JACOB ROBERTS
SYDNEY SHEA CLIFFORD EGGLESTON SPONSOREDBY: BY: SPONSORED
Writer / Matt Keating Photographer / Amy Payne
Shea Eggleston, a senior at Westfield High School, is being recognized for her outstanding work at Student Impact of Westfield.
hang out and get mentorships and guidance. and extracurriculars, to be where I am today, but it has been more than worth it. With all Eggleston says she is excited to be the hard work, receiving this award is even recognized by Student Impact of Westfield. more special.”
favorite teacher, is Erin McKinney, a math teacher at Westfield High School. Not only was she an amazing teacher, and helped me find a new passion in math, but she also was, and still is, an amazing friend and mentor,” Eggleston says. “Mrs. McKinney has helped me through some of the hardest times in my life,” she adds. “To this day, I try and see her at least once a week just to say hello or have a conversation. It is not only Mrs. McKinney at Westfield, but there are so many teachers like her. I know so many students that have a relationship similar to mine with a teacher and those relationships will stick with the students for the rest of their lives.” Eggleston says Student Impact of Westfield has also helped her tremendously. “I attend Student Impact every Monday and Friday and volunteer as an intern/ student leader every Tuesday and Thursday,” Eggleston says. “I love everything about this organization. I love the people who run it and attend it, what they stand for, what they do for Westfield, and everything in between.
part of Student Impact since the fifth grade and will be a member until the moment she graduates high school. “I started volunteering at student impact my sophomore year, but it wasn’t until my junior year that I was volunteering on a constant basis. As of right now, I volunteer nine or more hours a week, and love every minute.”
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For more inform Westfield visit th 317-414-6456.
Eggleston also says she loves living in Westfield. “I have always felt safe and secure while being in Westfield,” she says. “I love the amenities and opportunities available. I love that Westfield has fun things to do with friends, and also fun things to do with family.” She believes Student Impact is a big part of that. Danyele Easterhaus, executive director of Student Impact of Westfield, says says she is thrilled Eggleston has been recognized.
WESTFIELD HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR ENCOURAGES CLASSMATES TO LEAD BY EXAMPLE
“I feel extremely humbled and honored to win,” Eggleston says. “My high school journey has been far from easy. During Student Impact, 536 North Union Street, my freshman year, I was diagnosed with Zionsville, is a safe place where students Crohn’s Disease, and missed a lot of school from grades 5-12 can build relationships because of it. I get sick easily and miss more Writer / Matt Keating that bring hope and healing. It was started in school than most people. It has taken a 1999 to be an environment where kids can lot of hard work and dedication to school Photography Provided
Writer / Julie Yates
Sydney Clifford, Photography provided a senior at Westfield High School, enjoys the challenges of juggling several schooleld activities and sports. When Westfi High School senior Jacob Roberts joined the Best Buddies club in “I’m on school, the cross-country, swimming, middle he had a very personal and track teams,” Clifford three motive for doing so. Atsays. that“These time, he had no sports have it means idea that fivetaught years me later,what he would be to the be tough and persevering. Running and club’s president. The self-proclaimed shy swimming are twohas of the hardest sports out and quiet student become a champion there, especiallyinclusion becauseand yourecently have to have for promoting led the discipline to pushing, a convocation tokeep encourage his even peerswhen to you are people uncomfortable. respect of all diff”erent ability levels.
Eggleston is proud to say she have been a
“Shea is just an amazing young woman,” Easterhaus says. “She leads with a quiet, yet strong sense about her, despite all the issues she faces each and every day. She puts others first and displays leadership not in
“Once I started trying to narrow down my dream job, I knew I did not want to be a veterinarian, but that is about all I could figure out. I hope one day I can figure out what career I want, but for now, I know it must be working with animals.” Eggleston noted that Westfield has some of the best teachers. “Almost every single teacher I have had since first grade I have really liked. With Westfield teachers you can tell they want every single one of their students to succeed, and they try to make that happen. I have had so many teachers inspire me, and make me want to be a better person and student.” Eggleston has a favorite teacher. “One teacher that will forever have a place in my heart and will forever be my absolute
Her coaches joined have been great source of “I originally Besta Buddies in eighth inspiration. grade at the middle school. I had just gotten news that my brother was going to “My coaches had a huge influence on be born withhave Down Syndrome,” Roberts not athletics, butjust on who I am as a says.just “So,my I really joined to figure person,” says.since “My cross country out how Clifford to treat him he would be and track coaches, Scottthat Lidskin, Shane different. Throughout year and my Moore andyear, Roger Wachtel, freshman I learned so have muchinstilled more in me the of sisu, a Finnish word that about Bestidea Buddies.” roughly translates to English as stubborn determination. On the cross-country Roberts continues, “I learned that my course on thewas track, I use sisuwrong to push originaland thinking completely and through tough mission. momentsTh ineamission race. I believedthose the wrong Outside of athletics, stillthe usesocial, this concept of Best Buddies is to Iend physical, of to demonstrate determination andsisu economic discrimination of thoseand with perseverance whenever I have adisabilities. tough intellectual and developmental project or a bad day.” 20
Darrick Thomas, Clifford’s swim coach, has taught her that you can always keep Westfield_1219.indd 20 and that you can always dive swimming, into a new challenge.
Eggleston plans to study zoology in college. “Ever since I can remember, my favorite thing has always been animals, particularly of the mammal species, but still animals in general,” Eggleston says. “My dream job has always been something to do with animals, whether that was a veterinarian or a zoo keeper, I did not really know, but I knew it had to be with animals.
“I joined the swim team my sophomore year, and to be totally honest I’m not the best swimmer on the team,” Clifford says. “But regardless, coach Thomas truly cares about each and and accept every athlete We include people on for the whoteam, they and has encouraged me to continue to are and simply just be friends.” keep going.”
Clifford is also president of the school’s Dance Marathon fundraiser event for Riley Hospital for Children.
“My biggestand philosophy for whatdisabilities I do is intellectual developmental engagement with the community, are paired with a regular education with peer. committee members, withonWestfield High The club typically meets Fridays during School, with sponsors, and with Riley the CORE Advisory period. Activities are Westfield High School is among Clifford, who isboth alsonationwide active with and Westfield families,” says. “I’m sofriendships excited to see organizedClifford and foster growing many schools High School’s student newspaper, has big all of our hard work pay off. ” between each buddy pair. On Oct. 29, internationally that offer the Best Buddies plans for the program as afuture. student activity. Students with Roberts organized and led a special Clifford likes making a difference in her / “While WESTFIELD MAGAZINE DECEMBER 2019on / WestfieldMag.com I do love to/ write, I plan going school and community. into the medical field after high school,” she says. “However, I still want to be able to use “The thing that I enjoy the most about 11/20/19 making a difference in the community and my ability to write and communicate ideas my school is the connections I have made wherever I end up.”
20 / WESTFIELD MAGAZINE / MARCH 2020 / WestfieldMag.com
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