Senior Elite | Volume 6

SENIOR

ELITE APRIL 2020 | VOL 6.

A CAPTURED BY SHERRY ANN PHOTOGRAPHY PUBLICATION

Mourning the Loss of

2020 DACA THE DREAMERS

YOUR SENIOR YEAR

RANDOM ACTS OF

KINDNESS SENIOR ELITE MAGAZINE | VOL 6

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TARA MCGRATH / ORCHARD VIEW HIGH SCHOOL

CONTENTS Random Acts of Kindness 2020 DACA, The Dreamer Mourning the Loss of Your Senior Year Honey.

Senior Portraits after Covid-19

Contributors: Macayla Craymer Liney Figueroa Vanessa Kelly

FIND SENIOR ELITE Instagram: @seniorelitemagazine Facebook: fb.me/seniorelitemagazine www.capturedbysherryann.com/senior-elite

SUBMISSIONS Email: Sherry@capturedbysherryann.com

ON THE COVER: MACAYLA CRAYMER / GRAND HAVEN HIGH SCHOOL ON THE BACK: LILY JOHNSON / ORCHARD VIEW HIGH SCHOOL

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Random Act of Kindness

Photos by Vanessa Kelley

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Recently, Vanessa Kelly had noticed videos posted on her Facebook feed of people in other areas putting together baskets of goodies, such as wine and snacks, and leaving them on their friend’s porch. Like a Ding-Dong Ditch, in a more welcoming sense of the term.

Vanessa fell in love with the idea of bringing joy to her friends day, and wanted to give her 8 year-old daughter Brinleigh something creative and fun to do since she has been stuck inside during the quarantine. Living in a rural area, and with limited access to the internet and being mostly cut off from friends and family, this seemed like the perfect opportunity to give her children an outlet and a way to connect with their loved ones.

After a bit of brainstorming and rummaging through what supplies she had already on hand, Vanessa took note of what she could put together. Keeping budget in mind, with mason jars, paint, brushes, paper, and twine on hand, she just had to add some flowers.

Photos by Vanessa Kelley

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Photos by Vanessa Kelley

Vanessa and Brinleigh spent a day painting jars, and then the next day Vaneessa ran to the store for some flowers.

They assembled the jars, and together with her 12 year-old son Caden, they set out to deliver them Brinleigh’s favorite part of the whole project was the delivery. It got her out of the house while still following the order and maintaining distancing. Brinleigh most enjoyed the feeling of spreading joy onto others. The whole family loved the smiles it put on their family and friend’s faces.

As like most of us, Vanessa always hopes that showing kindness and having a good heart is something her kids will always succeed at. We all wish our children to be good people and doing good deeds, such as this incredible Random Act of Kindness, is a great lesson for them. People commented that they were stealing the idea and she encouraged them to “Spread the Cheer”! So do a random act of kindness, something as simple as a homemade card delivered to your neighbor, its one of the best medicines during these trying times, and it will bring a smile to their face.

Photos by Vanessa Kelly

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Photos by Vanessa Kelley

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GABBY MONTERUSSO / ORCHARD VIEW HIGH SCHOOL

LINEY FIGUEROA / ALMA COLLEGE

I AM

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a dreamer As a young Latina, turning fifteen meant that I was going to have my quinceañera – the celebration of the transition

from girlhood to womanhood, but in my situation, it also meant that I officially qualified for the Deferred Action of Childhood Arrivals, or commonly known as DACA. My name is Liney Amairani Figueroa-Espinoza, and I was brought to the United States in 2001 for a better future.

I was born in the small town of Huajuapan de León, Oaxaca, México, and although México is a beautiful country, my parents knew that I was not guaranteed a very successful life. Which is why they decided to sacrifice everything they had and move to the United States.

My DACA journey began in 2012 when our former president Barack Obama introduced a policy that would protect the undocumented immigrant students, also known as Dreamers, who had been largely raised in the United States. This policy allowed Dreamers to stay in the country, legally work, and attend school for two years, which could be renewable upon good behavior. As of 2018, there is an estimated total of 699,350 active DACA recipients, and I am part of it!

Being part of DACA has saved my life in so many ways such as being able to get my license and being able to get my first job. When we get accepted to be under DACA, we receive our social security number. For me, it was a very emotional moment when I was able to write down my very own social security number on my first job application. That was when I knew that I had to fight for DACA in order to keep this opportunity that seemed so simple to others, but to me it meant my entire life and future.

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I have been an active recipient of DACA since 2015, but in September of 2017, which was my senior year of high school, President Donald Trump announced that the DACA program was going to be repealed. At that time, approximately 800,000 immigrants who were part of or qualified for DACA would be eligible for deportation after a six-month period. During that time as well, I was beginning to apply for colleges to expand further my education, but now I was being faced with not only the fact of being deported but also the worry that now my parents and I should save my college savings for an emergency plan in case if anything occurred such as deportation. It was a frightening time for my parents and my future. The future that my parents sacrificed everything for. Luckily, I was able to renew it for another two years, but after the two years the future was untold.

