People will always say “the world is your oyster.” 

For those unfamiliar with the meaning of the phrase, it simply means someone being in a position to take the opportunities that life has to offer them. 

When I think of this phrase I think of one of our new OwlFeed reporters, 17-year-old Madison Heustess. Opportunities are shown every day and Madison is never willing to pass them by.

Heustess is a senior here at Agua Fria, but originally started high school in Peoria. She later joined the Owl’s Nest her sophomore year. 

This year, Heustess joined journalism due to her love for writing. She enjoys writing so much that she took an online journalism program over the summer from NYU. 

“I love to write, meeting new people and making those connections, and learning new things,” she said. This year Madison is going to be an Opinion columnist and media editor. 

Aside from writing, Madison has so many hobbies, from roller skating to even sewing. Madison is one talented person. 

“Most of my interests are anything artistic, which is writing, art, and fashion,” Madison said. “I actually make some of my clothes. So I basically like anything I can show my creativity in.”

A lot of Madison’s fashion inspirations come from Tyler, the Creator and independent fashion influencers. “Anything that seems colorful and unique inspires me to create,” Madison said.

After graduating high school, Heustess decided that she wants to continue doing journalism in college. But not just any regular college, the most popular college located in the Big Apple: New York University. 

However, she doesn’t only want to do journalism in college, she also wants to potentially minor in fashion. And to put those two skills together she thinks it would be cool to do fashion journalism and maybe even create her own fashion magazine. 

In America, the drive to live in big cities can lead to them being very expensive to live in, but Madison couldn’t care less about that as long as she is following her dreams. “I want to do something I love and not be stuck doing something just to survive,” she said. “Like, if I’m struggling but doing something I love, then I’m fine with that.”

She wants to live in the city because of her passion for meeting new people. “I love people and seeing different perspectives, and different people’s life stories and how people see the world differently,” she said. “Understanding that is very interesting to me.”

Of course that’s only her plans for the future, but who knows where else life will take her. 

As of now, Madison has been a native to Arizona and has one older sister and two younger siblings. She lives with her younger siblings and her step-mom who she really appreciates for being there for her when her actual mom couldn’t. “My family is complicated and I used to dwell on it too much,” she said. “Like, it is what it is and life is going to continue. I’m my own person. Like, they’re my family, but I’m not always gonna be attached to them. I make the most out of it and I love them,” Heustess said when talking about her siblings and step-mother. 

Alongside family, Madison also has a pet frog named Edison. “I love him a lot, probably more than a normal person would,” Madison said. 

“I got him about a year ago to give me something to take care of during the pandemic,” she added. “I didn’t really have much to do and Edison helped me get through it. Now he’s my favorite thing on the planet.”

Starting at a young age, Heustess had always been introverted, but she has really grown to the point where she is able to talk to people out of nowhere and create new friendships. “I like being around people,” she said. “I used to be super shy, and eventually I got to an age where I needed to stop doing this, because I needed to mature.”

The biggest thing Madison has learned throughout her high school career was how to not be shy.  “Everyone is in the same boat as you and you probably have more in common with that stranger in your class than you think. Talk to people! It makes high school a fun place to be,” Madison said. 

Whether Madison stays in the town of Avondale or even in the Big Apple, she will always be known as the girl who was passionate about so many things and had a bright future to look forward to. I could not be more excited to have her a part of our OwlFeed team this year.