Ben Aviles, Co-Editor-In-Chief
Hello! I am Ben Aviles, a junior in my second year editing Spectrum. I love writing for the paper and being nitpicky about grammar usage. In my free time, I love finding new restaurants in the Twin Cities. I also love spending too much money on vinyl records and listening to local artists. Additionally, I run avidly and am part of the Blake Cross Country team.
![From top to bottom: 1. On protecting the Boundary Waters, Otis Environmental Author Amy Freeman said, “If you’ve been before, try and take someone new the next time you go. I think the more people that know about the place [they] understand it, love it, and want to protect it.” 2. Lower schoolers danced around the stage, eventually forming a mosh pit. The dancing intensified, leading to the band to ask kids to return to their families. 3. The Bennett Gallery features nature artwork from students of all grade levels, including Arthur Risdall ‘37 and Lilah Mairose ‘28. The curators wanted the gallery to feel like taking a walk outside. 4. Eighth graders in Woodshop created canoe paddles for the exhibit. The canoe was a reference to the Freemans’ book, “North American Odyssey, 12,000 Miles Across the
Continent by Kayak, Canoe, and Dogsled.” 5. Students listen during assembly as the Freemans share
their experiences in the JNA. 6. Alex Rozumalski ‘26 made artwork in a joint project between Block Printmaking and Marine Biology. The text by Rozumalski’s artwork said, “We have over-harvested, pollluted, and physically altered ecosystems, in some places irreparably. But it doesn’t have to remain that way.” 7. Lower School students created an eco-friendly felt art piece of the natural world. Most of the
wool was dyed naturally with onion skins, choke berries, indigo, and dahlia flowers. 8. Many families enjoyed the Okee Dokee Brothers concert. Overcash reminisced, “My dad has always been a fan of folk music, so the Okee Dokee Brothers reminds me of him. I think he got me into it.”](https://www.blakespectrum.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Untitled-design-1-848x1200.png)
