Senior Chantal Eulenstein wakes up at 6:30 in the morning, racing to be at the middle school by 7:00. There, she teaches middle schoolers article writing and journalistic processes. Tomorrow during the weekend she will be at her local library, hosting a creative writing workshop. But first, she needs to review articles and edit the layout of a print newspaper tonight.
As Editor-In-Chief of her school’s student newspaper, The Web, Eulenstein has dedicated herself to championing the humanities. Although she enjoys writing, spreading the narrative is just as vital as crafting her own.
For Eulenstein, the humanities are more than an academic pursuit—they are vital for understanding the world and enriching human experiences. To her, constant creation shapes a meaningful future. That is why she has been involved in this field and will continue to fight for it beyond high school.
The following are excerpts from conversations with Eulenstein, edited for clarity.
When and how did you first discover your passion for the Humanities?
I’ve been writing ever since I was little. My mom always read to me, even before I could talk. It started with stories of fairies and pirates, and I loved how stories could bring together different worlds. They change how you look at people.
How are you involved with the humanities?
I write creatively a lot—that’s my biggest connection to the humanities. I participate in writing workshops with other people, which I really enjoy. I also have a really big interest in history and politics.
What struggles have you seen within this field?
People don’t recognize how important the humanities are. People are very focused on progress, which draws a lot of people into STEM, particularly. And STEM is really important, but the humanities are just as important as STEM. The things we do in humanities are the things that not only help us understand our world but are also the things we live for. We live for art and stories and beautiful things. Humanities allows us to understand our world, and it’s all a balancing act, and people don’t recognize that.
How are you trying to fight these problems and keep this field alive?
I just think it’s just an underappreciated field. I’m contributing to this just by doing.
What advice do you have for anyone trying to enter this field?
Just be passionate. Read a lot, and find people who care about it as much as you. Don’t let people who think it’s dumb get to you. That’s really important. There are some opportunities I missed out on, so research opportunities. And just be curious.
What do you hope to do in the future?
I want to continue telling stories, through journalism and creative writing.
What would you say to your younger self now, seeing how far you’ve come?
I would say, “Just keep writing. Keep creating. Don’t stop!”
