Discus Award Winner
Winners Gallery
PHOTOS
Laura Winn
12th Grade, NC
ATTRIBUTES
Academics
There are very few challenging academic courses available at my small, rural high school. Therefore, as a pioneer in online education, I have taken six AP classes and one honors class online, in addition to the five AP classes offered in the classroom, more than any student in my high school’s history. I am the valedictorian of my senior class, with a GPA of 5.19. I am an AP Scholar with Distinction, a National Merit High Performer, and achieved a 2250 on my SAT. Beyond the traditional setting, I have sought to further my passion for academics through Science Olympiad, and was the youngest member of the Varsity Science Olympiad team at Morehead to win two state medals. I also attended Summer Ventures to meet with other students from across the state who share my intellectual curiosity.
Athletics
Participation in athletics is about making a commitment to live a healthy lifestyle. I have cheered for seven years, and am the captain of my school’s Varsity Cheerleading Squad. I coach cheer camp at the YMCA and middle school, and love having the privilege to share the sport I love. Additionally, I have played soccer for ten years. I am the captain of the Varsity Women’s soccer team at my high school, and the only player to make the Varsity Team as a freshman. I also play traveling classic soccer, and my team won the Williamsburg Cup and placed second in the Richmond Soccer Tournament. My rigorous involvement in cheer and soccer has not given me time to participate in cross country, but I love to run three miles daily. Recently, I won first place in the Turkey Run 5k in Virginia Beach.
Community Service
I am the president of Key Club and the Vice President of Interact at Morehead, but my even stronger passion lies in international missions. Therefore, as a freshman I researched upcoming trips and organized my church’s first international service trip to Guatemala. Two years later, I planned another trip to Kenya, where I volunteered with children in rural Mahi Mahu. The unimaginable poverty I observed prompted me to start a fundraiser for education in Kenya. I spent countless hours organizing, planning, and finally hosting the first soccer tournament ever held in my town. Twenty three teams registered to play and we raised $2,300 for education in Kenya. I have made the soccer tournament an annual charity event in my town, and next year the funds will help build wells in Kenya.
