INTERVIEW RESPONSES
What motivates you to do your best?
The driving force that motivates me to do my best is the goals that I have set for myself. I know that in order to achieve them I need to work hard all the time and that is what keeps me going. I want to be a physical therapist who works with athletes, so getting to college is an essential part of that. The goal of being a physical therapist is my motivation to finish high school and do well in college.
Are you best working in a group or by yourself?
I am best working in a group. While I can be very productive by myself, and sometimes its nice to work alone, I feel like I can get the most accomplished when in a group. Working in a group allows me to bounce ideas off of my group mates which allows for the best possible results for whatever it is we are working on.
Describe your school attendance record.
Throughout middle and high school, I have maintained very good attendance. I only missed school for sports or sickness. I always told my parents not to book a trip during school because I did not want to get behind. Even with online school and having to balance the new schedule, I only missed class due to a college tour and sporting event.
Tell me about a time when you had to give someone difficult feedback. How did you handle it?
I have been coaching young kids for over 2 years and to this day, the hardest part is having to tell a kid that they just aren't good enough. A few months ago I had this girl who really wanted to move up a level and she worked so hard. She came in everyday and did exactly what I asked. She did start improving, however just slower than we would have wanted. I sat down with her and her mom and told them that even though she is putting in the work, she just isn't there yet. The look on her little fact was heartbreaking. I told her that we would keep working and she could get there. I made special lesson plans for her and offered to do private lessons with her on Sundays. She came in and worked even harder. This past April I was able to move her up a level.
What has been your proudest moment?
It is difficult to pick just one moment to coin as my "proudest". Since SAT scores were not required for all college applications due to COVID-19, there were significantly more applicants at all the schools I applied to. University of Pittsburgh and Syracuse University were the top two competitive schools that I applied to. Getting into those schools would show me that I was ready and I could feel more confident moving forward. In January of 2021, I received my acceptance to University of Pittsburgh and nearly two months later I got into Syracuse. Even though I can not attend these schools due to cost and location, being admitted was my proudest moment because of the sense of accomplishment that I felt.
What was the last gift you gave to someone?
The last gift I gave was to my best friend for her 18th birthday. She will be attending University of Michigan in the fall and I wanted to get her something to show how proud I was. I ordered a custom flower box with blue and yellow flowers. On the glass covering the box was the Michigan block "M" in white with "GO BLUE" underneath it. When I gave it to her, she lit up. It was obvious that she loved it and she put it right up in her room.