Discovering what individuals hold dear is an invaluable insight into who they are. At West, delving into the diverse collections curated by students unveils captivating stories, passions, and hobbies often hidden from plain view. Through these shared treasures, students invite you into their world, offering a glimpse into what truly matters to them.
Kendrick Nash, 12th 
Q: What do you collect?
A: Beyblades – specifically from the Metal Fight era.
Q: How long have you been collecting?
A: “A little over a year”
Q: What is the amount of your collection?
A: “35 Beyblades, 52 spare parts, 4 stadiums, 13+ Launchers”
Q: Why do you collect?
A: “There are quite a few reasons. The most obvious one is that they’re really fun. The more you have, the more combinations you can do, in both battles and with the individual Beyblades themselves. It’s fun to see how different parts can improve a bey’s performance, or change the way it fights. The high customizability allows for endless possibilities. The physics behind them also interest me a lot, such as how certain gimmicks work, the way different tip shapes and materials affect the bey, the concept of “spin stealing”, it’s all do fascinating to me. They’re also just nice to look at.”
Q: Why is your collection important to you?
A: “Beyblade had a huge influence on my childhood. Ever since I watched the first episode of the Metal Fusion anime, I’ve been captivated with Beyblade. One summer I even binge watched that show like 5 times back to back. I also of course, watched countless YouTube videos about them. On numerous occasions as a kid, I would try finding some way to make my own Beyblades since I couldn’t convince my parents to actually buy them. From air hockey (mallets? strikers?) to Snapple caps glued to syrup bottle lids, I would do anything to try and have my own. When I finally managed to get real ones, it was a dream come true. Some of my favorite memories are playing Beyblade with my friends. I was never able to get any of the ones from the show though. To finally be able to have them after nearly a decade is incredible. Even just looking at them makes me incredibly happy. Sometimes it’s hard to believe I actually have the Beyblades that had me starry-eyed as a kid.”
Madelyn Ryan, 12th
Q: What do you collect?
A: Legos
Q: How long have you been collecting?
A: “1 year+”
Q: What is the amount of your collection?
A: “6 sets, many mini figures.”
Q: Why do you collect?
A: “I have always loved legos as a kid, and in the past year I have started to collect them again because they are nice to look at.”
Q: Why is your collection important to you?
A: “Each set of legos has its own sentimental meaning, some story behind it. People also like to gift me them too. They are just very therapeutic to put together, and nice to look at.”
Iwinosa Egharevba, 12th
Q: What do you collect?
A: Shoes and beanies
Q: How long have you been collecting?
A: “Collecting shoes since 2017 and collecting beanies since 2022.”
Q: What is the amount of your collection?
A: “Shoes; 20+ beanies: 10+”
Q: Why do you collect?
A: “I collect shoes because I wanted to be closer to American culture but later I fell in love with them on my own. I started to collect beanies because I found they looked really good on me.”
Q: Why is your collection important to you?
A: “It is important to me because I like to collect shoes not a lot of people have that I can afford. The beanies are important to me because they represent me and me alone.”
Laura Westberg, 12th 
Q: What do you collect?
A: Clowns
Q: How long have you been collecting?
A: “A couple years, but I used to have a couple when I was young.”
Q: What is the amount of your collection?
A: “At least 30 clowns.”
Q: Why do you collect?
A: “I love clowns and the circus!”
Q: Why is your collection important to you?
A: “I have loved clowns ever since I was little, slightly obsessed but that’s neither here nor there. The clowns are so so cute to me and I love collecting things I enjoy.”
Aleyah Greer, 12th 
Q: What do you collect?
A: Mini items (mini brands etc.)
Q: How long have you been collecting?
A: “Probably since I was like 12.”
Q: What is the amount of your collection?
A: “I’m not sure.”
Q: Why do you collect?
A: “I’ve always enjoyed dolls like American girl dolls and the mini back packs and things they have. “
Q: Why is your collection important to you?
A: “It takes me back to my younger days where I would play with toys or watch YouTube videos about toys. It’s just super fun and cutesy.”
