![The teams prepare to start another play with just a few minutes left in the first half. The Lions were in the lead at halftime with a score of 27-0. At half time, the team went back to the locker rooms. “[We ate] orange slices,” Malos said. “[Then] our team came out and got the win.”](https://wlhsnow.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/IMG_2385-1200x800.jpg)
![At the bottom of the third inning, the Lions are still scoreless. Rowe stands at home plate, preparing to bat, while Vandenbrink stands off to the side as the next batter up. Despite having the bases loaded, the team was unable to score any runs. “It’s just the beginning of the season. We’re just going to be playing out best by June, [and] that’s where champions are,” Rowe said.](https://wlhsnow.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/IMG_3077-1200x900.jpg)
The youngest person in the entire school, 12 year old Sarah McKay, freshman.
Works her way through the grades by hard work ethic. The should be seventh grader skipped second and eighth grade to jump onto the advanced course she is taking now.
Along with the standard classes for freshmen: biology, English 9, and wellness McKay also takes more rigorous classes such as Advanced Placement Human Geography, Spanish II and Trigonometry.
“My schedule is really busy. You get way more homework than you did in middle school, and the classes are harder because the material is more advanced.” McKay said. “I like the challenge of having to deal with more stuff, it helps keep me active.”
Skipping grades has been a big adjustment for McKay. A little intimidated at first, she has immersed herself into the flow of things and has become more comfortable with her rigorous schedule.
“It was my teacher’s decision to skip second grade and my decision to skip eighth grade because I was not being pushed enough. It was boring for me because all of the work was so easy,” Mckay said. “For me it is not as hard academically, it is more hard sportswise. Everybody here is at least two years older than me. This makes them bigger, faster, stronger and it is hard to keep up at times.”
Not only is Sarah a whiz in the classroom, but she also takes her talents outside of school. She participates in the girls soccer program and plans on playing lacrosse in the spring.
“I already play indoor lacrosse with some of the girls.” She said. “It’s a good introduction for what it will be like in the spring season.”
McKay also takes part in Leadership. “I joined leadership because I wanted to be involved in the school. I like leadership because I like helping people and it is a fun class.” McKay said. “I’ve met a lot of new people through leadership and it is a great program.”
Socially, McKay is also in the loop. She went to Homecoming and she plans on going to all of the other freshman dances.
“The dances are way more upbeat at the high school as opposed to the middle school.” Mckay said. “I really like it at the high school. There are more people to interact with and I have more friends. Everyone has accepted and treats me like a normal freshman even with the age difference.”
McKay’s goals are to receive all A’s throughout high school and be on two varsity teams for Soccer and Lacrosse. She hopes these goals will ultimately lead her to her ambition of becoming a doctor.
