Camille Bugayong is a gem of West Orange High School, both with her academic prowess and unique style. Moving from Jersey City to West Orange at five, Camille has spent the last decade involved in the West Orange community. Although there are many things I could share about her, I think Camille is best represented by her hair.

I first met Camille in my Introduction to Journalism class sophomore year. There was a shockingly small girl with long sleek black hair sitting desks away from me, who would turn about and laugh at my jokes. As a taller girl my whole life, I’m always intrigued by the girls who can hide, whether behind their pink backpacks or oversized hoodie. 

I knew we had to be friends. 

As a new sophomore, I felt encouraged to take a freshman under my wing. Turns out, Camille became the one who took me under hers. She was always open to me, especially when I was struggling with mental health stressors at the time. We laughed about everything, and when my year in that class was cut short she continued to support and encourage me through hard times.

Kind people always stick around.

Last year I was sad to not see her in the Newspaper class, but excited for the brief times we had together in the club. As the year progressed I noticed that her hair would be a different color every meeting, both shorter and more vibrant. Something had changed, my old shy friend was now a more confident and expressive young woman.

“To me, hair is just a way to have fun…” she says smiling with her purple tresses tucked behind her ear. “One day I came out of the bathroom with this hair and my parents just had to deal with it,”

Why do we say “people change” like it’s a bad thing?

Camille did change. She’s changed into a phenomenal writer with an ability to capture the human spirit both interpersonally and on the page. She looks you in the eyes and laughs with her belly, a lost art of the past eighteen months. She’s produced some of the strongest amateur writing we have on The Pioneer’s site particularly with her brilliant article on skin bleaching. 

Many of the girls like Camille, the ones you smile at in the hallway, the ones you wish you had hair like, and the ones who always have the smartest answers in class when they seldomly speak go forgotten. In a town like West Orange full of sports and performing arts, the vibrancy of a talented young writer may appear dim.

Camille is bright. In her brain, her smile, and even her hair.