Before becoming a teacher, Ms. Truszkowski was an ice cream scooper at Friendly’s. Spanish was her favorite subject in school; she even went on a trip to Mexico! She was sold into the idea to teach after that trip. Therefore, her journey into education began.

Her favorite class to teach is obviously all Spanish III and IV classes.

Outside of school, Ms. Truszkowski can go out with her book club girls.

She is inspired by her world language coworkers. In school, Ms. Truszkowski hosts SGA (Student Government Association) and Spanish NHS (Spanish National Honor’s Society). She doesn’t indulge often…but when she does, she goes all in. Vanilla and chocolate swirl soft serve with chocolate sprinkles is the best! No contest.

Ms. Truszkowski’s inspirational line to say to her students and live by is “Vive, Rie, Ama” (Live, Laugh, Love).

Ms. Truszkowski is a terrific example of what it means to be both a dedicated teacher and a person who inspires others to grow. We’re lucky to have her at C. Milton Wright! Go Mustangs.

The film also showed how social media, relationships and personal choices that Mackenzie Shirilla has had had had serious consequences that came with it. Mackenzie Shirilla has been sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 15 years, she received two concurrent sentence of 15 years to life. 

Overall, The Crash was really interesting and emotional it made me think about how people don’t take many things as seriously as they should it also showed me how important it is making responsible decisions and how one thing can affect many lives just in a second. I would definitely recommend this documentary to people who are interested in true crime stories.

To prepare this easy summer macaroni salad, cook two cups of elbow macaroni according to package directions and allow it to cool after straining. In a large bowl, combine the macaroni with one cup diced celery, one half cup chopped red bell pepper, one fourth cup finely chopped red onion, and two hard-boiled eggs, chopped. 

For the dressing, mix one half cup of mayonnaise, one tablespoon of yellow mustard, one teaspoon of sugar, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Pour the dressing over the macaroni mixture and stir until evenly coated. Refrigerate for at least one hour before serving to allow the flavors to blend. 

I asked C. Milton Wright student and Senior Class President, Ethan Patel, what he thought about the recipe. Patel stated, “The vegetables kind of scare me… but the macaroni does entice me.”  

This colorful and creamy macaroni salad is a summertime favorite that pairs well with grilled burgers, hot dogs, chicken, or fresh vegetables. Easy to make and full of flavor, it is sure to become a staple at your summer gatherings. 

Unlike other seasons of high school sports, fall sports give athletes the entire summer to get ready, but what really matters is what those athletes spend their time doing. Obviously, summer is a break from school, so students want to relax, go on vacation, and spend time with friends, but it is important to find a balance between enjoyment and training. 

Throughout the summer, fall sports meet often to start getting ready for their upcoming season. Girls’ soccer specifically has a summer league where they play 11v11 soccer on Monday or Tuesday nights, Tuesday afternoon weightroom and soccer after, then Thursday night conditioning and soccer. Boys’ soccer also plays a 6v6 summer league. 

 For many athletes, summer training is about more than just staying in shape. C. Milton Wright boys’ soccer player Lucas Barker believes the work put in during the offseason can determine how successful a team will be once the season begins. “Summer training is really important because it helps us stay prepared and build chemistry before the season starts,” Barker said. “If we come into preseason already fit and ready to play, we can focus more on improving as a team instead of trying to catch up physically.” Barker also emphasized that the extra work done during the summer gives athletes an advantage when games become physically demanding later in the season. 

The benefits of summer training extend beyond conditioning. Athletes are able to sharpen their skills while strengthening relationships with teammates. By consistently showing up throughout the summer, players create a foundation that helps them perform at a higher level once practices and games officially begin. Teams that train together during the offseason often enter the season more confident and prepared for the challenges ahead. 

Although summer is meant to be a time to relax and enjoy a break from school, athletes understand the importance of staying committed to their sport. Finding a balance between training and enjoying summer can be difficult, but the work put in during those months often pays off when the season arrives. Whether it’s in the weight room, at conditioning, or during team practices, summer training helps athletes prepare for success long before the first game is played. 

The new horror movie Obsession has quickly become one of the most talked about films of the year. Directed by Curry Barker, the movie follows a young man named Bear, who wishes for his longtime crush, Nikki, to fall in love with him. However, things do not go as planned, and his wish leads to terrifying consequences. Barker first gained attention through his YouTube channel and independent horror projects before making the jump to feature films, bringing his creative storytelling style and filmmaking experience from the platform to the big screen. 

While the movie’s premise sounds simple at first, it develops into a suspenseful and disturbing story that explores themes of obsession, relationships, and the dangers of getting exactly what you wish for. 

