![Adding a tray of canned corn to the pile, junior Michael Collop assists in transporting donations for the Holiday Food Drive. The event, hosted schoolwide from Dec. 10-17, raised over 5,000 food items to deliver to the Parkway Food Pantry, helping several families in need. [The drive] is a great thing for us to do because you're giving to those who are less fortunate, and it helps provide for people who can't provide for themselves. [The] competition is always fun, too. It was fun to be in [social studies teacher Jess] Chazen’s class, because he always gets worked up over [the competition]. He made it exciting, and was always convincing us to turn in cans for the drive,” Collop said.](https://bestofsno.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/feature-photo-unsung-2.png)
![NEW CHALLENGE, NEW TEAM MEMBERS: Every season, VEX creates a new game that robotics team members are faced with and have to build a robot to compete in. This year’s game forces students to create a robot that is able to stack rings onto mobile goals in order to score points. The change in games each season is something that robotics teacher Audrea Moyers appreciates.
“One of the things that I like about VEX is that they have a new problem to solve every year,” she said. ¨Even though the equipment’s the same, they have to analyze the game, and they have to come up with solutions that are unique that year. They are using their knowledge from prior years, but they have to kind of redesign a problem.”
As returning teams were faced a new game, some new teams and members had to adapt to a uncommon playing field and game.
“Three of our four teams were competing for the first time this year, and they had very different experiences match to match, so I think they learned a lot,¨ she said. ¨It’s hard just watching a video online to know how it’s actually going to be in person, so they all learned a lot about what gameplay is like, how to work with an alliance partner [and] how to adapt during the day to changes.”](https://bestofsno.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/IMG_9283-1-1200x800.jpg)
Janelle Cummins: A Barbadian Artist
Courtesy of Janelle Cummins
Janelle Cummins is an artist and illustrator and first-generation immigrant.
April 21, 2022
Janelle Cummins is an illustrator and designer who currently lives in the San Francisco Bay Area in California. Cummins is from Barbados and is a first-generation immigrant. Cummins has worked with big companies such as Facebook and Apple.
“I create because I enjoy doing it,” Cummins said. “There is something deeply satisfying about producing something from nothing.”
Cummins’ art is this really beautiful illustration style. She remembers that she has been interested in creating for as long as she can, whether it is her drawing scenes in primary school or her drawing fashion illustrations.
“My earliest memories include a very shy 5/6 year old me, in primary school quietly drawing lots of cloud-filled, beach scenes with flying fish,” Cummings said. “In my teen years, I remember being into drawing fashion illustrations. My parents actually humored me by allowing me to design the dress I wore to my secondary school graduation.”
Cummins thinks that her biggest support and encouragement came from her parents.
“When I think of inspiration, I think of my parents who encouraged and supported me throughout my journey, whether that was helping me with my crazy craft projects in secondary school, financially getting me through an expensive four years of college, or supporting my difficult decision to change majors,” Cummins said.
Cummins says that some of her biggest challenges as an illustrator are whether she is creating for herself or for others.
“When I’m designing for products that are used globally by millions, I have to make sure that concepts are understood by all,” Cummins said. “I’m actively making design decisions with inclusivity and accessibility in mind. The challenge then lies in ensuring that I am armed with all the necessary information to make these informed choices. Now, my challenge with personal work is getting it finished! Projects tend to drag on without the urgency of deadlines.”
She thinks that her illustrations don’t communicate one single message throughout all.
“Projects I work on vary in their purpose so each message I hope to communicate might be different,” Cummins replied. “I’m just really proud of how far I’ve come, and the opportunities I’ve gotten to create and grow with some of the world’s most innovative and global companies,” Cummins said.
This story was originally published on The Cougar Star on March 16, 2022.
