Madelyn Bender

Parents: Kelby and Leanne Bender

GPA: 3.99

Class rank: 3/90

Co-curricular activities: Volleyball, Golf, Dance Team, Family Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA), FCCLA Leadership Team, Ladies Lyrica, Student Leadership Team, National Honor Society

Community activities: Silver Cord, Dance Lessons at Stairway to the Stars, Kalona Mennonite Church Youth Group

Future plans and goals: I plan to attend Wartburg College to major in Elementary Education.

How will your high school experiences help you in the coming years? Being a student athlete, I have gained great time management skills and valuable experience communicating with coaches and teachers, especially being in two sports at the same time. The Big Hawk Little Hawk Mentoring Program, along with the opportunity to do a job shadow and job internship helped me gain experience for my future career as a teacher.

Fondest memory of high school: Making it to Second Regionals as a team last year for golf.

Which teachers have had the biggest impact on you and why? Mrs. Cavanagh was a great seminar advisor and she helped me through my high school career. Mrs. O’Rourke was my FCCLA advisor and she helped me gain great leadership skills.

Who is your role model and how did they influence you? My grandma Linda has influenced me to be a kind and generous person because she volunteers for things and loves to help people.

What is special about your high school? The opportunities available both academically and through extracurriculars.

If you go back to when you were a freshman, what advice would you give yourself? Get involved and have fun — you won’t regret it.