Taco Tuesday
Fun fact - despite what Chipotle may lead you to believe, this traditional spiced meat was originally made with pork, not beef.
What is barbacoa?
This aquatic science served as the basis for Colten's senior project - in addition to being his university major.
What is marine biology?
This artform, focused upon the auditory interpretation of vibrations, is what Stephanie has focused in at VSAA for three years now.
What is music?
This 2024 Gracie Abrams LP, home to hits like "I Love You, I'm Sorry" and "That's So True", was Elishiya's top newly-released album of the year.
What is "The Secret Of Us"?
True or False: Colten learned how to sew for his Junior Project.
What is True?
When Trump imposed 25% tariffs on Mexico in 2025, consumers rushed to buy up this "seedy" staple crop, whose association with the Mexican national was made famous by a line of commercials with a memorable jingle, before prices rose.
What are avocados?
This university, home to famous alumni like Will Ferrell and George Lucas, is where Elishiya will be attending this upcoming fall.
What is the University of Southern California (USC)?
Stephanie works at a catering company, as an after school tutor in math and English, and in what handy cosmetology job?
What is a nail technician?
Elishiya's top Taylor Swift song - and #2 song overall - wasn't a hit like "Blank Space" or "Cruel Summer", but rather this Folklore Track 5 chronicling the singer's messy breakup with Big Machine Records.
What is "My Tears Ricochet"?
Colten has taken a class of this art form all but one of his years in attendance at VSAA.
What is Moving Image Arts?
What is Oaxaca?
The names of the universities Stephanie and Colten are attending share two words - "University" and "Washington" - with these serving as the only words that differentiate them.
What are "Of" and "Western"?
This Frank Herbert novel, later adapted to a two-part series of films staring Zendaya and Timothee Chalamet, is Stephanie's favorite book of all time.
What is Dune?
Elishiya's number one Chappell Roan song this past year was a Midwest Princess deep cut about homesickness that shares a name with this home state of Mount Whitney and the Muir Woods.
What is "California"?
Colten would frequent this island located on the north-west coast of Washington from the age of two onward along with his family.
What is San Juan Island?
This Mountain Dew-based Taco Bell drink, despite sharing part of its name with the Mexican state directly south of California, was ridiculed as inauthentic in Mexico upon its introduction there.
What is Baja Blast?
Elishiya's senior project centers around Sigmund Freud, a notable Jewish psychologist who was forced to flee this Central European country (where he lived all his life) after it was overtaken by Nazis.
What is Austria?
This university, also the setting of many famous movies like The Social Network and Legally Blonde, is the place in which Stephanie attended school during the summer of 2023.
What is Harvard University?
This "Ceilings" songstress, only 25 years of age (despite her most recent album title suggesting otherwise), recently made her Broadway debut as Nellie in "Floyd Collins".
Who is Lizzy McAlpine?
This major, associated with the grand structure of the Colosseum or Burj Khalifa, is what Colten originally intended to major in at University of Chicago.
What is Architecture?
There are two unrelated Mexican fast food chains with this name - one national and one found only in the PNW - though their dual cactus-based logos may make that confusing.
What is Taco Time?
Stephanie's cumulative senior project took the form of this type of performance, from the Latin for "read aloud" - although her iteration involved no spoken words at all.
What is a recital?
This art form is what Stephanie originally wanted to focus in at VSAA.
What is MIA?
As the only band, rock act, and male representation in Elishiya's top 10 artists, these NY-based "Last Nite" and "The Adults Are Talking" hitmakers were a clear outlier among her Spotify Wrapped.
What are The Strokes?
This was the title of Colten's inaugural MIA film starring Adrian Nelson, himself, and a small stuffed spider.
What is 'The Spider?'