One reason the movie has become so popular is because it feels different from many modern horror films. Instead of focusing only on jump scares, Obsession builds tension through its characters and story. As the plot unfolds, viewers are left wondering what will happen next. The movie combines psychological horror, mystery, and suspense, creating an experience that keeps audiences engaged from beginning to end. 

Another strength of the film is its production. The camera work, lighting, and sound effects help create a creepy atmosphere that adds to the overall feeling of unease. Many viewers have praised the movie for its unique visuals and strong performances, especially from the lead actors. Despite being made on a relatively small budget, Obsession has become a huge success and has gained attention from both critics and moviegoers. 

My sister Natalie recently watched Obsession and loved it. She said it was her favorite scary movie because it kept her interested the entire time. 

“I thought it was filmed really well, and the suspense was amazing,” Natalie said. “There was always something happening that made me want to know what would happen next.” 

She also liked how the movie focused on telling a good story instead of only trying to scare the audience. 

Overall, Obsession is a horror movie that offers much more than just frightening moments. It’s interesting plot, suspenseful atmosphere, and strong filmmaking make it a memorable experience. If you’re a fan of horror movies that keep you guessing and make you think, Obsession is definitely worth watching. 

One thing I look forward to every year is adding to my summer playlist. I love listening to multiple genres, but my favorite is country. Some of my favorite artists for summer are Morgan Wallen, Jon Pardi, Zara Larson, and Frank Ocean. Some of my favorite summer songs are Lush Life, Missed Call, and Heartache Medication.  

I interviewed my brother Tommy Gunter to get a college kids’ perspective on Summer Playlist. I asked Tommy his favorite summer artist and he replied with, “recently my favorite has been Treaty Oak Revival.” Another question I asked is how long is your summer playlist? Tommy said he playlist was 5 hours and 20 minutes. That is a whole lot of songs. The final question I asked was “do you make a new playlist every year or do you add to the same playlist?” Tommy said, “I always add to the same summer playlist.”  

As Summer rolls around every year there is nothing like going on a nice long walk with my dog and tuning into my summer playlist soaking up the sunshine. No matter what music you like, sit back, relax and enjoy your Summer. You’ve earned it.  

To gather more opinions on the voting process, I interviewed Ethan Patel, who was recently voted as our 2027 Senior Class President. When asked what some of his best qualities are as a President, he stated “I.. am a good communicator who listens to others.” When asked about his goals for our class, he said “I care about our senior year and want to ensure it is as fun and easily affordable as possible to everyone.” Finally, I asked what part he is most excited about, he stated “I’m most excited about bringing together our school community in order to create the most memorable senior year for us all.” 

While this can be a competitive time of the year, it is important to remember the core goals behind Senior Class Council. These goals can include teamwork, advocacy, unity, and more. 

One benefit of having a summer job is earning money. Teenagers can save for things they want like a car, college expenses, or entertainment. Learning how to manage money at a young age helps build responsibility and financial independence. Along with that, having a paycheck can teach teens the value of hard work and budgeting. When teens earn their own money, they gain more control over their choices. Many teens don’t fully appreciate how much effort goes into earning a paycheck until they work for themselves. 

Summer jobs can also help teens gain valuable experience and skills. Whether they work as lifeguards, camp counselors, or store employees, they are learning how to communicate with others, solve problems, and manage their time effectively. These skills can be useful in school, future jobs, and everyday life. Employers appreciate people who have work experience because it shows responsibility and dedication. It can help them understand how wages are earned, the relationship between time and income, why budgeting matters, and the importance of saving.  

I interviewed my friend Grace Mann who is a junior at C. Milton Wright, about her summer job as a lifeguard. She works at the Arena Club. I asked why she chose to become a lifeguard, and she said that “I enjoy swimming and being outdoors. This seemed like a good way to make money while keeping people safe.” Next, I asked her what her main responsibilities were and she said that “I watch swimmers, enforce pool rules, and make sure everyone has a safe experience.” My last question was how having a summer job has benefited her and she said, “It helped me become more independent, manage my times, and save money for things I want and need.” 

As summer comes, many teenagers are taking advantage of job opportunities that provide a paycheck along with valuable skills like responsibility, communication, and time management. Summer jobs help prepare young people for future careers while allowing them to earn money and become more independent. Summer jobs continue to be an important opportunity for teenagers to build skills, earn money, and take steps towards a successful future.

