Junior Amalia Hinchliffe participates in theater after school, mostly working behind the scenes creating props and participating in set crew.
Hinchliffe was first introduced to theater when she took the Intro to Acting class taught by theater teacher Mr. Michael Shelton her freshman year. She appreciated how Mr. Shelton ran the class, and she loved the class atmosphere.
“Shelton just seemed like a really fun teacher to have,” she said.
Hinchliffe also found it very easy to make connections with her classmates. “I made a lot of friends through Intro to Theater, and then all my friends were doing theater,” Hinchliffe said.
During class, Hinchliffe finds it easier to participate when her friends are around her. “Whenever I’m around them, I talk a lot more, and I’m just more active in class,” she said.
One of Hinchliffe’s favorite classes right now is Biology.
“It’s interesting to see how everything works in our bodies and animals’ bodies,” Hinchliffe said. “Right now we’re learning about natural selection, which is kind of a cool concept, so that’s fun.”
Along with hanging out with her friends in theater and her classes, Hinchcliffe enjoys playing Roblox, noting that it is probably her biggest after-school activity besides theater.
On the weekends, Hinchliffe can be found working at Slime Kitchen in the Washington Square Mall. Although her coworkers are mostly college students, she enjoys interacting and working with them. She even sometimes plays Roblox with her manager, who is also in college.
Before coming to La Salle, Hinchliffe was undecided on where she wanted to go to high school. While attending the Open House her eighth grade year, she appreciated all the teachers engaging with her and even making jokes with her. She also appreciated all the candy that was available while visiting La Salle.
Hinchliffe really enjoyed the community at La Salle, saying that it stood out to her the most.
For Hinchliffe, someone who has had a significant influence in her life is her mom. According to Hinchliffe, her mom has shaped the person she is today and is always encouraging her to do her best. Considering the hurdles of junior year, like the higher workload and projects, Hinchliffe has found it beneficial to reach out to her mom for guidance.
“She’ll understand when I’m struggling, and she’ll try to be there to support me,” Hinchliffe said.
Aside from asking advice from her mom, Hinchliffe enjoys quality time with her while they watch TV shows. “Me and my mom get really into it,” Hinchcliffe said, “but she always falls asleep.”
With junior year coming to an end, Hinchliffe noted that it has had significantly more work and expectations than previous grades. In the remaining stretch of school, Hinchliffe is hoping to “stay on top of [schoolwork] and try to just get things done in time.”
