Rowan Barker

As a junior in high school, I have been trying to maintain my grades and get more involved in my community. I joined the Oswego Athletic Training Program. It is a big commitment that requires 500 hours of field experience, whether that be at games, practices, or in the athletic training room. It is also a class where we learn about anatomy, injuries, and how to treat them. It has taught me immense time management and communication. Furthermore, I joined a completely new sport this year by myself. Flag football was made an official IHSA sport this year and I decided to join. As one of the upperclassman on the team, with a predominantly underclassman team, I took upon a leadership roll. I helped to organize the senior night and often took control during games . I have also joined lots of clubs. One in particular has had the most impact on me. I recently joined the Best Buddies program at my school. It is a once a month meeting where students can collaborate with special needs students to learn about them and form a bond as well as doing fun activities. I feel very strongly about this program because my brother is autistic and I want to be able to understand him the best I can and this program has helped immensely.