Rylie Tschirhart, 11
When did you get your tattoo? “A year ago.”
What does it mean? “They’re cosmos, so they
represent the month October, and that’s the
month I was born in.”
Where is your tattoo? “On my forearm.”
Why did you get it in that spot? “I wanted to
be able to see it and have other people be able to
see it and ask about it, too.”
Do you want any more tattoos? “Yes, I’d
love lots more. For my next tattoos, I’d like to add
more floral designs, one for each family member,
also some butterflies!

Ryan McAleer, 12
When did you get your tattoo? “Two weeks
after I turned 18.”
What does it mean? It’s the four Hebrew
letters of Yahweh, which is God’s name. The first
two letters sound like an inhale, and the second
two sound like an exhale, so it’s the idea that we
speak the Lord’s name with every breath.
Why did you get it on your arm? “I thought
it was just a cute spot and it’s visible with most
things, like T-shirts, but it’s not too crazy.”
Do you want any more tattoos? “I would get
a few more dainty ones, either matching with my
mom or siblings, as long as they have meaning.”

Madison Vitro, 11
What does it mean? “I got it with my best
friend, and we just thought it was a good idea.”
Where is your tattoo? “My ribs.”
Why did you get it in that spot? “I didn’t
want it in a place it was going to be shown.”
Do you want any more tattoos? “Yes,
professionally done.”

Lauren Browning, 11

What does it mean? “It’s a wave. It’s a match-

ing tattoo with my best friend [Madison] and we

got it because we thought it’d be a fun activity to
do together.”
Why did you get it in that spot? “I thought it
looked really cute.”
Do you want any more tattoos? “Yes, in the
future after I am 18.”

Kim Thompson, social studies teacher
When did you get your tattoo? “I have two.
I got my first one when I was 19 in Scranton,
Pennsylvania, home of ‘The Office.’ I got my
second one in Philadelphia in 2014.”
What does it mean? “The one on my arm is
part of the cover to the book ‘Catch 22.’ The
book is about facing things that you can’t control
and how you behave when you’re stuck in a
‘Kobayashi Maru’ scenario, a scenario you can’t
seem to win. The book really spoke to those
elements that I felt in my own life at the time.
Do you regret it? “Definitely not — I probably
regret my first tattoo more because I was a kid
then just getting stuff I thought was cool. It’s a
spider. I like spiders, but do I like spiders enough
to have one on my pudge forever?”

Tyler Randall, math teacher
When did you get your tattoo? “The summer
between my sophomore and junior year of
college.”
What does it mean? “It is a verse in the Bible
that I turned to when times are getting tough.
The gist of the Bible verse is to remind you
that when things get difficult, God can give you
strength to [get through] the really hard time. It’s
the story of Isaiah helping his people.”
Where is your tattoo? “On the inside of my
left bicep.”
Do you want any more tattoos? “Yes, I
currently have one planned to get with my
siblings.”

Catherine Whitten, social studies teacher
When did you get your tattoo? “I was 21
when I got [my ankle tattoo]. My best friend
at the time and I went from where we went to
school in Oklahoma — where it was illegal to get
tattoos — to Dallas.”
Why did you get it in that spot? “At the time,
you didn’t see as many people with tattoos, so
having it somewhere where it can be a little more
discreet [was important].”
Do you want any more tattoos? “I would
love to get another one. The next one I get done
will be on the inside of my arm because my dad
died eight years ago, and I have a lot of letters
he wrote to me in college, so I’d love to get his
handwriting on the inside of my arm.”