Art provided by Juliette Robertson \u201825\u00a0
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Have you ever found yourself looking for the perfect paper snowflake or a handmade metal spoon? Perhaps you need to learn the ins and outs of an Excel spreadsheet.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Well look no further than the fourth-floor gym or the couches in the library to see all of the talents hiding in plain sight at Grace Church High School. There is no question that Grace Church is a special school. From community meetings that are better described as dance parties, to the unique individual talents of our students and staff, we are an institution that truly stands out. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
What better time than now to showcase the hidden skills of our amazing community? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Grace has many talented singers on Gracenotes, such as Stella F. \u201827 who has a five-octave range. But did you know we have hidden vocalists too? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Thea S. \u201826 can mimic a bird whistle so perfectly you might mistake her for an actual bird. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ava L. \u201826 also has a one-of-a-kind sound-making talent: a whistle made using her teeth that resembles a dog whistle, except, unfortunately, we can hear it!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Students don\u2019t shy away from physical challenges either. Antonia A. \u201827 earned her black belt in taekwondo in just two years of practice. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Oscar P. \u201827 takes his skiing skills to daring heights\u2014literally. He explained, \u201cI can jump off 40-foot cliffs in skis.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sophia T. \u201826 is a certified sailing pro. One of her toughest challenges? Passing a turtling test, where she had to rotate a boat 360 degrees (upside down!) without touching the water. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Regarding other water activities, Bari E. \u201827 is a skilled waterskier who has spent many summers perfecting her craft. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Issac J. \u201828 and Campbell R. \u201826 can both do incredible flips of boats. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Grace Cheer Team is full of talented individuals. Dana Foote, our beloved \u201cjack of all trades\u201d and cheer advisor, can pull off a flawless headstand, while Chloe F. \u201827, a cheerleader, is a pro at performing ear piercings\u2014for herself and her friends. Chloe has an outstanding 10 ear piercings and not one of them has gotten infected. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Another Grace Cheerleader, Ruby S. \u201826 is a master text arguer; if you ever need to draft a top-tier text comeback, Ruby is your go-to strategist. Ruby has talked countless parents out of grounding their children. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Harper H. \u201827, the go-to \u201cstunter\u201d on the cheer team, can do a back tuck and every contortion you can think of. And one of the cheer co-captions, Francesca Y. \u201825, could be considered the next Yves Saint Laurent. After a summer fashion design program at Columbia University, she is ready to create unique wearable art. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
If having a college degree in Dungeons and Dragons was possible, Magnus B. \u201827 would undoubtedly have it. From the age of seven to 13, Magnus was a Dungeons and Dragons enthusiast, so much so to the point where he had notebooks upon notebooks of campaign ideas that were arguably some of the finest the D&D world has ever seen. Although Magnus is no longer a D&D ride-or-die, a small part of his heart and brain will forever belong to Dungeons and Dragons. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Siena G. \u201827 is not only a talented volleyball player and runner, but she also can communicate with her dog, Basil. Some people could call her a dog whisperer. On the daily, Siena and Basil have conversations in their secret language, mainly consisting of facial expressions that instruct Basil to do specific tasks. For example, when Siena raises her left eyebrow, Basil will shut the door for her with his nose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Speaking of Basil, Kate M. \u201825 can diagnose any and every herb in a dish. This could be attributed to her excellent taste buds or her extraordinary sense of smell. Over each holiday meal, a coveted Moskin family tradition is forcing Kate to try every dish and identify the herbs. Her herb test-taking average is well over the 95 percent range. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
On a more musical note, Caleb S. \u201827 is a music producer who has been creating beats with the use of samples and electronic instruments for two years now. He is fully self-taught. Some artists that have been influencing his sound lately include Anderson. Paak, Joey Bada$$, and Liv.e. Look out for Caleb in the future! He is the next big thing in the music production industry. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Carson L. \u201828 has been obsessed with Legos ever since he was a child. And guess what! He built the Millennium Falcon, which happens to be the largest Lego set on the market. If you happen to be in the market for a Lego building partner, your search ends here. Carson is ready and more than willing to assist you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Jed S. \u201827 is a car enthusiast who can identify any make, model, and year as a car zooms past without fail. He\u2019s also learning how to modify engines\u2014his dream project is \u201cputting a Ferrari engine into a Toyota.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hudson A. \u201827 found passion in finger boarding during the pandemic. After almost five years of practice, he is now a pro. Yes, I am talking about the mini skateboards that are commonly found in convenience stores. \u201cThere was really nothing else to do during COVID so I just figured I could become really good at something really stupid,\u201d Hudson reported. Hudson also secretly sings beautifully with no prior training. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Chloe B. \u201827, known for having a way with words, has a knack for songwriting and creating lyrics on the fly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Alex A. \u201827 is a history buff with an impressive memory for dates. Be prepared to hear Alex \u201cdate drop\u201d\u2013as he calls it\u2014at any time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
At Grace, we have a handful of students with amazing hand-eye coordination. For example, Isabelle C. \u201827 practices archery weekly and Audrey. \u201827 can spin a basketball on her finger. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
On a more culinary note of hand-eye coordination, Sabine T. \u201826 can juggle any type of fruit, even pineapples! <\/p>\n\n\n\n
After a summer spent dipping his toe into the finance world, Leo F. \u201826 has become a master at Excel spreadsheets. If you need advice on stocks Leo is ready to dish out his Wall Street info. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
As the winter weather picks up, Chloe K. \u201826\u2019s impeccable paper snowflakes are the ultimate handmade decoration. She cuts perfect and incredibly detailed accents, adorning her snowflakes with the perfect physique. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I would also be remiss to forget about the Grace Faculty that have talent, too. Karen Zhang, a math and computer programming teacher, isn\u2019t just a tech whiz and math genius; she\u2019s also a crochet master. Ms. Zhang explained,\u201cRecently I\u2019ve been mostly working on clothing, so cardigans, sweaters, and I\u2019ve also made plushies.\u201d She has some lucky friends!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Meanwhile, our new history teacher, Raoul Meyer, has an unusual hobby\u2014blacksmithing. He can shape hot metal into incredible forms, blending ancient craft and artistry. His favorite thing to make is spoons. He even fashioned a long link necklace for his family members. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Want to make an amazing pie for Thanksgiving? Ravendra Persuad is your guy! He is a pie-making wizard and could teach a master class on apple pies. What\u2019s his secret ingredient? You\u2019ll have to ask him \u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Alexandra Scott, our beloved chemistry teacher who attended three Ivy League schools, is double-jointed! <\/p>\n\n\n\n
And let\u2019s not forget about Nicole Gervasio, who is a literature teacher by day and a nail artist by night. This talent was born when Dr. Gervasio started to paint nails to match the book covers that she was teaching. She tells me, \u201cI am one of those people who can paint very tiny forest scenes on her nails.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Last but not least, Daron Forbes, Grace\u2019s front desk extraordinaire told me, \u201cMy secret talent is making the Grace community smile.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
You might not realize it, but as you rush to class, you could be passing by a talented bird whistler or someone with a knack for piercing ears perfectly. Allow this story to be a reminder that it\u2019s the unique talents and hidden intricacies of the individuals in our school community that make it truly extraordinary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Serena Huber \u201827<\/em>, the author, is a staff writer for<\/em> The Grace Gazette. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"