Invariably, if you see a cluster of high-schoolers lumped together, youll see a common accessory cell phones.
Katie Bauer was no different. Her phone became her companion during all sorts of excursions with friends and family.
But for the Iola High School senior, the phone was more than a social media appliance. It became a powerful tool in her quest to maintain her sterling academic record.
I downloaded Google Apps on my phone, Bauer explained, so I could do things like watch a basketball game and do my homework at the same time.
Id get comments from my family, about how I was always staring at my phone, Bauer laughed.
But it wasnt for play, she noted. She was working.
I remember volleyball matches at Santa Fe Trail, and having three assignments due the next day, she said. So Id do them on my phone, then check my typing on the computer. I did OK, although Id make mistakes using my little keyboard.
Bauer is one of 10 IHS seniors to maintain a perfect 4.0 grade-point average through her high school career, attainable solely by earning all As.
And she did it the hard way.
Intent on attending the University of Kansas, Bauer loaded up on honors courses all four years. Her final semester, for example, has chemistry II and calculus, both necessary if Bauer decides on a course of study involving pharmacology or physical therapy.
Im going in undecided, she said. I have a lot of interests.
Those interests also include graphic design, she noted.
It was pretty much always going to be KU for me, she said, noting her father, Jim, is a KU alum. (Mother Shelby, for what its worth, attended Kansas State University, and Katie even considered KSU in order to become a vet. But that dream has waned.)
BAUER tackled high school with a warriors mentality. In addition to her studies, she played basketball and volleyball, was a Student Council member, was on the newspaper staff, partook in Future Business Leaders of America, Interact and National Honor Society activities. She was a member of the IHS Players and starred in several plays. She also entered several art competitions and has been active with the First Presbyterian Church. Bauer also worked part time in the summer at Iola Pharmacy.
I definitely overloaded myself my freshman year, she said. I wanted to try everything and see where my interests were. Im really glad I did it that way. It got stressful at times, but I got closer to a lot of people. I built a lot of good relationships. I think it made high school a more well-rounded experience.
She attributes her drive to influence from her parents.
