The High-Flying Freshmen: McKenna Ching on Beauty, Trapeze, and More

I’m sitting with freshman McKenna Ching on the East Wing porch, Early Learning kids screaming in the background and the sky a misty gray color. The friend who had waited with her before I arrived is now gone.

I can’t tell if I’m making her feel uncomfortable - I’m not sure how I would react if a senior asked to interview me when I was a freshman. She tells me she transferred to Galloway in 6th grade from a public school, admitting that she “was really, really shy” at first. Suddenly, I’m beginning to see some of myself in her. It was only six years ago that I transferred to Galloway in 6th grade, a more timid version of myself, who didn’t know much outside of my public elementary school. For McKenna, the transition to Galloway wasn’t all that she thought it would be. She admits that the students weren’t as accepting as she expected from a school like Galloway. It’s hard being the new kid.

Both McKenna and I continue to look out toward the mass of early learners on the playground. I’m reminiscing on times when I was younger and just as carefree; perhaps McKenna is thinking the same thing. Freshman year is a big adjustment. She hints that her social sphere has experienced some difficulties recently. I’ve definitely experienced my fair share of social drama and diverging friend groups, and most high schoolers would agree that friend groups can be tricky to navigate and that they are constantly evolving. That is both the pain and the beauty of maintaining a high school social life, but as an older peer, I want to ensure her that it will get better, if it hasn’t already. As I get to know her, I quickly discover that McKenna has an artistic side. Anyone who knows her, knows how fond she is of makeup. Makeup, for her, offers an artistic escape from the craziness of school and friends.   

“I’m not good at drawing or painting, so [makeup] is another form of it I’m better at.”

Her daily makeup routine consists of applying Smashbox water primer, Tarte concealer, Covergirl setting powder, Benefit brow pencil, Nyx mascara, and Fresh lip gloss, which are all nice makeup products. She tells me, “I have to go [to Sephora] last or else I’ll spend all my money.” She’s not alone in that department.

We’re still looking out upon the early learners, but I glance at McKenna who sits with her arms and legs crossed, her shoulder slightly slouched. McKenna is quiet, and as we talk more, I get a sense that she is protective of her image. Being a high schooler myself and trying to respond to the judgement and pressure coming from peers, I can understand why.

The place where kids are supposed to learn and learn how to express themselves is the very place kids face massive amounts of social pressure, inhibiting their freedom to, well, just be kids.

Last week, I noticed McKenna came to school wearing a striking shade of pink on her eyelids. I thought I’d bring up this look. McKenna just laughs.

“I wore this ridiculous eyeshadow… I don’t know… I think I was just going crazy….”

I insisted it looked nice, bold in a good way; apparently, she didn’t think so. While McKenna will experiment with makeup, she won’t go out wearing a look she hasn’t perfected yet, nor will she risk being too adventurous with her everyday makeup look. She appreciates Fall hues - reds, browns, and golds - but I don’t see her wearing these looks to school.

Makeup aside, McKenna has other avenues of artistic pursuits. She casually mentions that she takes trapeze lessons after school. I look more excited about the revelation than she does. She shrugs it off, describing, “the kind of trapeze that’s, like, three or four feet off the ground… nothing too crazy….”

Trapeze has been apart of McKenna’s life since she was five. She has even traveled to Seattle and Chicago, representing the Circus Arts Institute, for trapeze showcases at America’s Youth Circus Organization. Her eyes light up when she talks about her trips: the plane ride over, the convention setting, the big hotels, and taking classes. In addition to performing, these showcases give McKenna the opportunity to meet new people and learn new tricks.

“I took a flying trapeze class which I had never done before, so that was a really cool experience!”

Like any other performance, there are a few dress rehearsals and lots of costumes involved. McKenna describes a “weird purple, sparkly” costume she once wore in Seattle, not to mention performing in front of roughly 500 people! The road to becoming a young trapeze prodigy hasn’t always been so sparkly for McKenna. A few years ago, her trapeze instructor died in a freak accident while away on vacation. The tragic story was featured on MTV, Perez Hilton, and in People magazine.

“When my mom told me, I started crying… I couldn’t even talk about it because I could not fathom that would happen…”

McKenna still thinks about the accident. Her instructor fell four stories from a building, but being a professional trapeze artist, McKenna wonders how her instructor could just fall from the fire escape. McKenna admits that there was speculation around the cause of her death, which is terrifying to think about. A few months after the accident, she and the community at Circus Arts Institute attended the funeral service. She tells me there were pendants available filled with bits of her instructor’s ashes to “keep a little piece of her,” which McKenna turned into a necklace she used to wear.

While McKenna continues to take trapeze lessons after school, she is still affected by her instructor’s accident. Trapeze remains apart of McKenna, showcasing her ability to pursue a unique artistic passion.

By Lauren Edwards