Student of the Semester: Christina Columbus
By Thomas Demko and Janialin Streit
Ambitious, helpful, hard-working, and positive all describe Christina Columbus. She was chosen as one of the junior students of the semester. These attributes help her to stand out among her class. Christina is not only an extremely talented dancer but is a renowned Shenango student.
Her talents are not limited to the classroom; Christina is an accomplished dancer. She has danced with Ludovici Dance Academy for 16 years and also shows her Wildcat pride through her talents by being a part of the Shenango High School danceline and is a mentor for the junior high members. Through this activity, she has met her role model, Kelly McNees. “She deals with a lot in her life and still is a woman with power. Her creativity and work ethic is unmatched.”
Christina herself has these attributes in common with her danceline coach. According to Honors Social Studies teacher Miss Shields, “ Christina is an ambitious student inside and outside the classroom. Her strong work ethic will get her far in this world!”
Dance is not Christina’s only extracurricular activity. She is a part of Peer Leadership, the National Honor Society, choir, band, and of course, danceline. She is a leader in school as the Vice President of the Student Council and the President of the class of 2025. With all of that, she also works at Ladies of the Duke’s.
Teachers such as Mr. Vencenie have noticed her determination. “Christina is one of those students that seems to be involved in everything. Despite her rigorous dance schedule and other activities, she remains one of the stronger students in the 11th grade academically. Her personality is one of her best qualities as she is able to carry on conversations with people of all ages and backgrounds.”
According to Mr. Butchy, “Christina seems to approach each day and new challenges with a positive attitude, and I sincerely appreciate that!”
Mrs Leali adds, “Christina is a joy to have in class. She is always smiling and willing to help in any way.”
Christina herself takes pride in her ability to work hard. “My strongest trait is that I can get work done with such a busy schedule because I have developed a strong time management mindset.”
In her opinion, a great teacher is “someone who gets to know their students and cares about them. A good teacher cares about their students long after the student has passed their class.”
Among all of the classes she is enrolled in, Christina believes that English is the best. She has learned a lot from Mrs. McKissick and has “had fun doing it at the same time”.
Not only does Christina receive respect from others, but she also respects herself. She likes to “succeed and have self-pride.” Two of the many people who motivate Columbus are her parents who she loves to make proud.
Congratulations on being selected and good luck with the rest of your junior year, Christina!