In June of 2019, the U.S. Supreme Court announced that it had decided to review the DACA court cases and therefore issue a decision that could end DACA. The U.S. Supreme Court announced that this decision could be made by late June of 2020. At this moment, DACA recipients are living in uncertainty because our future is in jeopardy.

DACA is so crucial for not only undocumented students who want to achieve their dreams and their aspirations, but it is also crucial for the United States because we are the next generation that will carry this country. We are the ones who will create new businesses and phenomenal companies. We are the future medical professionals that will care for our older and younger generations. These are just small examples of what America’s future can hold because DACA recipients are the future! Therefore, I will always defend for DACA because this my future and America’s future, and most importantly, because I am a Dreamer.

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ALEIGHA MACK / WHITEHALL HIGH SCHOOL

honey.

Honey is everywhere. It is one of the common household shelf items that you will find in nearly every home. It is easy to buy at the grocery store, small market, and online marketplace. it is a common ingredient in a lot of health and beauty products for humans and pets alike. We see it in lotions, washes, soaps, candles, wipes, and more. The trusted brand Burts BeesÂŽ is a big cultivator of the resource. If it is such a common ingredient, there must be a reason.

The fact is, there are records of the use of honey for baking and cosmetics dating back to the Ancient Egyptians in heiroglyphics. The Ancient Egyptians and Greeks viewed honey as a healing medicine. Famous women Nefertiti, Celopatra, and Madame du Barry all used honey in their skin care rituals. It is no surprise that honey is still used in so many popular products today.

Honey has natural antibacterial properties that help speed the healing of infections. Its natural antioxidants and antisceptic properties help heal wounds, and heal scars and burns. The antiinflamitory properities of honey are great for healing acne. As a natural humectant, it is very moisturizing helping your skin and hair retain and attract moisture.

When using honey as a mask or a facial wash, it is important to remember that while it has its many benfits, there are precautions to take as well. Make sure you rinse the mask thoroughly, as any sticky residue left behind may attract unwanted dirt and bacteria. It is also important to avoid imposters. Anything that is not Raw and unpasurized may contain additional ingredients that may irritatie or cause other adverse reactions. Always test your skin in a small area before creating any masks. In rare cases, some people with bee sting allergies may develop skin irritations from prolonged exposure to honey, so always test.

Honey is helpful to your body as well. The antioxident and antiinflamitory properties of honey go beyond the surface. Studies show Honey was just as good or better than glucose, or sugar water in boosting the staying power of endurance athletes.

CNN.com reports Honey has proven effective in treatment of ulcers, bed sores, burns, skin sores and inflammation.

Studies have shown that it is also effective against dozens of strains, including E. coli and salmonella.

Honey harvested from different flowers are said to have different flavors and medicinal properties. For example, the popular Manuka honey, along with Malaysian Tualang honey, has been shown to fight staph and the digestive bacteria responsible for peptic ulcers, H. pylor, while Eucalyptus honey is said to help with headaches and colds. To find the varieties of honey and their benefits, a good resource is http://localhoneyfinder.org/ TypesAndFlavorsOfHoney.php

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Polishing Honey Almond Facial Scrub 4 tbsp local honey 4 tbsp ground almonds Place the ground-up almonds in a small jar. Fill the jar with honey so that it covers the almonds and mix it all together well. Mix the contents of the jar together again directly before applying as the honey will sink to the bottom. Wet your face and then mix a small amount of facial scrub in your hands with a drop of water.

Apply the facial scrub and gently exfoliate your skin by rubbing the scrub in small circles over your face, carefully avoiding your eyes and mouth. Wash your face with warm water to remove all of the honey almond scrub.

Read more: http://www.herbhedgerow.co.uk/honey-natural-beauty-throughout-history/

How to Add Honey to Your Diet Add a dollop to your yogurt Add some to your smoothie Stir into your tea Marinate or Dressing Mix with lemonade Warm milk and honey for a sweet treat

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BRI TWITTY / WHITEHALL HIGH SCHOOL

Mourning the Loss of

YOUR SENIOR YEAR

by Macayla Craymer, Grand haven High School

Sudden, doesn’t even begin to describe the unexpected punch to the face every senior felt when told school would shut down. I was dumbfounded. I didn’t understand how rumors and whispers about a virus miles away could cause a huge impact so close to home. For weeks it was nothing more than a joke, hoping to have some time off of school. I was hopeful at the start, or maybe naive that after the three-week lockdown and spring break, I would be back, carrying out the rest of my senior year typically, besides the few hiccups. Boy, I am wrong.

