Senior Kathleen Hiltebrand crafts her painting in AP Art, bringing her canvas to life, and now after four years she has found an outlet and career path in the art field. A spotlight shines down on center stage highlighting senior Bekah Vogt who has devoted herself to theater, finding a community and ability to express herself through the characters she has played. Finally, senior Varsity Cheer Captain Sydney Burns flies in the air during synchronized back flips followed by perfect lifts, teaching her leadership, and performing a sport she loves. Three distinct passions transformed the lives of three individuals over the course of their high school years.
Hiltebrand began her art journey at three, experimenting with various mediums such as painting, drawing, clay, crochet, and sewing. At South, Hiltebrand took art classes ranging from Beginning Drawing to Level 4 Fashion. Art has taken many meanings for Hiltebrand, most importantly giving her a break from the stress of daily life.
“Art gives me a space to express my stress and get it all out,” Hiltebrand said. “When I’m having a bad day, I can relax, sit at my art desk and make something or crochet and watch a TV show.”
Hiltebrand continued taking art classes at South, concluding her senior year with AP Art, and will pursue art and fashion at Iowa State University.
“I am majoring in Fashion Merchandising and Design,” Hiltebrand said. “I’ll be continuing my fashion career and hopefully getting a job in that industry.”
Following on the four-year path, Vogt has been a part of theater since elementary school, but her love for theater truly grew at the start of her freshman year.
“The fall play got me to know the types of shows and the culture around theater here,” Vogt said. “That production sparked my interest to do more theater.”
All four years, Vogt participated in the fall play, Improvaganza, V-Show, and the Glenbrook Musical. Dedicating time and effort to the various types of theater has been largely due to the community within South’s theater programs, Vogt said.
“I work with the best people, the theater program is absolutely amazing and that’s why I keep coming back,” Vogt said.
Theater presents Vogt with a chance to step into the alternative life of her character’s role and form an emotional connection with both the character and the audience, Vogt explained. Due to the support of the theater program at South, Vogt will major in Drama at New York University this fall.
“I love that art can make you feel something,” Vogt said. “I perform because I love it, and I strive to make people feel emotions.”
The Varsity Cheer team practices and performs their routines in the Dome, where Burns has spent much of her time over the last four years.
Burns began her South cheer experience by trying out in the spring of eighth grade, where she discovered she had made the varsity team. She continued at this competitive level for the following high school years. At South, Burns found her love for performing and the sport, she said.
“I love being the center of attention and I think in cheerleading everyone gets to be the center of attention at some point in the routine,” Burns said.
Cheerleading has taught Burns about the rigors of competing and mentorship.
“I’ve definitely learned the most about leadership and how to lead a group of people who don’t necessarily want the same things and who might disagree on how to somehow come to a consensus,” Burns said.