By Reese Colbert

Staff Reporter

Heading into his third year on The Yorktown Sentry, junior Elijah Dale is already preparing for his impending midlife crisis. Dale is an ambitious reporter and a talented writer. When asked about his taste in literature, Dale gave an unexpected answer.

“I have this really strange obsession with midlife crises in the books I read,” Dale said.

Despite this concerning trait of Dale’s, anyone who talks to him could see that the teen is destined for success. Aside from his talents for journalism, Dale is also a skilled climber. Climbing engages Dale not only actively but mentally as well. 

“I like the problem-solving of climbing. There is something really rewarding about trying different things over and over again, finally getting to the next move, then doing the same process until you can get to the top.” Dale said.

Climbing isn’t a hobby that you see every day, but it’s very fitting for Dale. Among his other pastimes, Dale also has an interest in film. Regarding his favorite movie of all time, Dale gave a respectable answer. 

“Malcolm and Marie. It is beautifully constructed. It did not get good reviews because a large part of it critiqued the critics, and it’s also a little exhausting. But, if you like those kinds of movies, it’s one of the best movies of the last 20 years.” Dale said.

He then added three more movies to his list. It’s safe to say that these were unexpected.

“Malcolm and Marie, then Cars 3, then Cars 2 and Cars 1,” Dale said.

Not what you would expect from a self-proclaimed “intellectualist,” but a classic choice nonetheless. It’s possible that the rebellious spirit of Lightning Mcqueen has inspired Dale in his own life, specifically in a story from Dale’s childhood. The anecdote details his distaste for unjust rules. 

“When I was eight, my dad and I were on a bike ride, and he told me that I could cross Langston Highway when I turned ten, and he was saying this just so that I would forget about it and he could deal with it later. Like, we will cross that bridge when we come to this situation. But I remembered, and the day after my tenth birthday, I asked him, and he said, ‘I never said that.’ I’m in fourth grade at this point. And so I was totally willing to wait until I turned ten. I thought, okay, that sounds reasonable. Ten years old. But as soon as I turned ten, it was not about the rules, it was like I was deciding what I thought was a just rule. When the rule changed, I decided that it was no longer just, and I would not follow it,” Dale said.

This story sums up many of Dale’s beliefs today, demonstrating that his identity is unique and anything but predictable. However, when asked who inspires Dale, he did not hesitate before answering. 

“[English teacher Chrissy Wiedemann] inspires me the most. She is very strong and very connected to her students.” Dale said. 

After speaking with Elijah Dale, it would be apparent to anyone how lucky The Yorktown Sentry is to have such a thoughtful and dedicated reporter. From spending countless hours working on his writing to doing his very best to connect with all staff members, Dale will be a great role model in the years to come.

By Elijah Dale

Staff Reporter

Picture this: it is your mother’s birthday. You completely forgot. Now, scrambling to find your mother her favorite birthday treat at Seven Corners, you enter a bakery. It is the shop Nothing Bundt Cakes. Still in a panic, you approach the front counter. The employee introduces herself. Enter our hero: Reese Colbert. 

Before we fully introduce her backstory, there are a few things to know about our hero. Most importantly, her last name is pronounced col-BERT, not col-BEAR. 

“It is actually Scottish, not French. [col-BEAR] is French, but my family is Scottish, so it is [col-BERT],” Colbert said.

Additionally, there are some crucial notes regarding Colbert’s material interests, which will be provided rapid-fire style: (1) Colbert hates her (assumably) namesake candy, Reese’s pieces, though she is apathetic towards Reese’s cups. (2) She is an Elvis Presley superfan on the down low. (3) If you ever travel to New York City with Reese and end up separated from her, check “the stamp store,” as she refers to it. (4) She collects Sonny Angel Dolls, which are baby figurines wearing variously themed hats and headgear. She has three so far, but is more committed in spirit than in spending.

Outside of these tidbits of information, the next important thing to understand about Colbert regards her hair color. 

“One word that describes me is non-ginger. Like, that’s all I have. I’m really not ginger. I don’t know what to tell you. People think I’m ginger. I’m not,” Colbert said.

Hair color aside, Colbert is quite the conundrum in and of herself. While being self-described as perfect and amazing, she also holds a claim to the absolute ordinary. 

“I’m pretty normal. I don’t have any outstanding qualities. It’s just like, ‘Oh! She’s there,’” Colbert said.

But Colbert is not normal whatsoever. In fact, Colbert is far from it. She is the hero of this story, after all. But, to figure out what makes Colbert so outstanding, it is crucial to dive into the depths of her childhood. One deeply damaging moment in Colbert’s youth occurred in the second grade.

“I was a really stressed-out kid in elementary school. I would beg my mom not to leave me every single day. I made her walk to my classroom every single day. One day, I was not feeling it. I was crying as I was walking into school. My mom told me that it would be okay and that I should just pull myself together. So, she told me to go into the bathroom and wash my face and that she’d be right there when I came out. I left, fully trusting her, and when I came out [of the bathroom], she was gone. I cried so hard that my teacher sent me to the nurse’s office, and I ended up going home. It was absolutely devastating.” Colbert said.

Nevertheless, Colbert has moved past scarring moments like these to become the person she is today. Yet, you might ask yourself, who even is that person today? One’s fun facts and history are not enough. 

To truly understand a person, you must understand their influences and get into their psyche. Of course, there is no better way to do this than to look at their taste in music and literature.

In terms of music taste, the word that best describes Colbert’s listening habits is chaos.

“There is no rhyme or reason to my music taste at all. I make a playlist with no name and just listen to it for like four months until there are too many songs on it. It’s actually psychotic,” Colbert said.

Top songs of hers include “Super Trouper” from the Mamma Mia soundtrack—though she has never seen the film—and “I’m Coming Home” by Elvis Presley. Despite what she sees as an unhinged taste in music, her literary picks are refined, and even the mood of the books she reads is contingent on the season.

“If it is summer, then I am obviously not going to read a moody book. In the fall, I like to read books like The Secret History, The Picture of Dorian Gray, and darker books in general. Then in the spring, I like to read lighter books like Pride and Prejudice or Sense and Sensibility,” Colbert said.

But reading isn’t the only use Colbert has for words. As a member of the latest wave of additions to The Yorktown Sentry, the junior in high school looks to be a promising new reporter for our school’s newspaper. 

Now, with a deeper understanding of our hero, the story continues. After staring at the menu, you settle on a cake. Colbert turns around to hand you your order, when you realize: this place sells Bundt cakes. What your mother really wants is a strawberry shortcake. You apologize, walk out the door and set out to find a shortcake.