My optimism at the beginning was stacked up, like, Jenga blocks, and with each cancellation and postponement, a brick was taken until my precious senior year came crashing down. I was utterly devastated. After years of overcoming required classes, exams, a fifteen-page paper, time writings, AP classes; every senior and I are entitled to those last few, but blissful months to reflect and reward ourselves on our achievements. Just like every senior before us.

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MACAYLA CRAYMER / GRAND HAVEN HIGH SCHOOL

However, with disaster quickly spreading across the globe, it seems unfair to be upset over prom, sports games, and my graduation ceremony when countless people and loved ones are being impaired. For the first several weeks, I was engulfed in the stages of grief, from denial to anger, till I finally settled in depression, to the point of not wanting to do my online assignments, text any of my friends. I slipped into the mood, that if I didn’t accept it, and continue to have hope, school would be up and running in a few weeks. The sad truth was, there was nothing school, my parents, my friends, or I could do to stop reality. No one, especially me, could ever imagine our last leg of the marathon, that high school is, to be canceled due to a world-world outbreak, although a part of me finds comfort that all the seniors are in this together.

Note from the Editor: While the country battles an unfamiliar disease, the class of 2020 unites and preserves. While many of you are sad and the situation is heart breaking to say the least, your overall positive outlook on health and family, and your unrivaled determination to move forward and set your eyes on the future is remarkable. The love and support I see from the community is uplifting. From yard signs from the school principal, to parades for classmates on birthdays, I have seen your community pull together to keep spirits high.

Class of 2020, take a moment to mourn the loss of your Senior Year, but always remember to embrace the relationships you have, reflect on old memories and make new ones, and list out your social priorities so that when limits are lifted, you can make sure to see your friends, teachers and classmates before your destiny pulls you forward. You will overcome this, and you are making history.

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Senior Portraits after COVID-19

Planning your senior photos should be fun and exciting. This

Many clients have asked about a photoshoot in the snow. I

once-in-a-lifetime experience should leave you feeling happy

often wish I could turn my snow dial and make the pretty snow

and fulfilled.

fall on demand. I also wish I could pick them up and drop

In reality you should begin thinking about your senior photos

them in to a beautiful untocuhed field of snow. Unfortunately

during the winter and spring of your Junior Year. Covid-19 has thrown a big wrench in the planning of many things, including the planning of senior photos.

Due to the the executive orders put in place by the State’s Governor, photographers can not operate at this time. I eagerly await the opportunity to begin shooting portraits again, and in the mean time, I am able to start planning with the hopes that the order will soon be lifted and that small businesses like mine, who do not require close physical contact, can soon

for Michigan, it’s the most unpredictible weather on the face of the planet (just kidding - not really). For those of you who want the snow, I have work arounds. If snow is what you want, talk to me about it and we’ll see if we can get that for you.

I enjoy offering my clients the option for studio photos, however, these are also temporarily on hold until the Governor allows me to open it up. I maintain a clean and safe environment for my clients, and once I am allowed to re-open my space, I will always follow the guidance of the orders in

open and continue to operate.

place while operating my studio.

Many photographer’s summer and fall calendars will fill up

Throughout the winter, or even in the summer months,

during the spring prior to your Senior year (or sooner). Because we have been unable to shoot for much of the springtime, there may be a rush to get some sessions in before the fall when some of the Class of 2020 seniors who procrastinated need to squeeze theirs in. If this is you, I encourage you to contact me and look into booking your summer shoot soon.

Summer is the best time to get the most light out of your day.

That being said, fall has beautiful color and it is one of the most popular times to do senior photos. It sometimes can be difficult to schedule a date for the best colors because we often do not know when it will hit it’s peak color, and will frequently come with bitter cold temperatures, but for those of you who enjoy the colors, you also often enjoy the photos with flannels,

having a studio session is a lot of fun, and a great way to get some unique, fun images. Between a great variety of colored backdrops, to a fog machine and colored lights, we can make it totally unique. It’s also a nice environment to warm you up to being in front of the camera, or getting you a nice clean headshot for that yearbook if you want something a little more formal there.

Because of COVID-19 My spokesmodel program has been postponned for the 2020/2021 season. A smaller, more limited program is still being considered once the limitations of my small business operation are defined. I still believe that it is the best program to get all seasons and highlight your entire senior year. Get multiple sessions, member benefits, highlights

sweaters, and blankets, so it’s no sweat. Either way, you are not

and more. Contact me to learn more.

the only one itching to get those peak colors, so reserving a

sherry@capturedbysherryann.com

date is a great idea.

231-670-7992

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CAPTURED BY SHERRY ANN WWW.CAPTUREDBYSHERRYANN.COM CALL OR TEXT: 231-670-7992 SHERRY@CAPTUREDBYSHERRYANN.COM

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