EVERY Granger High School student maintains unique hobbies outside the classroom. While many students play sports or video games, several Lancers spend their free time building collections that range from $1,000 Star Wars displays to ancient bird fossils.
For Jaxson Taylor (12), collecting authentic military surplus provides a tangible connection to military history. “It is an important thing to know your history so that you do not repeat history,” Taylor said. “Plus, it is a really good way of knowing where we have come from and how we have gotten to the point where we are today.”
One piece in his collection holds special significance for Taylor. “My favorite thing that I have is an original 1948 48-star American flag that was actually with the 1st Infantry Division that landed on D-Day,” Taylor said.
For Baldo Lopez (10), building Lego models provides a relaxing creative outlet. “I always liked building things, and I like reading the instructions,” Lopez said. “It calms my nerves down.”
Lopez keeps a wide variety of sets on display at home. “My favorite one has to be the McLaren that is about 22 inches,” Lopez said. “The most expensive one is going to cost like $1,000. It is the Star Wars spaceship.”
Similarly, Miley Anderson (12) discovered her passion for rock collecting through family traditions. “My grandpa was a collector of rocks, and that is how I started,” Anderson said. “My favorite one is my geode that I found with my grandpa, because it is one of my favorite colors. It is a very light lavender purple.”
Anderson says that finding specific specimens during outdoor hikes requires patience and observation. “I go on hikes, and any rocks I find that I think are cool, I take a picture of them,” Anderson said. “When I come back down, if I can find them again, I take them.”
For Vanessa Syvogsa (12), family trips and nature walks sparked an interest in prehistoric paleontology. “I mostly went out hiking, and then I went to stores that had fossils, and it inspired me to look for fossils out in nature,” Syvogsa said. “I collect old bird fossils or dinosaur fossils.”
Syvogsa buys some specimens at specialty shops, though her most valued items are gifts from family members. “My first fossil was the fossil shells that come from the sea,” Syvogsa said. “My dad gave it to me, and that one is my favorite.”
For Ashyla Allsman (9), collecting custom coins honors a family member. “Before my uncle passed, he had a collection, so I am kind of collecting for him,” Allsman said. “I have a bag of just coins that are gold, silver, and brass, with probably 70 different coins.”
Allsman says her collection includes unique historical patterns. “My most recent were these silver ones that have ancient designs on them,” Allsman said. “They look like they are from Egyptian times.”
Whether searching along mountain trails, assembling detailed models, or preserving family heirlooms, these student collections demonstrate the diverse personal interests across the Granger community.
