Looking back on senior Holly Cheyne’s high school experience, her journey has been a transformative experience. Her experience was not just defined by academic success, but deep personal evolution. Throughout her years at Shadow Ridge, she has become more confident, responsible, and an independent individual. Those traits became the glue for how she approaches both her academics, and the exciting life that comes after graduation.
A notable chapter in Cheyne’s high school experience was her time on the golf team, where she played from her freshman year through her junior year. Joining the team as a complete beginner came with its struggles but as time went on, she quickly got the hang of it. Golf brought virtues of discipline, patience, as well as consistency. Most importantly, it taught her the power of humility.
Cheyne Stated, “Learning a new sport and entering high school all at once taught me how valuable it was to ask for help from my peers when I needed it and especially how to balance school and other things at the same time.”
Her motivation for joining golf was simply because she wanted to build friendships outside of the classroom. She had a strong desire to be a part of something bigger than just academics. Over time, she was able to step out of her shell and that showed her the importance of stepping out of her comfort zone.
For her, balancing academics, extracurriculars, and personal life, was definitely a challenge at times. While there were many times where she felt overwhelmed, she learned how to manage her time better and prioritized what mattered most.
Cheyne stated, “I also realized that it’s okay to take breaks and make time for myself so I could actually enjoy my high school experience instead of just stressing through it.”
Although she was able to take time to herself and take breaks when needed, her parents showed up like no other. They offered advice and would even sit at the dinner table for hours on end, just to help her understand her homework better. Her parents played a huge role throughout her high school journey and helped shape her into who she is now, approaching adulthood.
While graduation is creeping up, she is very excited to attend Angelo State University in San Angelo, Texas, in the fall. She is looking forward to attending the school with her best friend, where they will start the next chapter of their lives together.
Cheyne will be majoring in Mass Media which is basically a communications degree. Writing articles for The lariat was a big part of her high school career and she is more than excited to pursue journalism in her years ahead. Since she could remember, she would write little stories and have her parents read them. The journalism program was definitely a highlight throughout the years.
She stated, “The journalism program at Shadow Ridge, my immensely supportive parents, and my favorite teacher ever, Mrs. Smith, who has been there for me through it all since sophomore year, has shaped and changed my life in the best ways possible even though it has come with some challenges.”
Throughout her high school years, a skill she has learned and will continue to take with her through adulthood, is to keep going even when things get difficult. Since she is going into such a demanding career path, she understands that discipline and still challenging herself will help her stay focused on goals, work, and growing even with hardships.
With her senior year coming to an end, she is excited to start a new journey. High school wasn’t the easiest at times but it shaped her into the person she has become.
