1. What was your best high school experience?
“There are so many, it is really hard to pick one! But I think it was beating a debate team from Shawnee Mission East for three hours in Mr. Hood’s room.”
2. Worst high school experience?
“Trying to avoid failing pre-calculus in the last three weeks of my senior year.”
3. How did you feel walking into LHS for the first time?
“Well, the very first time was my freshman year looking for a friend. So that time I felt stupid. But the first time as an LHS student? I was really excited. I wandered around the halls for 10 minutes until I knew exactly where I was. It was fun. Sophomore year was a really interesting experience.”
4. What will you be doing after high school?
“This summer I’m planning on working a ton and doing some traveling. I’m going to KU in the fall, biology major and UKanTeach program to get a teaching license.”
5. Who was your most inspiring teacher and why?
“(Debate and forensics coach Jeff) Plinsky most definitely. I’ve worked with him for three years, and he’s always been really encouraging and supportive — even when I’m being whiny and obnoxious at 6 a.m. on a Saturday before a tournament. Plus, he treats you like an adult until you give him a reason not to. So, he obviously still treats me like an adult. Overall he’s a phenomenal teacher and coach.”
6. Who helped you the most during your sophomore year? How?
“Looking back, I think the person that helped the most even if neither of us realized it at the time was Mr. (Greg) Farley. He was my math teacher for a year and a half, and I actually managed to get a B! It’s a lot more things than that, but they’re difficult to explain.”
7. Hardest class and why?
“Pre-calc because it’s math. And identities are pretty much the bane of my existence! But (Pam) Fangohr is really great. She’s entertaining.”
8. What advice would you give to future lions?
“Get involved. Even if it’s just one club. Turn in stuff on time. Oh, and don’t take classes that you know are too easy for you. I was bored out of my mind my junior year because I wasn’t challenging myself.”
9. What will you miss the most? Why?
“I think the camaraderie of debate and forensics.”
10. What classes would you recommend? Not recommend? Why?
“Well that really kind of depends on each individual person. But forensics is a great class to take. It’s not that difficult and you meet a ton of new people. It gives you a chance to explore your interests while not having to get up on stage in front of a bunch of people. Also, AP Lit & Comp. Not only is Carriger absolutely hilarious, but he makes the class fun and you don’t realize the sheer amount of material you’ve learned until the end. And you get pretty good at writing. I mean, there are a ton of classes that are good to take. Classes I don’t recommend? Um. Don’t take classes because your friends are. It ends up being really boring, and you don’t make as many new friends.”
11. Can you talk a little about your family business, Anthonys Beehive?
“We sell honey, honey straws, homemade beeswax lip balm, lotion, barbecue sauce, jerky, and bee pollen. Making lip balm is kind of tedious so I get bored, but I’ve done it since I was 12 and made way more money than I ever could anywhere else. The flexibility was really nice, too. My friends always ask me when they can come over and make more lip balm. They think it’s funny. I often get asked if I spend much time with the bees. I really don’t. I got stung pretty bad by wasps as a child, so any sort of buzzing just sends me running in the opposite direction. To be honest, I don’t even like the taste of honey. Not just ours, honey in general. People laugh at me for that. I also got a really great opportunity to work with the ‘Buy Fresh, Buy Local’ campaign with the Hen House grocery stores in Kansas. That was awesome, it paid really well, and gave me some resume material. Selling at the Lawrence Farmer’s Market taught me how to interact well with strangers, and I am not shy at all because of it.”
