At Austin High School, I have been involved in sports, music, and many community activities. For three years, I was in volleyball. My freshman and sophomore years, I was a thrower for track and field. My senior year I joined the ping pong club and went to state competition in the Twin Cities. These activities taught me to be responsible, work as a team, and achieve goals.

Music has impacted my life since I was very young. As I went into high school, I stayed in choir and band. In my junior year I sang in a choral group called Choralaires. My senior year, I got the opportunity to be part of the select choral group, Austinaires. Also during my senior year, I was chosen to be part of the Big 9 Select Choir. Each year I played and sang solos and duets in both band and choir for the Solo Ensemble Competition in Lakeville. The judges awarded me with several excellent and superior ratings. I continued to play in the concert band and wind ensemble during my music career.

Outside of school, I have enjoyed participating in church and 4-H activities, among others. In my church, I have sung in the worship band, the youth choirs, and soloed for special events. I have participated in several mission trips around the United States and Canada, Leadership Lab in Chicago, Grunge Community Work days, Chip Work Day, Feed My Starving Children, and Global Health Ministries. I progressed from being a Sunday School leader to teacher to a paid worker in the nursery.

I was actively involved in the Hayward 4-H Club for nine years, doing community cleanup of ditches, county fair work, and holding different leadership positions for the club. I earned awards in photography, arts, foods, clothing, and animals, including grand champion market dairy goat.

At Austin High School, I was able to take Riverland Community College classes at the high school through post-secondary enrollment courses. My junior year I took Humanities and my senior year I completed freshman English and government, and I am taking microeconomics and speech. This coming fall of 2017 I will attend Riverland Community College and complete my generals. After I receive my AA degree I hope to transfer to another college and study psychology.

Someone who has impacted my life in many ways is Mrs. Keenan. She is the guidance counselor at the high school and has been my high school guidance counselor since 10th grade. She has guided me these past years in school and even just helped my mental health. She has been there and shaped me as a person.