SNOHOMISH — Elly Rodriguez is a senior at Glacier Peak High School with a near perfect grade-point average and a heart for public service. Her teachers say the 17-year-old is a quiet leader who doesn’t waiver from her beliefs.
Question: What is your favorite class?
Answer: I have a lot, but probably ASB. I’ve been part of it for three years. It’s my favorite class just because we do a lot of behind-the-scenes stuff, like planning assemblies and food drives. It’s fun to help plan things and have a say in how activities are ran.
Q: How are your grades?
A: Good. I have a 3.99 GPA. I lost it my sophomore year in AP biology when I got an A-. My grades are something I take pride in.
Q: How much time do you spend on homework?
A: It depends. Maybe two to three hours a night. I try to prioritize my relationships above homework. I believe in a balanced life, not just spending all my time on homework.
Q: Have you taken other Advance Placement classes?
A: Yes. AP physics, AP U.S. history and AP language. I do that to earn as many college credits as I can for cheap.
Q: What other activities are you involved with at school?
A: I’ve been on the tennis team for three years. I hope to do that again this spring. National Honor Society, RAKE, which is the Random Acts of Kindness club. I’m also a senator for the student government.
Q: What is the Random Acts of Kindness Club?
A: We meet every week at lunch time. We think of ideas to bless people at school. During finals we hand out smarty pants notes. They’re notes, shaped like pants, with candy and say things like, “You can do this.” We write notes to teachers or bus drivers. They are just little things that are anonymous.
Q: How long have you played tennis?
A: I started my freshman year. I’d taken a couple of lessons beforehand. In the past they had never made cuts to the team so I thought that I could do it. My year they made 12 cuts.
Q: What do you like about playing tennis?
A: I really like the girls on my team. We’re all friends. It’s really relaxing to play. It’s gets your mind off of school. I’m kind of a competitive person too, so matches are fun.
Q: Are you competitive about other things?
A: I’m competitive with my grades. I’m not vocal about it. I have two little brothers and I’m competitive when we play games.
Q: What church do you attend and what activities are you involved in there?
A: Mountain View Community Church on Seattle Hill Road. I’m a student leader in my youth group. I’m on the worship team. I play piano and keyboard for our worship group. Sometimes I play Sunday mornings.
Q: How long have you been playing piano?
A: I think since the second grade. I really love music. It’s a different way to take my mind off of things. I like seeing how instruments come together to create a song.
Q: Can you talk about the mission trips you’ve taken with your church?
A: Two summers ago my family went to Mexico for a week. We helped construct part of a house. We put on a (Vacation Bible School) for some local kids. We did prayer ministry and went around the community and prayed with different families. Last summer I went to the Dominican Republic with my youth group. We started construction on a camp and we did another Vacation Bible School for the kids.
Q: What do you learn on those trips?
A: I want to continue to do those trips throughout my life. I realized people have such a greater need than I have. It gave me a new perspective how blessed we really are in America.
Q: What are your plans after high school?
A: I plan to attend a four-year university. I’m not sure which one yet. I want to major in public health. After college I’d like to go to grad school for physical therapy or occupational therapy. I really want to work in a children’s hospital.
Q: Why a children’s hospital?
A: I love kids and I’ve done a lot of babysitting. It’s cool to see how kids grow up and progress. You can really make an impression in a kid’s life.
Diana Hefley: 425-339-3463; hefley@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @dianahefley.
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