By Sofie Dalton

News Editor

The Sentry is lucky to be gaining a batch of fresh faces this school year, and one of them is bright and talented freshman Whitney Critchfield. This new reporter is looking forward to the year ahead and the opportunity to further utilize her writing skills. In fact, Critchfield’s love for writing is what led her led her to The Sentry. 

“I like writing expository [pieces] and I thought newspaper would be the perfect opportunity to do that,” Critchfield said. 

Critchfield also has a passion for politics and one of her dream careers is to work as a political analyst. Living in Iowa up until seventh grade and being near the Iowa Caucus is what initially fed her curiosity about how our government works. 

“My dad has always been super active in politics … [and] with the Iowa Caucus I knew every presidential candidate in 2016 … I’ve grown grown up around that so I feel that’s influenced me,” Critchfield said. 

Moving to Arlington has given Critchfield a greater look at the political spectrum, and now she has several political careers that she would like to pursue.

“Whether it’s working in the government as an election analyst or political strategist … or working for a private company, we’ll see,” Critchfield said. 

However Critchfield has many interests and her second dream job demonstrates her well-roundedness. 

“I really love science and foreign affairs … so I think a really cool job would be the foreign affairs specialist for a big genetics company … I would be the person to publicize it around the world and do global policy for the company,” Critchfield said. 

Outside of school, Critchfield enjoys being a member of our school’s crew team. Last year she joined as an eighth grader and trained as a rower until right before they went on the water when she decided to be a coxswain, the only non-rower position on the boat. 

“I sit at the front of the boat and motivate and tell [the other rowers] what to do and I steer the boat,” Critchfield said. 

Crew is a large time commitment and requires a lot of dedication, but Critchfield embraces this and has a strong work ethic. 

“I love [crew] so much … our spring season lasts from March until May so I’m out on the water every day and it’s really a great sport,” Critchfield said. 

Critchfield’s commitment to crew led her to attend a rowing camp in Maine over the summer, where she was able to further her skills as a coxswain and have an enjoyable experience overall.

“They had a special coxswain training program with a coach from Colombia and she really worked with us … and a bunch of my friends went up with me so it was a great camp,” Critchfeld said. 

When balancing school and other priorities, everyone needs a good go-to snack to get them through the day. For Critchfield, that snack is apples with peanut butter. 

“A good granny smith apple with peanut butter: there’s almost nothing better in the world,” Critchfeld said. 

Critchfield is looking forward to the rest of freshman year and the opportunity to have more freedom than she did in middle school. 

“I’m really happy for the independence of high school … you can take classes that fit your needs and are hard enough for you,” Critchfield said. 

Critchfield has a plethora of knowledge and curiosity to offer The Sentry in the coming years. Her determination, intelligence and kindness make her one of a kind and someone that can easily brighten up your day. Keep an eye out for her because she will be going big places and The Sentry is lucky to have her for the next four years.

By Whitney Critchfield

Staff Reporter

Sofie Dalton is a passionate and charismatic senior at our school. She has been with The Sentry since her freshman year and she is currently the news editor. Dalton will be attending college in the fall of 2020, where she is planning on majoring in Special Education. She has loved working with students who have intellectual and developmental disabilities ever since she discovered the Best Buddies club. In her freshman year on The Sentry, Dalton was introduced to Best Buddies by the club’s president. After hearing about it, Dalton started consistently attending their meetings. The club is especially meaningful to Dalton. 

“It allows these really genuine relationships to form and it also provides a space where everyone feels welcome,” Dalton said. 

Dalton is now the club’s president, and has found true meaning in the job. 

“I think one of my greatest passions is inclusion, and making sure that everybody, regardless of their abilities, feels welcomed and included, and has a space where they can make friends and really thrive and be themselves,” Dalton said. 

Besides spending time with Best Buddies, Dalton has many other passions. She loves swimming for fun, and to stay fit. 

“I’ve been swimming since I was around five, … I still swim in a non-competitive swim group…. I just do it because it’s a good form of exercise and it’s a good way to relax, especially after a stressful day. It’s just a good way to be in a good mindset,” Dalton said. 

Another part of Dalton’s life is her dog, Tanner. As a child, Dalton was afraid of dogs, but as a Bichon Frise, Tanner is a very small dog.

“He’s a tiny, tiny little dog. He’s very popular with everyone else, everyone loves him … I thinks he’s made me a little less afraid of dogs,” Dalton said. 

Besides her dog Tanner, Dalton’s favorite animal is a dolphin. 

“I think it’d be fun to be a dolphin, I’d get to jump really high over the water … [also] they’re very chill,” Dalton said. 

In her free time, Dalton has traveled to several interesting places. Her two favorite trips so     far have been her family vacations to Hawaii and Colombia. In Hawaii, she visited the islands of Kauai and Oahu. 

“[Hawaii] was so beautiful; the people there were so nice and welcoming. It was a great experience. The nature there is just gorgeous and we had a really great time,” Dalton said.

On her trip to Colombia, Dalton visited the capital, Bogotá, and the coastal city of Cartagena. She loved getting to meet her extended family there, and exploring her grandma’s home country. 

Dalton is looking to make her senior year very productive at our school. She is most excited about being a leader in Best Buddies and on The Sentry. Dalton is a one of a kind student who rewards everyone she knows with a passion for service and a love for giving back.