Funny story: Every day we walk our dog around Yorktown High School, staring at 8:10 exactly. That’s when we drop Alexandra off. And at 8:17, the same tall, well-dressed young woman walks past us, usually at a much faster pace than us old timers. Like clockwork—8:17. So I laughed today as Tara walked out of her house today to greet me because we immediately recognized each other. And now that we’re no longer strangers, I learned how talented Tara happens to be. You see, she likes to make really cool props. Big props. Mystical props. I’ll let her explain: “I’ve had such a great time with the Theater Department at Yorktown, both in stage productions and in class. Outside of school, my main hobbies include costuming, makeup art, and prop-making. I enjoy creating props (like those shown above) from scratch using various craft materials like EVA foam and PVC pipe and combining them with handmade costumes to transform myself into a whole new person. It’s so much fun! Last summer, I studied costuming and set design at Savannah College of Art and Design. Next year I’ll be a freshman at Franklin and Marshall College in Pennsylvania. My plan is to major in physics and possibly education. Hopefully I’ll have an opportunity to work with their theater department as well—I would love to continue putting my hobbies to use onstage as both a crew member and performer.” I keep telling you—these Yorktown kids are pretty damn impressive. Oh, and by the way: Tara is wearing a dress for a prom that won’t ever happen. I give you, Tara H., Yorktown senior with an amazing imagination.
Location: Arlington, Virginia.
