Michaela Gonzalez (12), Editor-In-Chief
Michaela is in her senior year at Mills and third year at the Thunderbolt as Editor-In-Chief. She is beyond excited for what this year and the amazing Thunderbolt Staff will bring to the 2023-2024 school year. This past summer she attended The School of the New York Times in NYC and is excited to put her new skills into running her school’s newspaper. Michaela is planning on pursuing a career in journalism and studying it in college. Her goal has always been to is to become foreign correspondent . Along with writing, she loves to read literary pieces such as Orlando by Virgina Woolf, The Idiot by Elif Bautman, and The Selected and Poetical Works of Audre Lorde. When Michaela is not reading, she is dancing ballet, jazz, tap, and contemporary at West Coast Dance Conservatory. She has danced at the same studio since she was five, and has loved every second of it. Michaela is thrilled to see what amazing creations The Thunderbolt has in store during her last year at Mills!
Phoebe Piserchio (11), Editor-In-Chief
Phoebe is in her third year of Journalism, currently the Co-Editor-in-Chief. Being someone with a keen interest in writing and journalism, she is excited to get the opportunity to express her opinions, thoughts, and other news with the Thunderbolt again. She spends a lot of her time focusing on school and grades, as a successful future is her main goal; she hopes to pursue a career in public relations or journalism. However, she makes sure to keep free time for (re)watching her favorite movies, which include Little Women, Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse, The Dark Knight, La La Land, Oppenheimer, Interstellar, and Roman Holiday. To relax and unwind, she also enjoys reading and listening to Taylor Swift; some of her favorite books are Little Women, Death on the Nile, Lord of the Rings, and The Hobbit. As a junior, she is thrilled to see how her third year unfolds and is looking forward to more in journalism to come.
Amelia Naughten (10), News Editor
Amelia is in her sophomore year at Mills and is returning for a second year of journalism where she will be taking on a new role as Sports Editor. This year, she looks forward to continuing work with the talented Thunderbolt team. She has also taken her passion for writing and graphic design to the Mills robotics team, the Boba Bots, where she works in the Operations department as the outreach lead. In her free time, Amelia dances ballet at a local studio and reads novels on her never-ending bucket list from a variety of genres (some favorites include Educated by Tara Westover and Scythe by Neal Shusterman). She hopes that this year she not only continues to grow in her writing and journalistic skills, but is also able to mentor others on their writing journeys. She is excited to observe fresh stories and opinions materialize as The Thunderbolt reaches for new heights this school year!
Julia Xia (11), Features Editor
Julia is a junior at Mills High School; she has been in Journalism ever since she was a freshman and is now the Copy Editor. Over the years, Julia has developed a love for writing and working with other great writers in Journalism. Her favorite sections would have to be Center Spread and Features for the creative freedom it brings. Aside from writing for the newspaper, she enjoys listening to music, drawing, and watching shows such as Community and The Good Place. Julia is excited for another year of being in Journalism and experiencing class as the Features Editor.
Elaine Chan (11), Center Spread Editor
Elaine is a junior going into her second year on the Journalism team, as the Center Spread Editor. She is hoping to make the most of her years in this class! As an Editor this year, she is intent on gaining more knowledge on news, writing, and expanding her graphic design abilities. Journalism has always sparked curiosity for her, as she loves reading and writing. Some of her favorite books include The Sun and Her Flowers by Rupi Kaur, Elektra by Jennifer Saint, and the Pillow Thoughts Series by Courtney Peppernell. Writing holds a special place in her heart, allowing her to express her emotions, and gain a new outlook on life through the power of words. Outside of school, she enjoys going to concerts, listening to music, and experimenting with fashion. Elaine is excited to take part in crafting an outlet for students to express themselves through The Thunderbolt.
Noor Abdullah (12), Opinions Editor
Noor is a senior partaking in her second year of reporting for Mills’ Thunderbolt. She is looking forward to her new role as Opinions Editor and mentoring staff writers in creating informative opinions articles. With plans to create a column in which all Mills students can share their thoughts and ideas, she is hoping to give more students a chance to have their opinions heard by publishing them in the Opinions Section. Alongside journalism, Noor spends her time with Mills’ Middle Eastern Club and with Mills’ Girls Varsity Tennis team. She enjoys time spent with friends and with those who share similar passions as her.
Joshua, or Josh, is a senior at Mills, working in his fourth and last year of Journalism, this year as the Sports Editor. He is looking forward to a year of providing and editing the Sports section of the Thunderbolt. Josh enjoys listening to music and taking his dog on walks in his free time. He also enjoys reading, with his favorite titles coming from writers such as Stephen King. He hopes to have an enjoyable senior year at Mills.
