Meet the Staff

Meet the Beacon Staff

Mrs. Renaud, Advisor

In addition to being the yearbook advisor, Mrs. Renaud teaches freshman English, Digital Media, and freshman Crew. Working on the yearbook and with the staff is her favorite part of the school day. "I enjoy advising the yearbook because the students are extremely talented and motivated to create an award-winning yearbook. I'm proud of them every single day." When not advising yearbook or teaching class, Mrs. Renaud enjoys playing golf with her husband, spending time with her family, spoiling her grandson, reading a good novel, and going to Brewers' games.
What do you listen to on the radio? "I'm an NPR junkie, so WUWM. I love This American Life and All Things Considered."
What one person in history would you most like to meet? "William Shakespeare because he penned the most beautiful sonnets, poems, and plays ever written. They are timeless and capture the human spirit - he was a genius."

Samantha, Photography Editor

Samantha plays violin for the Harborside orchestra.

After seeing her friend Rachel taking photos for yearbook, and shooting a few herself, Sam joined the yearbook staff and quickly became one of their main photographers. Sam is the person the yearbook staff turns to when it comes to anything photography. “I enjoy taking photos because in a photo it is easier to portray emotions and messages easily.” Photography is her main activity to do inside and outside of school.
Besides photography, Sam also enjoys creating jewelry, searching for vintage and antique items, and helping out on Saturdays at the Harborside booth at Harbor Market.
Who is your favorite photographer? "My favorite photographer would have to be Tara Kate because her work is manipulated to the point that it almost looks dream-like or unreal but not to the point that it looks fake."
What do you like most about searching for vintage clothing? "I like to try on the different clothes and hats while trying to not get caught. Also I love to be able to use every piece so it always is a fun struggle to try and figure out what something is because sometimes the clothes or hats are just designed so strangely that you have no idea what it’s to be used as."

Rachel, Editor Design and Layout

Rachel on the Wisconsin River.

Besides being the yearbook's editor of design and layout, Rachel also participates in the Creative Writing Club, National Honor Society, and National English Honor Society. Her favorite part of yearbook is the technology aspect of design and layout. She also enjoys talking to new people and going to events she would not normally attend.
A self-taught artist, Rachel was the artist/designer of the Beacon logo. Her artistic skills are in high demand by her friends who recruit her to create charcoal drawings of themselves and of celebrities.
If you could have any super power, what would it be? "I would like to fly because it would be cool and I wouldn't be late to stuff because my parents never let me drive."
What is your favorite type of music? I listen to everything from bluegrass to dubstep. Recently, I started playing banjo and like blue grass and older, older country.

Natalie, Design and Layout and Student Life

Natalie joined the yearbook staff as a freshman because her sister was on staff and she figured she might as well join. That decision turned out to be a good one because Natalie likes being on the inside and knowing all the secrets going on for the school. She has become more of a team player making, "It's a lot easier for me to work with other people now that I have shared pages with fellow staff."
In her free time, Natalie likes playing music, writing songs, and taking care of (and riding) Dandy, a 23 year old retired police horse. She also keeps busy with the Jazz Trio and walking five miles a day.
What is the last good movie you saw? "Zombieland - it kept my me thinking what I would do in a situation where it is just me trying to survive and it helps me think of living life to the fullest because you never know when a virus will spread causing your friends and family to want to eat you."
What is on your iPod? "You'll find anything Aerosmith and Demi Lovato. If they did a duet I think I'd cry."

Jana, Design and Layout and Student Life

Jana joined yearbook after taking Digital Media, "I had a fun designing a two-page layout [and] thought that joining Yearbook would be perfect. One thing that she enjoys about being a yearbook staff member is how much she's learned about Harborside. "For being such a small school, we do tons of incredible things." Jana admits that since joining yearbook she goes to a lot more school functions, "I had a great time at all of the dances and events that Harborside has put on."
What are your hobbies? "I really enjoy playing instruments. I started out playing violin at a young age and through that I've branched out to other instruments like guitar and ukulele. In middle school I used to play keyboards."
If you could meet one person in history, who would it be and why? "Dalai Lama [because] he is a very wise man and lives such a happy, peaceful life. I'm not Buddhist, but I think what he stands for is astounding."

