Students and teachers encounter famous figures by chance and at planned events

Survey+of+248+students+from+Nov.+29%2C+2016+to+Dec.+1%2C+2016.

Katrina Eggleston

Survey of 248 students from Nov. 29, 2016 to Dec. 1, 2016.

Jacqueline Geller

Not every person has the opportunity to walk down the red carpet in the latest fashion made by couture designers, but that does not stop CHS students and teachers from encountering celebrities.

Junior Arielle Hutchinson of Ocean won a radio station contest on Z100 and was able to see 5 Seconds of Summer (5SOS) perform at iHeartRadio’s Dunkin’ Donuts Iced Coffee Lounge.
“When I was sitting down in the lounge, and I saw them walk out, it was so surreal. It was hard to believe they were real people,” Hutchinson said.

After 5SOS’s performance, Hutchinson met and took pictures with them. She said that the band noticed that many girls were shy, and they tried their best to make everyone comfortable.

Hutchinson thought the 5SOS members were normal guys in a famous band, and her opinion did not alter when she met them. She also believes that the way celebrities act in public will not always give a true indication of their character.

“If a celebrity is being mean or unfriendly when they meet their fans, I always think there is a reason why; maybe they’re tired, hungry or in a bad mood. It is impossible to be happy and smiley 100 percent of the time,” Hutchinson said. “At the end of the day, they’re human too.”

Math teacher Justine Lane had a unique celebrity experience when she was 16.

She was shopping when her friend told her that Bruce Springsteen was in the mall. She did not want to bother him, but eventually Lane gave in to her friend’s request and decided to go find Springsteen.

When she was strolling through the mall, Lane did not notice that she walked right up to the 20-time Grammy-winning singer. They chatted, and she asked for Springsteen’s autograph.

“He goes ‘You know, I’ve given out so many autographs today. How about a holiday kiss instead?’ so he kissed me on my cheek,” Lane said.

After the encounter, Lane had to sit down and have some soda because she was in shock.

Whether it is winning a contest or being in the right place at the right time, there are opportunities to meet someone with superstar status.