Madison Thacker, a senior, is currently completing her second year in journalism. Thacker served as the Arts and Entertainment editor for The Mirror her junior year, and is now proud to be serving as Co-Editor-in-Cheif. During the summer she completed an internship with the LA Times, covering LAUSD and school board issues. As graduation nears, Madison looks forward to attending college for journalis...

Junior Olamide Olumide has been a part of The Mirror staff for three years now and has worked her way up from staff from the News and Features section writer to Editor-in-Chief. She is a multisport athlete who strives for success in every aspect of her life and school career. Olumide plans to continue her love for storytelling in university intending on double-majoring in English and Journalism. Through...

Maya Diaz is a senior and The Mirror’s Online Editor. This is her second year in journalism, but outside of the program, one of her greatest passions is music, specifically singing. She loves learning new technique and music theory, as well as helping lead the Choir Program. Besides music, she enjoys playing video games and caring for her pets. After high school she plans to go to a university fo...

Aidyn Kinchen is a first year journalism student and a junior. In the Journalism Room, he takes on the role of an Associate Online Editor and uploads all the articles to the website. Outside of journalism, he is a third year Digital Media student who can be found in the equipment room experimenting with the many professional and casual cameras available. He combines these two passions in his work as ...

Joel Nam, a junior and second-year student in Journalism, continues his work as the Mirror’s Opinion section editor. Never able to resist the allure of a good story, his attention is captured for hours on end by webcomics, eBooks, movies and TV shows. Every Christmas, he marathons the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy alongside his brothers and dad. He believes the movie adaptations of Tolkien’s b...

Alyson Cerna is The Mirror’s News and Features Editor. As a sophomore in her second year in journalism, there is nothing she enjoys more than laying down with a single airpod in and blasting music as she writes. She’d be lying if she ever pinpointed a single music genre to be her favorite, but nothing is the same as enjoying the album “THE FIRST TIME” by The Kid Laroi. Her obsession wi...

Senior Addison Cudd is the Arts and Entertainment Editor for The Mirror this year. Cudd loves a good cheesy movie as well as Marvel movies. In her free time, other than watching every movie with Chris Evans in it, she likes to paint and have fun playing games online with her group of friends. Cudd plans to pursue a career as an actress as she has planned since she was a little girl and she hopes to...

David Vazquez, a senior, is The Mirror’s Photo Editor. He enjoys baking chocolate chip cookies and other desserts along with listening to music to relax. His favorite artists include Mac Demarco, Rex Orange County and The Strokes. He enjoys doing everything with friends such as eating at new places, playing volleyball and going anywhere. His favorite movie genre is horror and his favorite movie i...

Chioma Chiawa, a senior, is The Mirror’s Photo Editor. She enjoys making Italian inspired food during her freetime. She listens to the Weeknd when it’s time to relax after a long day, especially his 2012 “Trilogy” album. She is also obsessed with collecting vintage clothing items such as shoes and pants. After high school she plans on going to a nursing school where she is going to pursu...

I never thought that one day I would sit and write news stories all the time. When I was little the only thing I liked to write about was fairytales and popstars. Now that I am older the focus of my stories have shifted. As a staff writer for The Mirror, I write stories that focus on real people and what they have to say.  I have written multiple stories for the paper and I continue to search for...

Brian Batres is a photographer for The Mirror at Van Nuys High School. Originally from El Salvador, he has a deep passion for European football, with Real Madrid as his favorite team. Outside of photography, he is an avid movie enthusiast, with La Haine ranking as his favorite film. When he’s not capturing moments through his lens, he enjoys exploring different styles of cinematography and stay...

Anthony Castaneda, a senior, is a photographer for The Mirror. Castaneda likes to play video games such as Fortnite and Valorant in his free time. Castaneda wants to become a film director when he graduates and he plans on going to film school. Castaneda’s favorite sport is UFC and his favorite fighters are Dustin Poirier or Alex Pereira. Castaneda’s favorite film is “Goodwill Hunting” and...

Kimberly Salazar, a junior, is a photographer for The Mirror with a passion for capturing candid moments and nature shots. When she’s not behind the camera, Salazar enjoys hiking, visiting the beach, and exploring local parks, always on the lookout for the perfect landscape to photograph. She’s an avid fan of pop and rock music and finds inspiration in the lyrics of her favorite bands, such as Twe...

Rafferty Yowler, a senior, is a photographer for The Mirror who enjoys eating, music and football. He listens to different artists but Pearl Jam and Ill Communication stand out. He loves to eat snacks while doing homework and other everyday things. After he graduates he’ll probably get hungry.

Gianmarco Razuri, a senior, is a photographer for the photography section as well as the videographer and editor for the Real Humans of Van Nuys High School, a man on the street interview style show run by students. Razuri plays tennis for the school. He’s obsessed with comic books, especially movies based on them. His love for superheroes started his love for filmmaking. He enjoys writing the most out of ...

