By Nate Fisher

Fifth grader Ella Brayfield has a unique notebook. She calls it her "drawing notebook," as the name suggests, and she uses it to recreate other people's faces. However, sketching someone's likeness requires patience, as she says several steps are involved. According to Ella, you first have to begin with the outline.

An outline: a joyful, laugh-filled, day-embracing set of lines that arrange and dance like ballerinas until they settle down, and we can see the picture more clearly. They form the shape of Ella's face and her trademark smile. These lines connect through a series of points, each representing a favorite moment from her long but worthwhile days at school. If we scan the texture along these points, you can almost make out the tiny rubber stitching lines on a kickball, Ella's favorite recess activity. Easier to see (and hear) are the points that appear like miniature snow globes. One shows Ella enthusiastically absorbing her teacher's words in science class, a subject she reveres. Another provides a vision of a possible future where Ella is older and has achieved her dream of becoming an artist. In this vision, she draws our faces in the 25th edition of her drawing notebook, the same determined countenance burning the pencil lines into the paper because it needs to be just right. That's the second step; you must endure and reject the impulse to rush the face to completion as you

draw the ears and eyes and nose and mouth.

Ella's brother, Eldon, is a year older than Ella. One could say that they've known each other forever. "Well, we've known each other since the year," Eldon corrects us. "I was born the one year and then she was born the second year, so I don't remember anything with her the year that I was born." Point taken, Eldon.

Not only does he have potent memories of his sister today, he's often reminded that he has not one but two younger sisters. Let's use a scientific term and call these reminders "messes." "If I know anything about them two girls," Eldon says, shaking his head, "they're the messiest people alive." Though being a big bro can be "painful," in his words, he does appreciate the sense of responsibility at times.

Eldon is a science whiz like his sister but admits he needs to figure out where to obtain a scientific job in the Franklin County area. "It's not like there's a science facility in the middle of West City," he jokes. That's true. While there is no "science facility" per se, there is a need for agricultural scientists, structural engineers, environmental scientists, healthcare roles, medical lab technicians, quality control analysts, science teachers (cough cough), extension service agents, natural resource managers, geological surveyors, wildlife conservationists, biofuel producers, food scientists, and our personal favorite, science communicators and writers who translate complex scientific concepts into a language the general public can understand. 

The outline for a fulfilling career in science is there, even for our area, and all Eldon needs to remember is…the last step is to color it in.

"The reason I became a science girl is because our dad is a science teacher," Ella says. She cherishes her teachers and thinks all of the educators at Benton Elementary are "super nice." Her favorite thing about the school is that it feels like family. For Eldon, it's all about the library. He enjoys reading fiction and nonfiction, and he'd have all the genres of writing covered if he'd read a little bit of poetry (which he may, who knows?) All those books stack up to fantastic heights, and it's an experience that helps the rigors of the school day pay off.

One of those books is Ella's "drawing notebook." As you flip through, passing by faces both familiar and strange, you should be able to see detail and shading at this stage. Peer closely. Soft yet defined lines delineate the face's boundaries. The complexities of the face's features are illustrated with careful shading rather than hard lines. Ella has paid close attention to the hair, using directional strokes. The final touch required is bringing the faces together until they're lovingly arranged with care into one complete, dynamic family portrait.