watn mckenna thayer by Juliana Borruso
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WHERE ARE THEY NOW: Mckenna Thayer
Former culinary student pursues kinesiology
September 14, 2021
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![Weighing her options, senior Allyana Abao decides between going on a practice drive or calling an Uber. Though unlicensed, Abao has considered driving to be a significant milestone of teen independence despite alternatives that provide much easier solutions.
“You're able to be independent and not rely on others,” Abao said. “You're able to get a job, get things that you need, go places you need to go. I have so many places that I want to go to and I ask [my family] for so much. I want to be independent to where they know that I can do things on my own, so they know that they don't have to be there for me.”](https://southwestshadow.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/IMG_2922-1200x900.jpg)
![Looking at the board, former BSU secretary Christina Altaye begins to prepare for BSU’s second year of Club Feud. This year, “Are You Smarter Than a Ninth Grader?” will be replacing this event. “I think it’s a fun change [to Club Feud],” BSU Activities Director Hellen Beyene said. “[I think] it’s always fun to do something new and different.”](https://southwestshadow.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Screenshot-2025-09-29-11.06.43.png)
![Grabbing her phone to take a photo, sophomore Vanessa Ta sits down on a bed and takes a couple photos to post on her social media. “I just really [feel] that my favorite cosplayer is everyone lowkey, because I get to see people’s creativity,” Ta said. “I get to see how skilled and talented they are.”](https://southwestshadow.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/55A1FC60-BE63-4F24-9B78-65194336319E-e1760926431267.jpg)
![In his fifth period World History class, Thur works with his students individually, helping them as they sort through notes and assorted historical documents. “I’m always willing to try something new,” Thur said. “Some of my best ideas that I’ve received over the years are from students. This year I’m trying out stations for the first time and kids are rotating through and it’s working. Well, some things are [working], I’ve still got to work out the kinks with it. The kids change, why shouldn’t I change too?”](https://southwestshadow.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/IMG_8991-1200x800.jpg)
![Fast food has not stayed the same principle of “sit down, order, and get food,” but has turned into a process with multiple layers and complexity. This is largely due to the integration of automation in every aspect of dining. “I'm not that knowledgeable on it, but I've seen videos on TikTok, I'm not really concerned—it doesn’t seem that smart,” senior Dallas Evertt said. “When [some people are just ordering] 18,000 water cups, it sounds really dumb. There was no way [the AI] was gonna put down 18,000 water cups—and that just shows how it’s not going to take anybody’s job soon.”](https://southwestshadow.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Dominante-Image-1200x675.png)
![Squaring up to a practice dummy, sophomore Cypher Andres prepares to throw a punch. Dummies are regularly used to help him prepare certain hits to take his opponents down. “[Boxing dummies help me practice] because it’s basically a model of the body,” Andres said. “It helps with accuracy, such as pressure points behind the ear, and a clean liver shot can end the fight.”](https://southwestshadow.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/IMG_5728-e1759850486200-1200x864.jpg)
![Swaying and preparing to toss the tennis ball, Dylan Grove practices serving. Grove had been training in preparation for her upcoming matches against Chaparral and Doral Red Rock. “[Both teams are] both very tough opponents, but I am ready for whatever gets thrown my way,” Grove said.](https://southwestshadow.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/image-1200x900.png)
watn mckenna thayer by Juliana Borruso