Busy Jackson High student hears entrepreneurship calling

MILL CREEK — Grace Siemering, 18, has a leader’s personality and an entrepreneurial spirit. She’s finishing up her senior year at Jackson High School and looking forward to Gonzaga University. As for what to study? For the first time, she doesn’t have it all planned out — and she finds that that’s OK.

Question: What keeps you busy?

Answer: I am someone who likes to keep busy. So I’m on a competitive dance team, and along with that I do just dance classes as well. I am on a competitive hip hop team, and I do ballet as well. Last year I starred in my dance studio’s production of “Cinderella.” I’m also one of two commissioners for our school’s Link Crew. And I also work at Starbucks. That all keeps me very busy.

Q: Why do you like to keep busy?

A: I just always like being productive. If I’m just sitting down watching a movie, I’m like, “I could be doing this.” That’s something that can be a good thing, but can be a bad thing at times.

Q: What classes are you taking?

A: I’m a PE peer tutor. That’s with the adaptive classes, and we have gym class with them. I was in it last year, too. I’m in chemistry, UW English humanities, AP French, calculus and AP government.

Q: Do you have a favorite?

A: I like my peer tutor class, just because I liked it so much last year. It’s a good way to start my day off. In the class, we get connected with a partner and just spend the period with them. It’s interesting for me because I learned how to communicate with people who aren’t people I communicate with on a daily basis. … I’ve learned that I really do like to branch out with different kinds of people. I like to learn about others.

Q: Do you have a plan for after high school?

A: So I’m not completely sure what I want to pursue, but I am going to go to Gonzaga University. They have a business entrepreneurship leadership program. They only take 25 students, though. But I am hoping to apply for that. Something along those lines — entrepreneurship for sure.

Q: Why that career goal?

A: I’m a really independent person. Not that I want things to go my way, but in my mind I know what I think would work in certain situations. Taking the lead and creating something myself could be very rewarding for me.

Q: What do you do for fun, to relax? If you relax.

A: I know, right? It’s pretty rare that I relax, to be honest. But I like to run. Both of my parents were marathon runners, so it’s just kind of in me to do that. Usually when I do have free time, I like to plan something to do. Just something fun. Like I’ll plan something with my friends — we’ll just go to Seattle and walk around.

Q: Do you have anyone you consider a mentor or who has inspired you?

A: I would say both my parents inspire me a lot. They make it clear that they believe in me and that they know I’m going somewhere.

Q: You’re the oldest of three. What’s it like being the oldest?

A: It definitely fits me (laughs). I don’t boss them around. But I like to give them advice a lot. They don’t necessarily love that, but it’s my personality.

Q: What’s your favorite book?

A: My favorite book is called “How’s Your Soul?” by Judah Smith. I really like those kinds of books, like personal development books.

Q: What’s it like being at this stage in life?

A: For me it’s kind of scary but exciting, because I like to have things planned. And the fact that I don’t really know what I want to pursue is kind of scary to me. But I also think it’s good, because it will take me out of my comfort zone.

Q: What advice would you give someone starting high school?

A: You can’t always control your future. You can’t try to do that. Things will happen the way they are supposed to happen. And everything will work out.

Melissa Slager: mslager@heraldnet.com; 425-339-3432.