sister, senior Lauren Monahan. Lauren Monahan believes that a lot of the team’s confidence comes from their camaraderie.
“As a team we are all very close,” Lauren Monahan said. “The team chemistry is 100% there off the court, but I definitely think that we need to work a bit with our team chemistry on the court.” Caitlin Monahan is confident that the team this year will be strong contenders in the division. “We have a lot of strong returning players and lots of incoming potential,” she said. “I think that a reasonable goal for us this year is being top two in KingCo and making it to districts.” While Caitlin Monahan believes that the team is above average in defense and shooting, she also thinks that there are some areas that they lack in. “We can improve in our height and size, but that can also be an advantage because we are quicker than most teams,” she said. Lauren Monahan also agreed that while the size of the team is a disadvantage, their speed will be a benefit. While the team would appreciate your support at any game, they specifically are excited for Quad Night vs Bellevue, taking place Dec. 2. “Make sure to come out and support!,” Caitlin Monahan said. “We are excited to get started and see how we can make our mark in 3A this year.” Jax Bredy also echoed this statement, and asked the fans of the boys team to also show up and support the girls team as well. “Be sure to come real early and give your support to our girls’ team before watching us,” Bredy said. “I’m also very confident in them and their abilities […] be sure to come watch our boys’ and girls’ teams play throughout the season!”
The Boys Swim and Dive team hopes to continue
their winning streak and secure another state title this season. “I think we’re pretty well prepared for this season. We’ve got some fast freshmen coming in and everyone else is up for the challenge,” senior captain Nolan Knievel said. “We’re all really excited for what’s to come.” The team saw many fast seniors graduate last year, but are still confident in their success this season. “The beauty of swimming is it’s just as much an individual sport as it is a team sport. Our team’s success will also hopefully be in the form of everyone getting faster in the pool,” Knievel said. A goal of the captains this season is to improve the team chemistry. “In past years of Swive I think there’s been a bit of a disconnect between our club and non-club swimmers. This year, my fellow captains and I are hoping to build a more cohesive sense of community in the team,” Knievel said. The team also welcomes a new head coach this season, Craig Nisgor, and are excited to have him. They have their season opener Thursday, Dec. 2 at 3:30 against Newport at Mary Wayte. The team would love the support of Mercer Island fans at any and every meet possible.
The Girls Gymnastics team is excited to begin a new season. “I saw a lot of new and familiar faces at the pre-season meeting and I am looking forward for the season to [begin],” senior captain Sarah Kann said. The team hopes to keep spirits high throughout the season. “My goals for the team this year are to have lots of team bondings and for everyone on the team to get close and have fun throughout the season,” Kann said. “We are all there to have a good time, we are accepting of people of all skill levels and we know how to cheer loudly at the meets.” The team will have their home opener Wednesday, Dec. 7, and their Senior Night Jan. 11, in the main gym.
Hey Islanders!
I know you have had those moments in class, while spacing out, wondering what your teachers were like when they were our age. Well, here it is! Teachers Features is where I will be interviewing a new teacher every issue to talk about their childhood. For the second issue, I interviewed History and Psychology teacher Lance Kinsey, to learn a bit more about him.
I would say I was pretty outgoing. [I was] definitely very outgoing, really into sports, played anything that I could.
Do you have any siblings?
Yes, I have four younger brothers. What role did they play in your development as a person?
Being the oldest one, I wouldn’t say [my siblings] had a big role in my development but, it has helped me relate to my students. My youngest brother actually is in the eighth grade, and I have another brother who is a senior this year, and then one that's 23 and one that's 25. I think that that has helped me professionally having younger brothers- that way, I am not too lost with current trends and things like that.
You mentioned that you had a big family growing up; did you have tons of cousins? Would you get together during holidays?
Yeah, I do have a decently sized family. I come from a very rural area. I would say one of my favorite holidays is Thanksgiving, just having everyone at a massive table; I don't have to buy anyone gifts, I just get to eat all day and watch football.
What were you like as a teen in high school?
Specifically as a teen, I would say that I have matured a lot since that time. I come from a pretty conservative area so if I say I was crazy, it's all relative. We would do dumb things. There wasn't much to do so I just played sports most of the time, like soccer and track. Like I said, I was very outgoing in high school. My senior superlatives were [that] I had worse case senioritis, so that can kind of give you an insight to what I was like in high school, [also] biggest flirt and best dressed. I think that gives you an idea that I was just outgoing and just there for a good time, and then when I went to college I flipped the switch and became more academic.
In college I would say I transformed into an academic weapon. I said “alright this is the real deal” and at that point I had already joined the Air National Guard so I had gone through basic training and I think that did a lot for my maturity and responsibility. I went to The Ohio State University, knew I wanted to be a teacher, and just worked hard. I made sure I still had time for fun. College is all about time management, but I got really good grades and then decided to continue and stay at Ohio state for my masters degree then got good grades and here I am.
Marvel has made their best movie of 2022 with “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.” Although the movie’s main conflict is inconsistent, the movie powerfully develops the franchise’s central characters while honoring the death of Chadwick Boseman.
MarThe main conflict between Wakanda and the neighboring underwater kingdom of Talokan takes a predictable path, but the best aspect of the movie is seeing the main character’s, Shuri’s, personal struggle dealing with the loss of her brother and her doubt of traditional Wakandan beliefs. Shuri’s experience with grief, progressing from anger and resentfulness to acceptance, is movingly portrayed by actress Letitia Wright.
