Student Spotlight: Sydney Clifford

Writer / Matt Keating Photography Provided Sydney Clifford, a senior at Westfield High School, enjoys the challenges of juggling several school activities and sports. “I’m on the cross-country, swimming, and track teams,” Clifford says. “These three sports have taught me what it means to be tough and persevering. Running and swimming are two of the hardest sports out there, especially because you have to have the discipline to keep pushing, even when you are uncomfortable.” SYDNEY CLIFFORD SPONSORED BY: SPONSORED BY: JACOB ROBERTS 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. Student Impact, 536 North Union Street, Zionsville, is a safe place where students from grades 5-12 can build relationships that bring hope and healing. It was started in 1999 to be an environment where kids can hang out and get mentorships and guidance. Eggleston says she is excited to be recognized by Student Impact of Westfield. “I feel extremely humbled and honored to win,” Eggleston says. “My high school journey has been far from easy. During my freshman year, I was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease, and missed a lot of school because of it. I get sick easily and miss more school than most people. It has taken a lot of hard work and dedication to school and extracurriculars, to be where I am today, but it has been more than worth it. With all the hard work, receiving this award is even more special.” 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. “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 SHEA EGGLESTON 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. Eggleston is proud to say she have been a 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.” 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. “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 an aggressive manner, but in the normal, everyday ways of life. For more information on Student Impact of Westfield visit therockwestfield.org/ or call 317-414-6456. Writer / Julie Yates Photography provided When West eld High School senior Jacob Roberts joined the Best Buddies club in middle school, he had a very personal motive for doing so. At that time, he had no idea that  ve years later, he would be the club’s president.  e self-proclaimed shy and quiet student has become a champion for promoting inclusion and recently led a convocation to encourage his peers to respect people of all di erent ability levels. WESTFIELD HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR ENCOURAGES CLASSMATES TO LEAD BY EXAMPLE

Her coaches have been a great source of inspiration. “My coaches have had a huge influence on not just my athletics, but on who I am as a person,” Clifford says. “My cross country and track coaches, Scott Lidskin, Shane Moore and Roger Wachtel, have instilled in me the idea of sisu, a Finnish word that roughly translates to English as stubborn determination. On the cross-country course and on the track, I use sisu to push through those tough moments in a race. Outside of athletics, I still use this concept of sisu to demonstrate determination and perseverance whenever I have a tough project or a bad day.” Darrick Thomas, Clifford’s swim coach, has taught her that you can always keep swimming, and that you can always dive into a new challenge. “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 every athlete on the team, and has encouraged me to continue to keep going.” Clifford, who is also active with Westfield High School’s student newspaper, has big plans for the future. “While I do love to write, I plan on going into the medical field after high school,” she says. “However, I still want to be able to use my ability to write and communicate ideas wherever I end up.” Clifford is also president of the school’s Dance Marathon fundraiser event for Riley Hospital for Children. “My biggest philosophy for what I do is engagement - with the community, with committee members, with Westfield High School, with sponsors, and with Riley families,” Clifford says. “I’m so excited to see all of our hard work pay off.” Clifford likes making a difference in her school and community. “The thing that I enjoy the most about making a difference in the community and my school is the connections I have made 20 / WESTFIELD MAGAZINE / DECEMBER 2019 / WestfieldMag.com “I originally joined Best Buddies in eighth grade at the middle school. I had just go en news that my brother was going to be born with Down Syndrome,” Roberts says. “So, I really joined just to  gure out how to treat him since he would be di erent.  roughout that year and my freshman year, I learned so much more about Best Buddies.” Roberts continues, “I learned that my original thinking was completely wrong and I believed the wrong mission.  e mission of Best Buddies is to end the social, physical, and economic discrimination of those with intellectual and developmental disabilities. We include and accept people for who they are and simply just be friends.” West eld High School is among many schools both nationwide and internationally that o er the Best Buddies program as a student activity. Students with intellectual and developmental disabilities are paired with a regular education peer.  e club typically meets on Fridays during the CORE Advisory period. Activities are organized and foster growing friendships between each buddy pair. On Oct. 29, Roberts organized and led a special Westfield_1219.indd 20 11/20/19 10:54 AM

in the process, whether that is with the people I’m helping or the people I’m helping with,” she says.

Clifford is still deciding on which college to attend.

“I’m considering between IU, IUPUI and Purdue,” she says. “I’m planning on double majoring in biology and Spanish, with a pre-med or pre-physician assistant track.”

Wherever Clifford goes, Westfield will always be a big part of her.

“Westfield has been such an incredible community to help me set my roots,” she says. “St. Maria Goretti Catholic School and Westfield High School have helped to instill in me a genuine curiosity for learning, and an instinctive drive to help others.”

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