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This month’s student spotlight is focused on Mackenzie Schick, a 2024 graduate of Western Boone Junior-Senior High School (informally known as WeBo). “WeBo really pushes progress over perfection,” Schick said. “From many of my teachers, specifically Jennifer Brunty, who teaches Spanish, I have heard repeatedly that it matters more that I improve in my own educational journey – progressing throughout the year and doing better than I did during the last nine weeks, rather than meeting perfection by other people’s standards. I feel like pushing progress over perfection on students keeps the motivation alive and lets students know that even the tiny improvements/achievements are noticed and matter.”
Schick says her extracurriculars better prepared her for college. “During my time at WeBo, I participated in National Junior Honor Society and National Honor Society, completing community service hours and participating in service projects,” Schick said. “My junior year I was selected to become an AMP mentor, which is an upperclassman who is chosen to guide incoming seventh-graders through their first year at WeBo. Throughout my senior year I took an emergency medical technician class through the Career and Technical Education (CTE) program, where I was presented an award for excellence in CTE. Over my six years at WeBo I have taken multiple Honors and AP courses, along with dual-credit courses, which gave me college credits through Ivy Tech. In addition, I was the Mr. WeBo choreographer for 2023 and 2024, as well as maintaining top 10 of my class for 10th, 11th and 12th grade.
“On May 25 I graduated with both Academic and Technical Honors diplomas. While maintaining the academic value of the classroom, all the teachers are very good at creating fun learning environments for the students,” Schick added. “Not only are the classrooms enjoyable, but the teachers make it a point to build relationships with their students, which contributes to an overall caring community experience. A great example of this would be John Brunty’s math classes, of which I have so many lasting memories.”
Schick is also a competitive dancer at Talent Factory Arts & Dance in Lebanon, dancing with them for nine years, competing for six. She participated in jazz, hip-hop, tap, lyrical, ballet, pointe, and acro recreationally, and have competed in jazz, lyrical, hip-hop, tap, and musical theater. In addition, she was a student helper in the dance classes for the younger age groups. “Aside from being a fun activity, I feel as though dance has really helped to develop important characteristics,” Schick says. “Skills I have learned from dance, such as perseverance and determination, I have been able to carry with me in all aspects of my life, including my academic career at WeBo.”
