The CHIEF September 2026

HOBBY REVIEW

BY ANDREW DIAZ

AT PTHS, THERE’S NO SHORTAGE OF CREATIVE, PASSION-FILLED PASTIMES THAT STUDENTS SINK THOUSANDS OF HOURS INTO. I GOT THE OPPORTUNITY TO SIT DOWN WITH JAXON ROACH, A FELLOW SENIOR IN THE CLASS OF 2027. FOR YEARS, HIS HOBBY HAS BEEN BUILDING CUSTOM VEHICLES ENTIRELY FROM SCRATCH. OF HIS PROJECTS, HE SAID THAT ONE OF HIS FAVORITES HAS BEEN HIS JON BOAT. “I FISH ON IT ALL THE TIME, GO TUBING WITH IT, AND GO RIP UP AND DOWN THE RIVER.” EVEN WHEN HE ISN’T CATCHING FISH, JAXON ALWAYS FINDS TIME TO CAMP ON THE RIVER. “I GET TO GO OUT ONTO THE RIVER AND JUST COMPLETELY DISAPPEAR FROM PEOPLE,” HE SAID. “IT IS ALWAYS, ALWAYS FUN, NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS.” WHEN PLANNING A NEW PROJECT, JAXON CREATES BLUEPRINTS, FIXES A BUDGET, AND REFINES HIS WORK THROUGH TESTING AND ADJUSTMENTS UNTIL IT'S PERFECT. HIS 16 FOOT-LONG, 6-FOOT-WIDE JON BOAT, WHICH HE BUILT FROM THE FRAME UP, INCLUDES A MERCURY 2015 4-STROKE OUTBOARD, A STEREO, A SONAR SYSTEM, 12 FIXED SLOTS FOR FISHING POLES, A SPOTLIGHT, A PAINTED MURAL ON THE FRONT, AND EVEN A CUSTOM-BUILT TRAILER TO TOW IT ON. ONE OF HIS FAVORITE MEMORIES WAS WHEN HIS FRIEND JACOB AND HE “STAYED UP ALL NIGHT JUST CATFISHING, AND WE SLEPT ON THE RIVER.” ANOTHER WAS WHEN HE, HIS COUSIN TYSON, AND I WENT OUT ON THE RIVER TO SET UP A 10-FOOT-WIDE PROMPOSAL SIGN EARLIER THIS YEAR. “IT WAS LIKE COMMANDING A CREW, PIRATING.” THE DRAMATIC FEAT OF HANGING UP THE HULKING WOODEN LETTERS OVER THE RIVER WAS ACCOMPLISHED OVER A HALF-DAY'S WORTH OF BLOOD, SWEAT, AND TEARS, WHICH ULTIMATELY TURNED INTO UNFORGETTABLE SUMMER MEMORIES FOR ALL OF US. ONE OF HIS OTHER FAVORITE PROJECTS IS HIS SHOPPING CART GO-KART, WHICH, AS THE NAME SUGGESTS, IS A GO-KART WITH A PLASTIC SHOPPING CART AS THE OUTER FRAME. IT ROCKED “TWO-BY-FOURS SUPPORTING UNDERNEATH THE BOTTOM,” A HOMEMADE FRAME MADE OF “HALF WELDED METAL BOLTED UP TO A COUPLE STEEL PLATES,” A CUSTOM STEERING SYSTEM, PEDALS FROM “A SNOWBLOWER AND A DRUM SET,” AND AN OLD FORD INSIGNIA STRAPPED ON THE FRONT. “YOU’VE GOTTA MAKE SURE THE THING IS STRUCTURALLY SOUND. IF YOU’RE GOING FAST, IT'S GOT TO BE STURDY, OTHERWISE IT’LL EXPLODE ON YOU.” HIS HARD WORK AND DEDICATION HAVE MADE HIM ABUNDANTLY PLEASED WITH HIS CRAFT, AND HE’D LOVE TO CONTINUE ASSEMBLING HIS “FLEET OF DOOHICKEYS” FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE. “WHAT MAKES ME HAPPY ABOUT IT IS THAT IT'S REALLY COOL, ALWAYS BUILDING COOL STUFF. A LOT OF PEOPLE CAN’T DO STUFF LIKE THAT, SO IT'S REALLY COOL THAT I CAN. IF I CAN DO IT, WHY SHOULDN’T I?”