The Voice of the Loy Norrix Community

Knight Life
The Voice of the Loy Norrix Community

Knight Life
The Voice of the Loy Norrix Community

Knight Life
Promise 2023-24
Josephine Velo

Josephine Velo, Executive Director

I'm a senior and this is my 3rd year on Knight Life. As Executive Director, I work on utilizing multiple forms of media in our stories to enhance their quality and catch the reader's attention, and help manage the class and make sure everyone feels supported. I've enjoyed combining my love for photography, video and writing on the newspaper.

In my free time I like to read, write, listen to music, and do yoga.

All content by Josephine Velo
President Isabella Essink and Treasurer Ella Stangl look over the agenda for an NHS meeting. The club meets biweekly to go over events and volunteer opportunities.

[Photo] Young women involved in civic engagement and leadership face pressure to outperform

Lucy Langerveld, Staff Writer
April 16, 2024
Sophomore Z Freed conducts blood tests in science class. Freed finds that doodling on herself or her papers for schools helps her to stay focused and understand the material better.

[Photo] Teens use art to express their emotions and feelings

Faye Radley, Guest Writer
April 15, 2024
Photo of the Week #3: Searching for blood donors

Photo of the Week #3: Searching for blood donors

Josephine Velo, Executive Director
March 14, 2024
Social Justice Youth Award winners pose with Principal Christopher Aguinaga. The awards ceremony took place at the City Commision meeting.

Social Justice Youth Awards highlight student activism in Kalamazoo

Emily Porco and Josephine Velo
March 5, 2024
Women wear crop tops while walking to class, doing yearbook layouts, socializing with friends, and more. Despite being against the dress code, crop tops are very common. (Photo Illustration)

Students are still affected by the dresscode despite loose enforcement

Josephine Velo, Executive Director
February 22, 2024
Igor Thiago speaks with Knight Life students about cultural differences and his experience in Michigan with Global Ties Kzoo. GTZ students came to visit the Advanced Journalism class and tour the school.

Volunteering to bolster the community: Brazilian students take on leadership at school and beyond

Josephine Velo, Executive Director
February 16, 2024
At the end of the show, Romeo and Juliet lay dead. A crowd of people from Verona, including the rival families, begin to gather.

Shakespeare’s resurrection: “Romeo and Juliet” delivers a classic yet lively performance

Eleanor Cook and Josephine Velo
February 15, 2024
Ambassadors Rian Alecrim Fernandes and Kauê Derval Gonçalves Alves discuss cultural differences with Knight Life reporters. The Brazilian Youth Ambassadors visited Loy Norrix on Jan. 24 and 29.

[Photo] A ‘once in a lifetime experience:’ Brazilian youths travel to Kalamazoo to learn about environmentalism and entrepreneurship

Eleanor Cook, Executive Editor
February 12, 2024
Spot light operators are an important part of every performance, and Kaitlyn Charles helped shine a light on Oklahoma. Students operating the spot lights sit in the ceiling above the stage.

[Photo] Behind the scenes: Oklahoma!

Amelia Wood, Assistant Multimedia Editor
January 26, 2024
Braeden Davis holds up a horse saddle in his role of Curly. Members of the cast look at him inquisitively, as Hana Westrick, playing Aunt Eller, speaks to him.

“Oklahoma!” transports audiences to a world of cowboys, fantastic vocals, and dazzling dance numbers

Josephine Velo, Executive Director
December 8, 2023
Bright Egwim prepares materials for his ESL class. Thorough preparation is one of the most important parts of teaching this unique, multicultural group of students.

ESL teachers Bright Egwim and Jennifer Kruger encourage diversity and teach students how to advocate for themselves

Josephine Velo and Alice Damashek
December 6, 2023
(Clockwise from top left) ESL students Aaron Hernandez, Arely Torres Antonio, Hector Tapia, Zoe Gonzalez-Aguilar and Riziki Hussein

English-language learning students at Norrix explain what helps them learn

Aidan Zajac, Josephine Velo, Rosie Hill, Isabella Figueroa, Sophia Wrzesinski, and Flora Harper
December 6, 2023

Knight Speak: Students give their opinions on Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift’s Relationship

Nia Moncrief, Josephine Velo, Sophia Wrzesinski, and Carter Pickett
November 10, 2023

Knights Speak: Link Crew leaders help freshmen adjust to high school

Nia Moncrief, Josephine Velo, Carter Pickett, and Sophia Wrzesinski
October 13, 2023

Senior Sunrise: Kicking off the school year for the class of 2024

Amelia Wood and Josephine Velo
September 15, 2023
Knight Life seniors talk about their experiences as reporters

Knight Life seniors talk about their experiences as reporters

Nia Moncrief, Josephine Velo, Miya Timmer, and Carter Pickett
June 12, 2023
Seniors to graduates: the class of 2023 walks the stage

Seniors to graduates: the class of 2023 walks the stage

Sophia Ciokajlo and Josephine Velo
June 8, 2023
Math teacher Michael McCauley hands Laela Foster her award.

The People’s Choice Awards showcases connections between faculty members and students

Josephine Velo, Executive Director
June 6, 2023
Through hardship, 15-year-old Afghani refugee, Shabnam Mobarez has found strength

Through hardship, 15-year-old Afghani refugee, Shabnam Mobarez has found strength

Josephine Velo, Executive Director
June 2, 2023
Kyle Shack teaches Government B during 5th hour. He helps individual students during work time to make sure they understand the material.

[Photo] Teachers prefer teaching more than one subject a day, but not more than three

June 7, 2023
Knights Speak: Graduation

Knights Speak: Graduation

Josephine Velo, Destiny Gutter, Foster Neve-Jones, Nia Moncrief, and Carter Pickett
May 24, 2023
Loy Norrix Senior Joshua Kane talks about prom ticket prices. Overall students are happy with the lowered prices from the previous year.

