7. Faith Briggs
What has been your favorite part about being an Olympian?
“My favorite part about being an Olympian is how accepting people are. No one really cares about what clubs or sports you’re in. There aren’t really distinct social groups. People mostly evaluate each other on character and not status, which is nice.”
What is your favorite memory from East?
“There are so many favorite memories to choose from. I would have to say doing the East spirit video in Mrs. Baugh’s class. Everyone was pretty excited to do the video and we all had a good time trying to create silly content.”
Is there any teacher or coach that has made an impact on your life?
“I would say almost all of my teachers have had a strong impact in my life. If I had to choose one, it would be Mr. Schmidt. I have had very few teachers who genuinely care about me as both a student and a person as much as he does. His teachings go far beyond a classroom setting. It’s been two years since I’ve actually been his student and he still checks in with me and tells me he’s proud of me.”
What class would you recommend for other students to take?
“I would recommend taking AP biology. Mr. Chastain is both a high school and college professor so his teaching really helps you prepare for a college setting. AP biology is not only an incredibly useful class, but all of the labs and hands-on experiments make the class really fun. East has a really advanced science lab and I don’t think many students realize how fortunate we are to have it. Labs in AP biology were my favorite because you could see directly how a class concept is applied in real life. This class also looks good on a college application. If none of this encourages you, Mr. Chastain is chalked full of wholesome dad jokes that always made my day.”
What are your future plans?
“I plan on attending the Kelley school of business at Indiana University in the fall.”
What are you most looking forward to in your future?
“I am most excited to see the people that my friends and I become. I am so proud to say that they all have incredibly bright futures and big hearts, and I can’t wait to see what they do with them. As a teen, you hear a lot about the world’s problems but don’t feel like you have the power to fix them. As an adult, I hope to be a catalyst for change, However small. If I could leave any advice, I would say to focus on personal growth and positivity. I spent so much time trying to do things to strengthen my college resume or increase my SAT. The reality is that someone with a 1560 on the SAT and someone with a 960 could end up at the same school and nobody cares how either got admitted. The journey is just as important as the destination, so enjoy it.”