As the newest editor in chief of The Charger Online, Aleena Daenens exudes gravitas. Her thoughtful demeanor and her serious glasses tend to conceal her free-flowing personality.

The one-time cheerleader walked a difficult path to get where she is now emotionally. People’s attitudes no longer affect her as they once did.

At one time, a peer’s judgement could influence her in negative ways.

“Other people’s opinions don’t define me as I thought they did,” Aleena said.

Today, Aleena works toward breaking down social groups at school. She has a talent for moving in between the cliques, which probably came from her many years in competitive cheerleading. She had to leave cheer after a bout with wrist bursitis

She also suffered from several concussions from soccer when she was in middle school.

“I missed three months,” she said.

Aleena is well like at school because she listens well. She listens at the drive through at Wendy’s. She would like to attend IPFW after high school and study to be a nurse. After getting her degree, she would like to return to school to become a psychiatric nurse.

Her stepbrother Luke Hanna also serves as editor in chief with her. They get along well, but there have been some issues.

“When she first arrived at Carroll, everyone was obsessed with her,” he said. “So I kind of lived in her shadow.”

They are cool now.

“We’re ‘homies.’” Aleena said.