With a current GPA of 4.154, you would think Anna-Maria Hartner, sophomore, wouldn’t have much free time, yet somehow she manages to fit music, new languages, and helping others into her busy schedule.

This year Hartner is taking difficult classes like Pre-Calculus, AP U.S. History and Orchestra. She also studies AP Macroeconomics and AP German outside of the classroom. In addition to taking advanced placement classes, she also holds study sessions for her history class and teaches violin. She loves science and math classes, and hopes to fit in as many classes as possible in her next two years of high school.

“West Linn High School offers so many wonderful classes, I wish I could take everything!” Hartner said.

Surprisingly, Hartner is not yet a U.S. citizen. Although, she has her green card, she promises that her citizenship is on her to-do list. Her family moved here from Germany 12 years ago, which she says contributes to her ear for languages. She is fluent in English and German, and is learning both French and Portuguese. Hartner’s family is what motivates her to work hard, because they came to the U.S. for more opportunities and a better life.

“Here we discovered the miracles of education, opportunity, and success, Hartner said. I “feel as though I have an obligation to work hard, to make our immigration meaningful, more so than it already is.”

One of her passions is community service. She volunteers at the Providence Willamette Falls Medical Center, as well as at single events like the Jingle Bell Walk/Run for Arthritis.

“I am deeply passionate about giving back to my community and making a difference in the world. As I see it, changing the world begins by changing the life of one person,” Hartner said. She dreams of having a job in the medical field, such as being a neurosurgeon or a traveling nurse in a less developed country. Once Hartner turns 16, she plans complete her Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) program.

Both of Hartner’s dream colleges are near either her immediate family or her family in Germany. She hopes to attend the California Institute of Technology. “The school is small, but would provide me with the opportunity to further pursue math and science,” she said. She also would love to attend Oxford, which is near her family in Landshut, Germany.

“My goal is to spend the school year studying, and my summers traveling because I deeply value the importance of education,” Hartner.

While she works toward her future in medicine, she’s enjoying playing her violin and helping around the community. Her determination in school is based on her love of education.

“The choices we make today shape our future. And we can control some aspects of it, shouldn’t we also take advantage of it?” Hartner said.