Kate McElroy

By Jezreel M. Amica

            Kate Elizabeth McElroy has always liked her name because she feels it is “an assumption of creativity.”

“I see a lot of actors and designers named Kate, so people usually associate that name with dramatic art.”

McElroy was 8 years old when she decided to exercise her creativity. For a tasty treat, she would make her own sandwiches out of hot fudge, caramel sauce and white bread, but only when her mother wasn’t home.

            McElroy’s creativity surfaced again when she was in the eighth grade when she played Mary Cratchit in “A Christmas Carol.”

Her favorite role so far was Gollum in “The Hobbit” because of the extended amount of background the character has. She said it was “fun to personify all of that character’s past” in her performance.

McElroy said she was shy as a child, but she has successfully “trained” herself to be more outgoing. Now, she wakes up every morning looking forward to being able to “interact with other people” and prove that she “deserves to be here.”

McElroy dreams of eventually becoming a psychologist and a photojournalist. The dream combines her compassionate, sympathetic side with her desire to “study and understand people” so that she can help them.

McElroy said she plans on using photojournalism as her “non-conventional method of expressing the world around her.”

Her other interests include reading and drawing.

An avid reader, she devours 75 books a year (not including school books).

McElroy also likes to explore her family’s heritage but would like nothing more than to spend a whole day drawing or working on an art-related project, she said.

            McElroy will be a sophomore this fall at Bowling Green High School. She likes her school because “it is one of the top schools in America and has a great journalism/yearbook program.” She is most proud of getting a B in her first AP class.

            McElroy said she arrived at the Xposure journalism workshop thinking there would be “some good people here.” She was surprised and impressed with the fact that everyone cares and when it’s time to work nobody plays around and everyone pays attention.

            McElroy said, “I feel like I’m learning a lot here because everyone is really dedicated to what they do.”