It is no mystery that school is challenging and creates a lot of stress for students, but some see this as motivation. Rowan Epting is a sophomore at Hamburg High School and she is proof that where there is a will, there is a way. Some of her academic achievements include earning top 15 all three years of middle school, as well as earning top 20 her freshman year. She succeeded in transitioning her middle school success into high school and took the opportunity in three honors classes her freshman year, biology, algebra 2, and civics. This year she continues the dedication with two honors classes, geometry and chemistry. To motivate our own students, Rowan shared some of her tips and tricks into maintaining a successful academic life. 

     “Try and focus on your future and try to keep up with your work because it pays off in the end,” Rowan shared. Staying with the subject of futures, Rowan says she would like to go to college and pursue her career as a homicide detective. This career requires a degree in criminal justice, as well as completing police training. Dedication and commitment are just two of the strengths needed to live this lifestyle, committing to a future is a must in all careers. She also says, “Focus on your own grades, not others.” This is a very important piece of succeeding in high school. Although it is fun to build confidence in your grades, focusing on how to improve them to their fullest potential should matter more than what your friends got. 

     Rowan aspires to be in The National Honor Society, she says this is because she thinks setting goals is a healthy way to achieve success. “I believe having the mindset that you’re going to do something helps make it happen. Setting goals for yourself does help because then you feel like you have an expectation to live up to and make yourself feel accomplished when you reach that goal. My whole mindset is when I want to accomplish something it will happen.” This statement is very helpful because setting goals not only helps people feel accomplished, but taking things step by step helps people better understand and value themselves. Setting goals shapes us into being able to complete things all at once. Rowan’s tips and helpful hints are just that, helpful, and using them could really help inspire students to commit to their education.