Argem Alipio is a junior taking journalism for the first time. In his free time, Alipio enjoys listening to music, playing video games, hanging out with friends and drawing (unless it’s worth a grade). His favorite artists include Daniel Caesar and Wave to Earth, with his favorite genre of music being R&B. When he’s not listening to music, playing video games or hanging with friends, you...

As a person who’s always had a deep passion for art, Elizabeth loves finding deep meaning behind everything. That’s why she also loves writing and interviewing as it helps her deliver news to people in-depth. As a senior in her first year of journalism, Elizabeth is also involved in other aspects of the school including being the secretary of the school’s Study Abroad Club. Outside of class, yo...

Natalie Herrera, a senior, is a new staff writer for the Sports section of The Mirror. During her free time, Herrera enjoys listening to RnB and Reggaeton music as well as practicing all kinds of techniques for her dance shows. Many believe dance is a simple task but for Herrera, it comes with a lot of frustrations. Herrera doesn’t quite have an obsession but if she had to say something it wou...

From catching a wave alongside a dolphin to studying for the next exam, Skylie Molina’s days are packed with a little bit of everything. She is a senior in her second year of journalism as a staff writer for the News and Features section. Passionate about traveling and discovering our planet, she is the founder and president of the VNHS CIEE Study Abroad Club, helping students find opportunities to spe...

Alyssa Pontines is a first-year staff writer who works under the Arts and Entertainment section for The Mirror. She has survived 12 years of compulsory education despite her true aspirations lying within the creative industry as an artist. As Van Nuys High School does not offer creative writing classes, she pursues mastering her storytelling skills independently. She primarily works with narrative...

Abigail Kim is a second year staff writer for The Mirror’s Opinion section. The power of a good book is a force Kim readily succumbs to. A delectable story fills her with the greatest joy, and inventing tales offers a luscious meal for her hungry brain. Abigail’s greatest wish as a returning journalist is to communicate the wonderful quirks of the world through her perspective and to share the d...

Leon Weiss is a senior in his first year of journalism as a staff writer for the Opinion section. Weiss is a corgi connoisseur, but as an animal shelter volunteer, he enjoys the company of all dogs. He loves the anime “Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure” and is a fanatic when it comes to the videogame “Star Wars: The Old Republic.” After graduation, he hopes to get a job at the local dog daycare...

Kailee Villarreal, a junior, is a staff writer for the Arts and Entertainment section. Her way of having fun is reading books and listening to music. She often listens to rock and alternative music. One of her all time favorite movies is “Coraline,” which brings her comfort and interest.

Ocean Threats, a senior, is a staff writer for the opinion section but she also hosts a man on the street style show for the school called The Real Humans of Van Nuys High School. Threats is also part of her school’s Dance company and has been dancing since she was 6 but stopped dancing outside of school when she was 11. Her favorite artist is Mitski and even though Mitski is known as a sad ar...

Melissa Ocegueda, a junior, is a new staff writer for the Arts and Entertainment section. Her hobbies range from doing her own nails to baking. She is passionate about theater, specifically technical theater in light design. Ocegueda’s obsession is the musical “Hamilton,” probably her favorite musical ever. She dreams to study in New York, hoping to one day be a writer and maybe even a d...

Ennio Muhi is a first year Sports Writer. Outside of journalism, he enjoys re-watching the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy, playing Roblox, and reading books. Apart from that, he is deeply committed to sports. He was a former linebacker for the school’s football team and is currently a wrestler for the school. He is highly dedicated to wrestling and spends most of his time training for his sport...

Isabella Mendoza is a first year writer for The Mirror’s Opinion section. She is currently a sophomore and is very passionate about documentaries and informative films to help her learn new information. One of her main interests is Sanrio because she enjoys cute things as they bring her happy memories and thoughts. Mendoza’s goal for when she graduates is to go to college. ...

Jasmine Lukenbill, a staff writer for The Mirror, is a senior that enjoys producing music for fun. She produces music on her computer on an app called FL Studio, and spends up to five hours a day doing it. To relax, she lays in bed staring at the ceiling while drinking a cold yellow red bull. She is obsessed with sweets like Bomb Pops and Hi Chews. But these obsessions change once every few weeks. After...

Isaura Garcia, a senior, is a staff writer for the News and Features section of The Mirror this year. Apart from journalism, she enjoys working on her book and listening to any alternative music. Her interests include an obsession with horror movies and fascination with philosophy. She is a feminist and is currently researching how society impacts women’s reproductive health. She looks forward to gradu...

Senior Adamaris Chevez is a first time staff writer for The Mirror’s staff in the sports section. In her free time, Chevez loves watching Netflix, eating good food, and sleeping. Chevez’s favorite movie is “13 going on 30,” as it provides a realistic picture of growing up, losing relationships and going down the wrong path, while showcasing a warm-hearted romance. Chevez loves music, wishe...