Khari, Design and Layout and Student Life

Khari, Student Life and Design and Layout

Khari is one of the nicest people you'll ever meet. He has a caring attitude and an empathetic heart. In fact, he has received the 2011 MLK Kindness and Humanitarian Award. You can check out his interview by clicking on his photo. He is inspired by his parents and credits them for his because, "they have instilled in me beliefs and thoughts that are true to me....I really listen to them and take their advice because I know they always want the best for me."
Khari joined the yearbook staff during his freshman year after taking Digital Media. He discovered that he really enjoys the design and layout aspect of creating the yearbook pages. In his free time, Khari enjoys watching TV and has an interest in architecture and designing houses on the computer.
What does it mean to care for others? "In the BIble it says, 'Love your neighbor as yourself,' and as part of loving your neighbor is to really care about them and caring about them is acting out the love

Waynette, Photography and Student Life

Waynette is new to yearbook this year. She took Digital Media freshman year and discovered that she really liked writing, designing pages, and photography. Thankfully, she can work on yearbook at home and during the school day because after school she is busy with sports. She plays volleyball and basketball for Bradford.
Besides yearbook and sports, Waynette likes playing piano, baking and making flower arrangements. She helps her parents out with their flower shop whenever they have a big wedding or a lot of set up. In her spare time she listens to all kinds of music.
How did you get started playing sports? In middle school my dad told me to 'Pick a sport,' so I picked volleyball. In 8th grade I started playing basketball too. I really like watching sports too because I learn a lot."

Why did you start baking? I saw how cool it was on the Food Network.
What's your favorite subject in school? English. I like to write and my family always said I was a good writer.

Taylor, Photography and Student Life

Taylor joined yearbook because she loves photography, graphic design, and writing, and yearbook combines all of those into one. As a member of the yearbook, she likes that she can use her artistic and writing talents to create something that the whole school will see and enjoy.
Taylor is a competitive equestrian. When she was just seven years old, Taylor started riding Paso Fino, a gaited horse that moves its feet in vertical pairs (most horses move their feet in diagonal pairs). When she was in eighth grade she switched to normal gaited horses because she became interested in jumping and dressage, which is like ballet for horses. She has spent the last year in training and will begin competitions this year.
What is one thing that most people don’t know about you? “I actually LIKE to read books. Imagine that!”
What’s the last good movie you saw? “My Sister’s Keeper. It was really well put-together, and even though I was bawling at the end, I thought it had the right amount of happy and said in it so it wasn’t boring.”

Andrea, Features and Student Life

This is Andrea's first year as a member of the yearbook staff, "I've always enjoyed writing and think it will be interesting to put together [the] yearbook." Andrea also enjoys running track as a sprinter and a high jumper, "High jump is probably my favorite; I love the feeling you get when you clear the bar. It's really fun and I enjoy it a lot." She's also completing obsessed with Harry Potter, "I was on vacation in Wyoming this summer when the seventh movie part two came out and so I went to the midnight premiere in Wyoming."
How do you spend your free time? "I love duct tape. I love working with it and making tons of things with it like bracelets, wallets bags, hats, flowers, and most recently, dresses. I have almost every color ever made in duct tape including patterns."
What's your next duct tape project? "I plan on making a duct tape dress and tuxedo for prom and entering for a scholarship. This summer I have been making tons of duct tape items to sell in the school store this year. I will be donating all of the profits to the Humane Society."

Miranda, Techno-Master, Design and Layout, Student Life

Miranda, Techno-Master, Student Life, Design and Layout

Miranda is an artistic addition to the yearbook staff. Her hobbies include artistic rollerskating, which is similar to figure skating, and creating abstract pieces of art that focus on basic teen problems. It is no surprise that Miranda's career goals involve journalism or an art-related field.
What would be your perfect art piece? "A life-size sculpture of people that have some type of disability , which is amplified and useful to the character in the art piece."
Why would this be your perfect piece of art? "This kind of art piece has so much meaning...most people can take their flaws and turn them into something good."

Katrina, Features and Student Life

Katrina loves working with computers, being creative, and trying new things, so when Mrs. Renaud invited her to join yearbook after taking Digital Media, she knew she was up for the challenge. Yearbook is a good match for Katrina because she loves meeting new people and making new friends, "Getting to know new people is like getting to know myself." She's also a very determined and strong-willed individual; she sticks to what she believes in and is not inclined to give up.
In addition to being on the yearbook staff, Katrina is a sprinter and throws the shot put for Bradford's track and field team.
What is your favorite thing to write? "I love writing poetry, which for me is like writing a diary. Writing a diary is like talking to someone who's not there. My poems are kind of in code. If someone else were to read them they wouldn't understand, but I can read it and know exactly what happened that day."
Why do you like writing poetry? "I keep things inside and when I write my poems, it just lets it all out."

Sadie, Sports and Design and Layout

Sadie joined yearbook as a freshman because she enjoys photography and the creativity of design and layout. In addition to yearbook, Sadie is also a pitcher for Tremper's varsity softball team was awarded the Southeast Wisconsin Honorable Mention. Sadie also lists gardening and sailing as favorite hobbies. She tends her own vegetable and flower gardens in the spring. When summer finally arrives Sadie hits the waves to pursue her lifelong passion of sailing, "I like the serenity of sailing."
What is the best piece of advice you have received? "To be well-rounded and do anything that I wanted."
What do you do on rainy days? "I go outside and play in the rain...and play in the mud."