Knights Speak: Prom

Foster Neve-Jones, Josephine Velo, and Destiny Gutter
May 8, 2023
Nadia Abbott takes the mic to wrap up the Black History Month rally. When asked if she had anything to say to students at Loy Norrix, she replied, “Stop hurting each other.”

Student-led Rally: A discussion of police brutality and life for Black students

Josephine Velo, Executive Director
March 2, 2023
Sophomore Edward Aguilar (left), and senior Jilian Dantes (right) in the prologue.

[Photo] Loy Norrix drama department presents the cheesy Valentine’s day show “Almost, Maine”

Gracie Goschke and Naysa Quinones
March 6, 2023
Knights Speak: Black History Month

Knights Speak: Black History Month

Foster Neve-Jones, Josephine Velo, and Destiny Gutter
February 16, 2023
Knights Speak: Superintendents Resignation

Knights Speak: Superintendents’ Resignation

Foster Neve-Jones, Josephine Velo, and Destiny Gutter
February 8, 2023
Silvio Silva (left) stands with the president of the Astronomy and Astrophysics Competition (middle) and the proprietor of one of the biggest scientific olympiads in Brazil (right).

Silvio Silva, Brazilian high schooler takes initiative in his community to prepare for a future in politics

Gracie Goschke, Chloe Rathbun, and Josephine Velo
February 8, 2023
Knights Speak: What do students think about the new bathroom passing times?

Knights Speak: What do students think about the new bathroom passing times?

Foster Neve-Jones, Josephine Velo, and Destiny Gutter
January 20, 2023
The Kalamazoo Public Library offers new resources and technology for the community

The Kalamazoo Public Library offers new resources and technology for the community

Foster Neve-Jones and Josephine Velo
December 29, 2022
Knights Speak: Fall Fashion

Knights Speak: Fall Fashion

Josephine Velo, Destiny Gutter, and Foster Neve-Jones
December 16, 2022
Kia Harris and Loy Norrix librarian John Krieder pose with What the Fireflies Knew.

[Photo] Renowned author Kia Harris visits Loy Norrix to speak about her moving book, “What the Fireflies Knew”

Aanje' K. Greymountain, Graphics Editor
December 9, 2022
Selena Montalvo, Attendance Interventionist, works on attendance during the internet outage and explains the new system she created to adapt. Teachers took attendance on paper, and within the first ten minutes of class had a student run it to the office. Later, Montalvo will have to input the paper copies online.

KPS experiences suspicious WiFi outages the week of Oct 3

Chloe Rathbun and Josephine Velo
October 13, 2022
Knights Speak: Powerschool and the new grading system

Knights Speak: Powerschool and the new grading system

Josephine Velo, Foster Neve-Jones, and Destiny Gutter
October 12, 2022
Knights Speak: Spring Fashion

Knights Speak: Spring Fashion

Josephine Velo and Destiny Gutter
June 11, 2022
Knights Speak: Teacher appreciation

Knights Speak: Teacher appreciation

Josephine Velo, Destiny Gutter, and Amady Mboup
June 10, 2022
Jojo Siwa (center) and her dancers, including Loy Norrix alumna Taylor Timmerman, stand with an arm raised high in front of the crowd at a show on the D.R.E.A.M. tour. The stage is decorated with bows, hearts and pink screens.

LN alumna, a professional dancer, joins Jojo Siwa’s D.R.E.A.M. tour

Josephine Velo, Executive Director
June 10, 2022
Attorney General Dana Nessel, right, was given a quick tour of Loy Norrix following the school safety meeting. Loy Norrix junior Jaydon Kelley, pictured left, helped lead the tour through the halls, past the main office, and into the C-wing where the tour ended.

Attorney General visits Loy Norrix to discuss school safety in KPS

Josephine Velo, Executive Director
May 29, 2022

[Video] Knights Speak: opinions on the mask mandate

Knights Speak Team
April 19, 2022
In the trophy case outside drama teacher Dan Laffertys classroom sits the first place Spartan Invitational award. Its a tall one, with three shiny green pillars meeting at the top with a silver star.

Seniors win first place in Michigan State Forensics Invitational

Josephine Velo, Executive Director
March 9, 2022
Loy Norrix students walk through the main hallway during passing time between second and third period. Part of the ALICE training is making sure that all students, no matter where in the building they are, have the information they need to make decisions for their safety

There is support for the KPS active shooter plan at Loy Norrix, but staff and students want more training

Josephine Velo, Executive Director
February 28, 2022
A Loy Norrix goose atop the Loy Norrix school building on Feb. 24. The goose sits above all of the students in confidence after this weeks events.

[Photo] Feb. 25 Weekly Digest: Russian invasion of Ukraine, USWNT reaches settlement and Beijing Olympics conclude

February 25, 2022
Knights Speak: Students start off 2022 with resolutions, predictions and words of wisdom

Knights Speak: Students start off 2022 with resolutions, predictions and words of wisdom

Josephine Velo, Amady Mboup, and James Hauke
January 21, 2022
Students express their style at Winter Formal

Students express their style at Winter Formal

Josephine Velo, Executive Director
December 16, 2021
The climate crisis and self-esteem: it’s all connected

The climate crisis and self-esteem: it’s all connected

Josephine Velo, Executive Director
November 13, 2021
The Kalamazoo Womens March: a time to fight

The Kalamazoo Women’s March: a time to fight

Josephine Velo and Chloe Rathbun
October 25, 2021
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Josephine Velo