By: Molly Cunningham
For Kianna, becoming a senior still does not feel quite real. After four years spent in the halls of Wallenpaupack finding herself, she is now preparing to leave the same place where she once got lost as a freshman. Although graduation is only months away, she says it still has not fully hit her that she is a senior.
Kianna has opened up about her struggle with confidence and how high school has helped her grow into her own person. She considers this one of the biggest changes between her freshman and senior years. As a freshman, she felt pressure to act in a certain way to fit in and was hesitant to approach new people. As she matured, however, she learned the importance of being authentic and staying true to her values. Not only has this helped her grow as a person, but it has also allowed her to find genuine friendships. It is a lesson she hopes to carry with her throughout college and beyond.
Kianna’s involvement in Wallenpaupack is another defining part of her high school experience. She has been an active member of numerous clubs, including Volunteers in Paupack (VIP), where she has been involved for all four years and now serves as president. Through VIP, Kianna has gained leadership skills while developing a greater awareness of the challenges people in her community face. Her involvement in around ten extracurricular activities has also taught her how to balance academics, leadership, and her many commitments—something she considers one of her proudest accomplishments. In fact, her goal as a freshman was to join every club she could. While that may have been nearly impossible, she certainly came close.
Tennis has also given Kianna a lesson that she will carry with her far beyond the court. She admits that she can sometimes get in her own head, but the sport has taught her that sometimes the best thing to do is stop overthinking and simply enjoy the moment. When she focuses less on the outcome and allows herself to have fun, she finds that she plays better. It is a mindset that can extend far beyond athletics, reminding her to enjoy the experiences and opportunities that come her way in the future.
As Kianna looks forward to everything Wallenpaupack has planned for its seniors, she is also looking toward life after graduation. She plans to attend West Virginia University, where she will major in international affairs and minor in political science. Staying true to her outgoing and involved nature, she hopes to continue joining plenty of extracurriculars throughout college.
Her advice to underclassmen is simple: try everything that interests you. Whether you end up loving something or deciding it is not for you, she believes it is better to try and learn about yourself than to wonder what could have been. If she could give her younger self one final piece of advice, however, it would be a little less philosophical: take advantage of the free school lunch, because college meals are not free.
We wish Kianna the best of luck as she begins this exciting next chapter of her life!
