HAMILTON — High college for some college students consists of sports activities, a part-time job, and maintaining with courses, however for one senior at Hamilton High School there’s pleasure round being named as a semi-finalist for a nationwide scholarship.
“The National Merit Scholarship for me is a really big opportunity for colleges and everything because with it, I can hopefully get out-of-state merit-based scholarships that will help me afford to be able to go out of state. So that's awesome. I'm really excited to be a semifinalist. And part of the path to get here has just been due to the Hamilton school system. It's really awesome,” Chloe Greek advised MTN.
The National Merit Scholarship is an annual competitors amongst highschool college students for recognition and faculty undergraduate scholarships.
It started in 1955 and screens over 1.3 million college students yearly and a type of 1.3 million college students in Hamilton was named to the semifinalist record for the award.
Hamilton is residence to 2 packages which have received state championships a number of years in a row, the Science Olympiad and Envirothon.
Envirothon is the place Chloe has spent her highschool years, leaving as a three-time state champ and in addition a nationwide champion in oral displays.
“I've had a lot of amazing teachers throughout the years that have helped me get here, and then I've just always been good at taking tests and so kind of just a combination of all of that. But my teachers really helped me get to this point,” Greek said.
“So Envirothon has been amazing. It's coached by Maria Antonoil, who's the health teacher here, and I've just had a great time all four years learning about the environment, and all the mentors are super cool,” she continued. “There's ones from the forest service or who work in the field that they're teaching us,” Greek mentioned.
“Envirothon has also been a huge part of my extracurricular activities, as well as some jobs I've had. I interned on this farm, and we worked with kids with autism, as well as made food for homebound seniors in the community. And so just a lot of community stuff, and learning the importance of connecting with people,” Greek advised MTN.
Not solely has the assist from Hamilton High School been a big a part of Greek’s journey, however so has her household.
“My mom, my family have definitely been huge supporters. My sister, Sydney…she was this huge overachiever, and she had a 4.0 and she got fives on all her AP tests and everything. So just having that to look up to and kind of motivate me has been a huge thing. As well as my mom. [She's] always supported me and everything and helped me with everything. So, as well as my grandma, she was a scientist, and she just has this curiosity, curiosity about everything,” Greek said.
“And so she kind of passed that on to me, and she's made me she also has this garden and all these snakes on her property. So as a kid, I'd go work in her garden and just eat veggies right out of the ground and catch snakes. So she's definitely helped foster some of my outdoor love,” Greek continued.
Greek additionally defined what the assist of the school and workers of Hamilton High School has been for her whereas she has been on the street to the semifinalist award.
“I've always just felt supported and celebrated at Hamilton my teachers whenever I do well on tests or things in classes or get awards, they'd always be really happy for me and encourage that, and then they've just really contributed to my academic development and everything,” Greek mentioned.
Greek talked in regards to the assist she's seen from her academics as she continued her athletic and educational journey.
“As soon as I was awarded it I got called down to the counselor's office and congratulated, and all the teachers in the halls were telling me how amazing it was. And then these interviews got set up, so they just really support academic achievement, and especially with sports too,” Greek noted.
“My teachers have always been great about when I'm gone for sports helping me make things up, or being lenient on Oh, you were gone, you can have some time to turn this in, or things that, and I just feel everyone's so supportive and kind, and that's really something that's been amazing and helped my success,” Greek mentioned.
So as fall turns into winter and winter turns into Spring, and the countdown to choice day, Greek defined what’s subsequent for her and her educational journey.
“I'm looking at colleges in Oregon and Washington for the most part right now, but I've also looked at a college in California or Montana State University, and I want to get my undergraduate degree in something with biology or environmental science, and then use that and travel the world and do cool stuff outside with my job and just get new experiences,” Greek mentioned.