From scribbling images of your family with crayons onto construction paper to graphite drawings of your dog in art class, it is evident that life experiences shape the artwork one produces- and for many it is simple. When prompted in class, they draw something explicitly from their life, creating a personal narrative on paper. Things are exactly what they are, and they affect you just as you would imagine. The dog is just a dog, and the house is just the house you live in. Yet, for many artists, it is much more complex, and the art they make does not just show their own life experiences but the world outside theirs. This outside view is important as it creates artwork that not only makes the artist do introspection and learn about a life outside their own, but it also makes the viewer think. CMW artist, Maggie Phelan, demonstrates the power of incorporating experiences outside your own into your artwork. 

Her artwork consists of varying themes, but one theme that is weaved throughout her portfolio is the military. While Maggie has no distinct personal experience involving the military, as she herself has never served, her grandfather did. He was a huge part of the creation of her overall motif. Maggie shares, “what interested me in the first place was when I went to different civil war battlefields with my grandfather and father – I visualized the soldiers on the literal battlefields, and it soon translated to my art.”  

This has inspired her artwork and is why you can find military battles and soldiers throughout her portfolio. The experience of the pain, grief, terror, and mourning of someone who has served are not her own, but she is able to masterfully illustrate it, presenting history on paper. Although Maggie reiterates that she could never fully represent the terrors of war that soldiers go through, I believe she comes relatively close. Maggie’s art piece, “War is Hell”, artfully executes the dark side of war that victory shields. Her drawing depicts amputated soldiers on a chaotic battlefield represented by her use of dark abstract lines. I was drawn to this piece because it is messy and it is bold. While relatively simple, it evokes exactly what’s she intends, terror and pain. 

History is something Maggie deeply values. Art pieces of the Civil War, World War 2 and the Vietnam War are topics that she is not a stranger to. Even so, sometimes, Maggie makes art that is not made to evoke a certain feeling but rather just to fight boredom. Art made purely for fun. This is seen in her series of wearable helmet sculptures. She uses cardboard and glue to shape accurate helmets in the Star Wars series, The Mandalorian. While not as elaborate or complex as her realistic portraits, her helmets show that motifs can transcend one medium. Plus, if I’m honest, they are just really cool to look at and physically hold. She says, “creating helmets is something new for me, and I love it. What inspired me was the fact that I haven’t done 3-D art in a long time and I was getting tired of drawing everything. Also, helmets are really cool and are a piece of art you can actually wear, which is pretty epic.”  

Fanart is another type of art that Maggie holds dear. No one wants to admit fanart is so intertwined within the art world. “Saturn Devouring His Son” by Francisco Goya is merely fanart of Roman mythology and so is the “Birth of Venus” by Sandro Botticelli. People love to forget that fanart is everywhere and is not only tied to fandom. Maggie, who is a huge fan of western movies, particularly “Tombstone”, creates art pieces of her favorite characters and scenes. To those who have never seen the movie, her artwork is beautiful illustrations of men going through the hardships of the time such as tuberculosis. Her artwork shows that you don’t need to be a part of a fandom or see the inspiration to understand the themes and feel the emotions of an art piece.   

Something most artists hold dear is their sketchbook. Maggie is no different. Her sketchbook is filled with captivating pieces and is where most of her art can be found. Weirdly enough, each sketch feels like a complete piece, with both line art and color that finishes each sketch. Even basic graphite sketches are finished off with bright backgrounds that set her art apart from the rest. Maggie uses her sketchbook to create for herself, not for the eyes of others. To both fight boredom and to see her imagination on paper, she can be seen drawing away in her large spiralbound book. While she is not tied to a specific medium in her art, she explains, “I kind of have a set few mediums that I like working with. I’m willing to try new things always, but some mediums, like colored pencils, are not for me.” 

A National Art Honor Society (NAHS) membership is a honor presented to artists who uphold important values of community and leadership. Maggie Phelan worked to obtain this membership through hours of volunteering. She was a part of some of the most well-known art projects at CMW, such as National Art Honor Society’s collaboration with Stage Wright to create artwork for an auction that raised hundreds for NAHS. Maggie is not only an artist; she is also a key member of the science chapter of NHS at CMW and does Envirothon. Maggie is a multifaceted student who is dedicated to her community and to her academic success. Working alongside her in NAHS and in science courses has been nothing but a joy and I am excited to see what she does in her senior year.  

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Maggie did not become a talented artist by staring at a blank sheet of paper. She became an artist by putting that first mark. Most artists agree, the first mark is the hardest part, as no one wants to ruin the pristine paper. Artist block can hold many beginner artists back, as they may feel they are not good enough and overthink their process. Maggie advises, “to beginner artists, I say draw and make what you’re interested in. When I didn’t care about starting with anatomy or composition or anything like that, I did my best work because it came naturally to me, and the ‘basics’ to art came along the way.”