While the juxtaposition between advanced technology and religious tradition felt odd at times in the first “Black Panther,” in this film, director Ryan Coogler takes advantage of the contrast by showing how Shuri works to reconcile her passion for science with Wakandan beliefs and traditions.
However, I was disappointed by the film’s antagonist Namor, the king of the underwater kingdom of Talokan. One of the things that made the conflict in the original “Black Panther” so engrossing was the clear backstory and rational motivation of the main villain Erik Killmonger. On the other hand, Namor’s motivations in “Wakanda Forever” become increasingly unclear. At first, he is given a strong backstory about escaping colonialism in Latin America, but as the narrative progresses, he becomes illogically aggressive, switching from trying to defend the Talokans to trying to take revenge on the rest of the world. I was reminded of the way Marvel ruined Thanos in “Avengers: Endgame” when they changed his goal from wiping half the population to removing all life in the universe.
Despite the implausible motivations of the main villain, I like the way the central conflict gets resolved, with Shuri deciding to spare Namor’s life and ending the conflict diplomatically. It puts the emphasis on Shuri’s psychological growth instead of her combat ability, which makes the story feel emotionally complete. Since it feels like recently Marvel has created movies using a tried-and-true formula, the resolution of “Wakanda Forever” is refreshing.
I appreciate the decision to use indigenous Mesoamerican tribes as the inspiration for the culture of Talokan. The soundtrack is original and well-produced, mirroring the cultural influences of Latin America and Africa with both modern and tribal songs. However, in terms of production design, the underwater city of Talokan looked unimpressive and muddled on screen and the Talokan people looked dubiously similar to the Na’vi in James Cameron’s “Avatar.” I like the movie’s poignant ending showing Shuri’s memories of Chadwick Boseman’s T’Challa. However, a significant portion of the movie was taken up by a diplomatic conflict between the United Nations and Wakanda regarding Wakanda’s military capabilities, and I feel that this conflict was largely left unresolved.
Definitely sports. I will play any sport. I don't really like working out [at the gym]. But if you want to play badminton, sure. If you want to play soccer, sure. In highschool I played soccer and then I played indoor soccer in the winter and then ran track. So definitely sports is a big part and pop culture too. Just music, listening to basically everything.
Overall, despite the lackluster production design and the inconsistent motivations of the antagonist, “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” succeeds in emotionally engaging audiences while developing the franchise’s lead characters.
When you were little, what did you do for fun?
So the area I grew up in was very rural. There were a lot of Amish people there. So one thing I do remember is when I was very little, all of my babysitters were Amish. So we would ride, this is going to sound real country, we would ride around on ponies.
What's
For some reason what's popping into my mind is college. In college, Ohio State made it to the first college football playoffs. My friends and I went down to
Mercer Island welcomes Art Studio 74, owned by MIHS parent Carmen Van Eeden. She aims to create an environment where people of all ages can go to learn the basics of handmade ceramics, as well as other art forms like mosaics.
“I tell people, ‘you know, some people need to [be] between people to be at their happiest, I just need to do something creative everyday. Then I'm at my happiest,” Van Eeden said. “I get my energy from being creative, using my hands.”
The age-related classes are for ages two and older, and follow seasonal holidays.
“I will always make it theme orientated. So, if it’s Valentine's [Day], in January we will make
something like a heart,” Van Eeden said. “I always try to teach them or give them something they can take home to use, to eat a snack out of. All the glazes that I use are food proof and so it’s easy, and it is dishwasher safe.”
Prior to moving to Mercer Island, Van Eeden taught ceramic classes at her community center in Arizona after moving from South Africa. She connected with the Arizona community center while still on a visa.
“I discovered the community center and started to do ceramics. After we got our green cards, the lady that used to teach said she was going to retire, and they immediately asked me,” Van Eeden said. “When I started teaching I had done it for about ten years.”
The studio is now located in downtown Mercer Island
Quarters, I would go up and shake their hands and say “sorry for your future loss”, even though we were the underdogs. Two of my friends bought tickets for the game, and then, my now wife and I, we bribed a security guard to get into the superdome and we shared a seat with our friends during the game. Ohio State won. That was a memory that definitely sticks with me. What was the culture like in rural Ohio? Very conservative, I would say. Especially where I grew up, I already brought up the Amish thing, and even if you are not Amish or anything there is still a lot of religion very prevalent. So when I was in school, It was very different from here, that's for sure. I think moving away from that area, going to basic training and then going to Columbus for college definitely gave me a better world view than if I were to just stay in Holmes County, Ohio.
on 80th Ave SE, across from the Bank of America. However, Van Eeden originally hoped for the classes to be held at the community center, but the pandemic caused her to replan.
“I was setting my heart on teaching at the community center, because it is just so much easier to get exposure there […] But with the pandemic everything went out of everybody's hands,” Van Eeden said.
Van Eeden prides herself on her creativity and sharing it with others, as she grew up in an artistic family.
“I always tell people: I think in 3D. So if somebody [asks] me ‘how can we do this’ or ‘how can we do that’ I immediately think of a solution,” Van Eeden said. “I was always super handy with my hands… [and] I group up with lots of art around me.”
Art studio 74 plans to open its doors Dec 1, 2022, and will only charge a supply fee.