I’ve been a student at Smoky Hill for four years. Throughout those four years, I was a part of a few different extracurriculars at the school. I was a part of the newspaper, part of the leadership council, for a short time I was getting into the dance club, and I dedicated a lot of time to AP classes. When I walked into the school for the first time, I only knew one thing; whatever it takes, however time consuming it is, I plan to dedicate myself to gymnastics and my team.

Being where I am now, had I dedicated myself to newspaper and other classes the way I did gymnastics, I could have been as successful with those as I was in my athletic career. I learned so many lessons from gymnastics, from how to fit in with a team, to knowing exactly who I am and what I want to be someday. Not only that, but it had a huge role in defining who I am today.

My gymnastics could be someone else’s IB, or dance club, or leadership council. My point is, every year that I’ve been to Smoky, the number of students who move through high school without a specific dedication is rising.

I believe having that one thing that you can dedicate yourself to during high school is crucial. Without that, students aren’t guided. They go from club to sport and place to place, without any inkling of an idea where they truly belong. I personally find this a little scary because a lot of students are graduating but they don’t have a clue what direction they want to head.

Maybe students aren’t interested anymore. They just want to go to their classes get some passing grades and go home and do nothing with their extra time. Maybe I just haven’t moved with the times.
Either way I think it’s time students start realizing that they aren’t just students, but future dancers, or future professors, or in my case, maybe a future teacher or coach.