Sophomore Shares How She Found Her Place at East

One of my very best friends, Allie, made symphonic orchestra her freshman year after playing for three years. Another friend, Grace, made state in the high jump during her freshman track season. Anne — another one of my great friends — placed fifth in state golf this year and is number one on the golf team. Meg swam varsity at state her freshman year, and has been one of my friends since second grade. And finally, there’s Emma, my best friend and a novice debater who, in her very first debate, went 5-0.

Then there’s me.

When I walked in the Shawnee Mission East doors my first day of high school, I could sense a standard of excellence. That feeling may have been because my brother Alex had already attended East for two years and I had heard all the wonderful statistics and stories. I’d heard about National Merit Semifinalists, state champions, and science fair winners. When I began my freshmen year I was joining that excellence.

The only problem was that I didn’t know how to earn it.

During the years I have tried playing soccer, basketball and volleyball, but I never played premier and definitely wasn’t amazing . I loved my rec soccer and basketball, and I had a great time playing with my friends, but something about high school was — and still is — intimidating. My peers were better than me, not to mention the upperclassmen who were leaps and bounds ahead. I just couldn’t get up the nerve to try out for any of the sports I had played before.

I struggled all freshmen year not knowing how exactly to fit in. I got good grades, some that many would’ve been happy to have, but I was far from pleased. When I compared myself to the “smarter kids” I was still discouraged. My grades were fine, but I wasn’t anywhere near the top of the class, and something about that bothered me. When I do something, I want to be the best at it – after all, that is how you get recognized. Being in the top 11 percent of my class just wasn’t enough. I didn’t have a sport to excel in and I wasn’t the best.

Meanwhile my friends were busy going to state and winning multiple competitions. They were excelling. They were what I wanted to be. Jealousy is bad — I’ve been taught that principle my entire life. When Allie sits second chair in orchestra and when Meg beats her time in swimming I congratulate them, but I still wish I could be them.

Just recently, I figured out what makes me really stand out at East. No, I haven’t become an amazing athlete overnight or magically gotten to the top of my class. But I have discovered I am the encourager. Whenever something good happens to my friends, or to anyone for that matter, I congratulate them. I let them know how amazing I think they are. It isn’t the fact that I stand out and everyone knows me, it is that the people I stand out to the most are the people in my life that really matter to me.

I love to make people’s days better, whether that means smiling and saying “hi” in the halls, or having a conversation with them about their triumphs or trials. I love to see other people smiling and having a good time. I stand out to them because I encourage and congratulate them, and that is all that really matters.

I no longer care if a random senior knows I’m not a star athlete, I don’t care if my peers know I’m not in the running for valedictorian. None of that matters too much anymore. I still want to shoot the winning basket at state, but I’ve accepted that I won’t and I’m OK with that. I’ve figured out how I stand out. I encourage and congratulate; I am the one who makes people smile.

East is made up of a bunch of overachievers who excel in everything they do and are the best at what they do. The portion of our school that makes up the elite is large compared to other schools, but still isn’t our entire school. That leaves the rest of us, the ones who aren’t the best athletes or scholars. I may not be valedictorian, but I’ll be there at her graduation party to give her a hug. I’m happy with where I am and I happy the way I stand out.

I am The Encourager.