Abigail Chai (11), Entertainment Editor
Abigail is in her second year of journalism as the Entertainment Editor. She’s always excited to report on current events in the community and media, and has grown a greater love for writing through journalism. From her time with The Thunderbolt, she has expanded her writing skills and knowledge, gaining a better understanding of what it takes to make a newspaper. Outside of school, Abigail enjoys binging shows, watching both old and new films, and spending time with her friends. She enjoys a variety of musical artists, but has a particular fondness for Taylor Swift and Paramore. Abigail is ecstatic for her first year as an editor and can’t wait for what the year has to offer.
Ameena Stringer (11), Staff Writer
Ameena is a Junior at Mills High school currently attending her first year of Journalism as a staff writer of the Thunderbolt. Over the years Ameena always had a love for writing poetry. From writing short verses on sticky notes in class to writing her first poetry book in 7th grade. Now she’s looking for ways to improve her skills to be the writer she always wanted to be. As Shakespeare is remembered, The one that’s talked about so often that they continue to live on, even after their passing. Ameena also finds herself following her passion for soccer. She’s been playing since she was 4 years old and was on the Varsity Team for Mills High School, in 2021. Due to personal reasons she wasn’t on the team in her Sophomore year, but she’ll be returning again as a Junior. Her dream is to go to a good university for an English Major and Law Degree; living away from home. With two years left of high school, she plans on going through it with no regrets and living to the fullest.
Arianna Alvarez (12), Staff Writer
Arianna Alvarez is a senior at Mills High School in her first year of journalism as a staff writer. She’s eager to read and write about other people’s point of view. In her free time she likes listening to music, hanging out with friends, and going on car rides. Two of her favorite artists are Drake and J.Cole. After High School, Arianna will be attending CSM. Since she was younger, she always wished to be a nurse. She liked the idea of being able to help people.
Bianca Pando (10), Staff Writer
Bianca is a sophomore at Mills high school, entering her first year as a staff writer for the Mills Thunderbolt. Since last year, she has started to grow an interest in writing like never before. By writing more and in different genres, she hopes to discover new techniques and skills that she could apply to all her writing. She is thrilled to finally be part of the journalism team and hopes to continue throughout her high school years. Aside from writing and literature, she enjoys listening to music, playing volleyball, and watching any type of series or movie, especially if they’re horror related. A dream of hers would be to move to a big city, study there, and establish a successful career, whether it be in writing, producing, or directing. This year, she plans to discover what she would like to major in, and have fun living in the present. She can’t wait to see where her journey in journalism will take her!
Eduardo Galindo (11), Staff Writer
Eduardo is in his second year of journalism as a staff writer. Eduardo joined last year to improve his writing skills and to learn what it’s like to be a staff writer; this year, he hopes to be able to improve the quality of his articles. He spends his time walking his dog around the neighborhood and with his family at lakes. Eduardo is also a member of Boba bots, the robotics team at Mills as an assistant lead. He is excited to learn and improve his skills both outside of and in The Thunderbolt.
Janelle Pantilon (10), Staff Writer
Janelle is a sophomore staff writer, entering her first year as a member of the Mills Thunderbolt. She has always had a passion for reading and later found that the passion extended to writing. Reading and writing allows her to find new perspectives on life, cultures, and communities that make up the world around her. She joins journalism, hoping to better her writing skills and discover the depths within the journalism industry. Journalism’s a possible career path for her so she wants to embrace all she can. Janelle has an array of interests and hobbies, some of those include; reading, listening to music, and running. She runs on the Mills Cross Country team and Track team. A few book genres she enjoys include, coming of age, mystery, and poetry. Her favorite books are The Way I Used to Be by Amber Smith, The Truth of You by Iain S. Thomas, and The Inheritance Games trilogy by Jennifer Lynn Barnes. Finally, Janelle is thrilled to find where journalism takes her and see all that she’ll learn this year!
Sang Kyeong Choi (11), Staff Writer
Sang is new to journalism this year and will be entering as a staff writer. He is looking forward to learning about journalism and improving his writing skills. Currently, Sang is keen on exploring multiple career possibilities, so he hopes that through journalism, he will be able to develop a better understanding of his interests. He also shares a passion for film and media arts, and can be found experimenting with different visual styles and techniques in his free time. His goal for this year is to foster stronger connections in his community, introduce new perspectives, and write engaging articles through reporting for The Thunderbolt.
Isabelle Yang (11), Staff Writer
Isabelle Yang is a junior at Mills High School in her first year of Journalism as a staff writer. She is excited to write for the Thunderbolt and discover more about her new interest in journalism and reporting after attending The School of New York Times over the summer. She is also currently playing on the Mills volleyball team. Some of her passions are volunteering and philanthropy, spending time with friends and family, and reading. Isabelle has always loved reading, and often spends her free time reading fantasy and YA novels. She is thrilled to start her first experience writing for the Thunderbolt and hopes to learn more about the world of journalism.